VOL.201 MARCH 2025
Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan Climate and Craftsmanship in Yamagata Prefecture Makes Mellow Taste Sake with A Good Balance of Acidity and Umami

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A step in the traditional sake brewing process. Here, washed rice is being steamed.
Photo: Dewazakura Sake Brewery Co., Ltd

Yamagata Prefecture is located on the Sea of Japan coast of the Tohoku region. It is a rich natural area surrounded by mountains. Yamagata is blessed with natural resources ideal for sake brewing, with its cold climate and plentiful water sources, and there are many sake brewers here. Sake from Yamagata Prefecture is characterized by its mellow taste with a good balance of acidity and umami. We interviewed a kuramoto¹ to learn more about sake brewing.

NAKANO Masumi, Representative Director and President of Dewazakura Sake Brewery Co., Ltd, a brewery in Tendo City in eastern Yamagata Prefecture, has devoted many years to sake brewing here.

“Yamagata Prefecture is blessed with 33 mountains over 1,500 meters high, and they provide plenty of water. Plus, our company is in the Murayama area of Tendo City, which is a basin. I believe a basin has the perfect climate and natural features for sake brewing because high daytime temperatures in summer make it easy to grow rice—the raw material for sake—while the cold winters are conducive to low-temperature fermentation, which suppresses the growth of unwanted bacteria.”

Sake produced this way in Yamagata’s natural environment has a round, no off-flavor. Junmai-shu² and ginjo-shu³ are especially noted for their mellow taste, bringing acidity and umami together in harmony.

NAKANO believes the most important thing in sake brewing is the handiwork of the craftspeople who make it, including the toji⁴ and kurabito.⁵ He emphasizes the importance of careful handiwork not only in rice washing, koji⁶ making, fermentation, and other steps of the sake production process, but also in transporting the rice and koji.

“With wine, it’s often said that the grapes themselves determine variations in taste, but sake is an alcoholic drink that depends greatly on the techniques used in the brewing process, so the human factor plays a huge role. We and many other sake breweries in Yamagata are fully committed to handcrafting, and we use hands-on techniques without mechanizing the process.”

NAKANO feels that working by hand as much as possible leads each worker to a personal experience of the process. Then, by “looking back” on that each time, they grow from the experience. This ultimately improves the quality of the product.

“After the rice is steamed, workers hand-carry it to the koji-making room where the koji is added. Another part of the process that they can look back upon is the weight and feeling of the rice as they carry it. This turns into experience, confidence, and pride. We believe that this in turn leads to better quality products and faith in the company.”

Yamagata Prefecture also has a culture of openness about sake brewing techniques. Up until now (end of February 2025), Dewazakura Sake Brewery has accepted 22 trainees. Friendly competition and information-sharing has led to even better sake quality, and as a result, sake produced by Yamagata’s breweries has consistently earned Top 5 rankings at the Annual Japan Sake Awards.⁷

“Yamagata’s sake breweries are among Japan’s most skilled. One way we have proved this is by becoming the first in Japan to get a Geographical Indication (GI) certification⁸ as a prefecture, an unusually large area to be certified under this scheme.

Yamagata ranks 12th in Japan in total domestic sake shipments by prefecture, but it boasts a high production ratio of high-value-added products (Special Designation Sake), ranking third in junmai ginjo-shu⁹ and fifth in ginjo-shu. This is one reason its sake is also so highly regarded internationally.

“Our company started exporting sake in 1997 because we wanted to establish it as a beverage for the world. We are currently exporting to 35 countries. At first, the U.S. and other countries didn’t have much of a custom of drinking sake cold, so when we recommended cold sake, a lot of people were surprised by its rich aroma, depth of flavor, and fruity sensation down the throat.”

NAKANO says to be sure to savor the combination of sake with local food when you visit Yamagata.

“Sake from our prefecture goes well with wild vegetables and mushrooms, as well as Yamagata’s famous imoni,¹⁰ and 80% of our prefectural residents drink it.” Dewazakura Sake Brewery also holds the occasional brewery tour, with explanations in English and on-the-spot sake tasting to enjoy.

“Come on out and experience the sake brewery culture and way of thinking, and have a taste of our sake!”

• 1. The owner of a sake brewery or brewing company, or the brewery itself.
• 2. Sake is made from rice, rice koji, and water. The umami and body of the rice are brought out without adding brewing alcohol.
• 3. Sake made using the ginjo-zukuri method, in which polished to a ratio of 60% rice is fermented at a lower temperature and for a longer period of time than usual.
• 4. The name of a craftsperson who brews sake. One provides technical guidance and may also be the person in charge of the overall sake brewing process.
• 5. A craftsperson in charge of sake brewing under the toji (brew master).
• 6. Made by steaming rice, wheat, soybeans, etc. and letting them rest in a chamber to allow Aspergillus oryzae fungi spores to germinate on them. Koji is used to brew sake, soy sauce, and mirin (sweet sake used for seasoning).
• 7. A nationwide sake contest that has been held since 1911. Contestants compete to produce the finest new sake.
• 8. The Geographical Indication (GI) system advances the proper use of the name for “place of origin,” which is common property of a region. In 2016, the National Tax Agency designated Yamagata Prefecture as a GI for sake.
• 9. A kind of ginjo-shu (3.), made from rice, rice koji, and water without adding brewing alcohol.
• 10. A local dish in Yamagata Prefecture mainly made from taro.

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