Fascinated by Sawada Shuzo, a sake brewery in Chita that has inherited the traditional brewing method

Sake brewer Sawada Shuzo’s blends tradition and innovation to create its signature Hakurou line of award-winning nihonshu in Tokoname city in Nagoya’s charming Chita Peninsula.

President of Sawada Shuzo, Kaoru Sawada, is the sixth generation of her family to head up production of the renowned line of sake, Hakurou.

• Table of Contents
• A Brewery Built on Tokoname Tradition
• A Pedigree of Craftsmanship Born in Tokoname and the Chita Peninsula.
• A Visit to Tokoname for a Brewery Tour and Tasting
• Sasarake: A Local, Handmade Sake Tasting Experience
• Much More Than Just Sake

A Brewery Built on Tokoname Tradition

The entrance to Sawada Shuzo brewery in Tokoname. The brewery was designed Sawada Shuzo is a family-run sake brewery founded in 1848 and located in Tokoname, a quaint Ghibli-esque town on Aichi’s Chita Peninsula, famous for its Tokoname Ware pottery. Since 2007 the brewery has been steered by its sixth-generation president, Kaoru Sawada, one of an increasing number of women Kuramoto (master sake brewers) in Japan. 

President Kaoru Sawada, leads a tour of the Sawada Shuzo facilities. Guests are encouraged to join the tasting tour where they can learn all about Sawada Shuzo brewing and enjoy tasting Hakurou sake from Sasarake collection with specially paired local snacks.

 The four varieties of Hakurou sake that make up Sasarake collection. Each is paired with its own drinking cups designed and handmade by local Tokonome potters masters. 

Indeed, Sawada Shuzo's products have been recognized as some of the very best. They are 7-time winners of the National Research Institute of Brewing's Annual Japan Sake Award for manufacturing techniques and sake quality. In 2016, Sawada Shuzo's plum sake, Hakuro-bai, won the silver prize at the Palm Research Institute's Japan Plum Sake Awards. Sawada Shuzo has also won the silver award in both 2019 and 2024.

So how exactly did Sawada Shuzo elevate its sake brewing to such a high level and succeed when so many other sake brewers folded?

A Pedigree of Craftsmanship Born in Tokoname and the Chita Peninsula.

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Chita Peninsula Sake Brewing

In the Edo period (1603-1867), Chita peninsula’s location near the sea and rapid development of shipping industry allowed sake and other goods like tamari, miso and shoyu to be delivered to Edo (now Tokyo) quicker than ever and the economy 

The peninsula also provided producers with high-quality rice and access to soft, pure water necessary for sake brewing as well as seasonal workers called kurabito (lit. brewery people). By the Meiji era the area had become Japan’s second largest sake producing region, making Sawada Shuzo one of over 220 breweries. 

Since its founding, Sawada Shuzo sources their water from a mountain spring about 2 kilometers from the brewery. This is a private water supply used for sake brewing. Given the complex geological formations of the region, water quality varies greatly depending on the location of the springs.

Guests who partake in the tour and sake tasting can drink the delicious pure water used in Sawada Shuzo’s sake production.

While the Chita Peninsula has a relatively mild climate, in the winter a frigid wind called the Ibuki Oroshi whips across Ise Bay. Breweries here make use of this natural phenomena, adding an inverted L-shape to the northwest corner of the buildings to efficiently cool the brewery by taking in the cold Ibuki Oroshi winds.

Sake mash ferments in a tank. Sawada Shuzo was an integral part of the development of the fast fermentation technique called Sokujomoto.

The Meiji Restoration saw massive changes and the fall of Chita Peninsula as a sake powerhouse. Breweries decided to join forces under the Hōjōgumi association and tried to improve brewing techniques to keep remaining breweries afloat. Sawada Shuzo built a designated testing facility in their own brewery and invited Kamajiro Eda, an engineer from the Ministry of Finance's Brewing Research Institute, to research and develop a revolutionary method of making variety of yeast that prevents sake from spoiling.

This revolutionary method allowed brewers to prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria and speed up the fermentation process. It quickly became the standard for modern sake brewing. Throughout its history, Sawada Shuzo has been quick to adopt new technologies, but at the same time, their development has been achieved by continuing to protect traditional handcrafted brewing techniques.

A Traditional Brewery That Keeps Innovating

The limited edition sake bottle collaboration created by Theaster Gates with Sawada Shuzo during his residency in Tokoname. The specially brewed MON Karakara sake was a rich and authentic dry sake.

From that local collaboration to a global one, Sawada Shuzo also collaborated with world famous contemporary artist, Theaster Gates, who designed an original small batch sake bottle for his “Afro Mingei” exhibition.  

These innovative ideas help promote Tokoname’s storied local culture to new audiences both in Japan and abroad, offering new entry points to those who may be less familiar with the sake itself, but are attracted to the arts and local Japanese craftsmanship.  

A Visit to Tokoname for a Brewery Tour and Tasting

Brewing Handmade Sake the Old Fashioned Way

President Kaoru Sawada explains that Sawada Shuzo employs a number of traditional tools and techniques throughout the sake-brewing process which make them stand out from other breweries. For example, the brewery continues to use wooden barrels called koshiki to steam their rice while most other breweries have adopted metallic barrels.

There are some other advantages and disadvantages to this method. The wooden koshiki retains heat, so the temperature rises slowly and steams the rice more evenly. This better controls humidity to prevent excess moisture from saturating the rice as it steams.

Those brewing advantages come at a financial cost as more fuel is required than newer metal options. There’s also the added cost of repair and a dwindling number of qualified barrel craftsmen to repair them as they age. 

The brewery also uses an older, smaller version of the kojibuta, the wooden box used for cultivating the koji fungus required for fermentation. The smaller size means more man hours for workers at the brewery, although many take pride in doing it the old fashioned way. And for good reason.

By using these small containers, it is possible to achieve ‘hazekomi’, where the koji mould penetrates deeply into the rice without variation. Hazekomi fermentation allows the authentic flavour of the rice to be infused completely into the sake. Sawda Shuzo is the only brewery in Aichi Prefecture that uses kojibuta for all their sake varieties.

During the brewery tour and tasting guests can learn about the process. President Kaoru Sawada answers questions and can explain in detail both English and Japanese — a rare opportunity in Japan.  

Sasarake: A Local, Handmade Sake Tasting Experience

To create the Sasarake collection, Sawada Shuzo collaborated with four local Tokoname pottery craftsmen to create drinking cups that would enhance the individuality and experience of each Hakurou sake. From left to right: Chita no Hanatsuyu, Karakara-Hakurou, Special Junmai Sake Hakurou, Houjou.

Sawada Shuzo believes that enjoying a great sake isn’t only about the drink itself, everything about the experience contributes to the enjoyment — from the food one eats it with to the vessel it is served in to knowing the background and culture of the people who create it. That belief led to Sasarake, a collection of drinking cups inspired by and designed for specific varieties of Hakurou sake. 

Tokoname is of course famous for its Tokoname Ware pottery traditions. The craftsmen who create these vessels were asked to design cups that would both complement and enhance the flavors and aromas of the sake. Visitors to Sawada Shuzo can experience a tasting of the four Sasarake sakes and their respective vessels. 

POV you’re at an amazing sake tasting in Tokoname, Japan.

The Sasarake sake tasting experience also pairs local snacks using sake kasu (sake lees) and other unique fermented ingredients to enhance the flavor of the sake and introduce different kinds of umami combinations. 

Let’s delve into each of the four sakes and their uniquely designed vessels featured in the tasting.  

Chita no Hanatsuyu

President Kaoru Sawada holds the bottle of Chita no Hanatsuyu sake during the sake tasting. Each sake has been paired with its own special vessel (drinking cup) and specific snacks featuring an array of umami tastes.  

Chita no Hanatusyu is a Junmai Daiginjo brewed with Yamada Nishiki rice which is cultivated locally in the Chita Peninsula and polished down to 35%. It’s brewed using long-term, low-temperature fermentation. The result is a clean finish that retains the rich flavor of the rice. 

The result is a sweet strawberry-like aroma with a clean, fresh fragrance. This sake possesses a slight sweetness and faint but refined acidity, giving a beautiful final edge to complete the taste profile. The camellia sasanqua blossoms featured on the label is the official flower of Tokoname City and symbolizes that this sake is made exclusively with ingredients sourced in Aichi prefecture. Adorned in that strikingly colorful red camellia label, it’s a bottle as beautiful as the sake that pours from it. 

Vessel: Hanatsuyu

Created by world-renowned ceramic artist Mami Kato with a focus on the needs of the user. The vessel’s tall and tapered shape is meant to enhance the bright aroma of the sake. Sake flows smoothly from the rim, which was designed to fit the lips of the drinker. Each uniquely sculptured vessel is made to rest comfortably in the hand of the drinker. It’s a cup with a solid center of gravity, allowing the subtle sweet edge of acidity to linger cleanly. 

Karakara

Karakara is an easy drinking but characterful dry sake that is endlessly enjoyable whether served slightly warmed or chilled. Kaoru Sawada says it pairs easily with a variety of foods just as dry sake should. 

The fragrance is described as “a pleasant sea breeze,” a nod to the Chita Peninsula which is bordered by Ise Bay to the west and Mikawa Bay to the east. It has a light, smooth mouthfeel that gives a subtle but rich flavor of fresh rice. A sharp aftertaste of the spirits receding after a drink are described as “a tide leaving a cool impression.” Karakara (which literally means dry-dry) offers a dry finish with a subtle savory saltiness — an oceanic experience.

Vessel: Karakara

Traditional Tokoname Ware ceramicist Koichiro Takeuchi uses ash and glaze techniques he learned from his father Kimiaki Takeuchi, combining them with skills learned in Okinawa. He designed the Karakara vessel with a wide top to “allow the aroma of sea breeze to pervade gently.” Sake is meant to flow into the drinker's mouth “in a wavelike fashion” giving a fresh, light impression. Returning the cup to table one the nuance of gritty beach sand as the waves recede from view. When pouring the sake, the ash glaze gleams brightly on the surface of the cup and the coarse texture unique to Tokoname clay is meant to evoke the beaches in Tokoname while lending a cool dry finish to the palate. 

Special Junmai Sake Hakurou

Presented in an oceanic blue bottle with shiny silver lettering, Wakamizu’s label belies a rich and full-bodied flavor, revealing a deep umami of rice with each sip. 

This special junmai sake is made from locally-grown sake rice called Wakamizu, which has been polished to 60% and spring water from the Chita Peninsula — a concentrated essence of Tokoname’s natural terroir and the rich resources of Tokoname.

The aroma is that of freshly cooked rice and a faint milky fragrance. The local rice imparts Wakamizu with savory mellowness that is mild enough for those new to sake or while structured enough for even the most seasoned drinkers.

Vessel: Wakamizu

Artisan Kohokujo Shimizu grew up in a family of Japanese teapot makers from Tokoname. That lineage of craftsmanship is clear in the subdued vermilion color of this vessel. The handmade texture of the streaks circling the cup evoke the steady spin of the potter's wheel in a classic style typical of Tokoname ware. 

Shimizu’s decision to fire the red clay without glaze allows iron content from Tokoname clay to subtly balance the tartness of the Wakamizu sake and bring out its mellower tasting notes. The rim shape is made to gently suit the lips to enhance the pleasant mildness when served atuskan (warmed sake). 

Junmai Ginjo Jukusei Sake Houjou

Aged for over two years, Houjou is a junmai ginjo sake offering a smooth mouthfeel and bold, rich flavor that fills the palate before retreating with a crisp and clean, but deeply flavorful finish. 

The label is an autumnal color palette that evokes rice husks and a reddening harvest moon, hinting at what lies within — a structured and complex aroma of cinnamon, gingers and nuts brought out by careful aging. Houjou has a thicker mouthfeel than other Hakurou sake, and a matured sweetness not unlike kokutou brown sugar. Houjou exudes a deep richness of rice before balancing itself with its delicate, astringent taste that gracefully retreats into a long lasting, smooth aftertaste on the back of the tongue. This is a seriously mature sake for refined, experienced sake lovers.  

Vessel: Houjou

Ceramic artist Hitoshi Tanikawa is known for using a special Mogake technique employing seaweed he collects from the sea that surrounds the Chita peninsula. His charming work encompasses a well-balanced combination of skilled techniques and a playful spirit.

All of that is present in the Houjou vessel. 

The form of the rim is thick and solid to relish the thick texture of both the vessel and the Junmai Ginjo Jukusei sake Houjou. This unusual rim allows the drinker to explore the rich and matured flavor in their own preferred way. This is a “growing cup” that evolves and to fit its user over time. Indeed, the colors become more attractive the more a person uses it. A unique gold pattern gradually emerges from the 'Mogake' ceramic technique, which originated in Tokoname about two hundred years ago. Houjou is a cup, and sake, made for a long night with mature adults who haven’t yet lost their sense of fun.

Much More Than Just Sake

After a sake tasting it’s time to look around “Sawada Kitagura” which is Sawada Shuzo's own store with a wide range of limited edition seasonal Hakurou sake and regular sake?

If you prefer something sour and fruity, Sawada Shuzo also makes umeshu (plum wine) made with Souriume, a local variety of plums grown in Chita. Their “Hakurou-bai Junmai Ginjo Koshu Jikomi no Umeshu” won the Silver Prize for Japan Umeshu (plum wine) in 2016, 2019 and 2024. 

It’s made according to a plum wine-making process recorded in “Honcho Shokkan”, a historical recipe book written in the Edo period.  Locally grown plums are soaked overnight in straw ash to dissolve any bitterness or scum, and the stems are removed by hand. They are then soaked in aged junmai ginjo or junmai dai ginjo.

This careful process results in a sweet and sour plum wine called "Hakurou-bai," with a refreshing, pure sourness and no off-flavors.

In addition to sake Sawada Shuzo also makes umeshu, including the award-winning Junmai Ginjo-brewed Hakurou-bai, Junmai Daiginjo-brewed Hakurou-bai, and Hakurou-bai Nouveau.

Click here to sign-up for a tour of the Sawada Shuzo brewery!