The brewery process of Japanese Sake is changing the style as the time goes by. Toji was a seasonal worker and people such as farmers, who do not have things to work in the winter season, visit breweries every year to brew Sake.

These days, the situation has changed. Less and less people are available for breweries and some of the breweries have Toji which is officially hired by the breweries. It is only a change in style and there are some advantages as well as drawbacks.

In such situation, some of the breweries corporate each other and establish the project by organising teams.

This time, ikki deliver info about the brewery tems.

11PM

11PM is a pioneer of Brewery team. PM means Product Manager. 11 product managers = Kuramoto, gather and started the event since 2001 to encourage people to drink Sake.

The members are as below;

• Hachinohe Shuzou  （Brand: Mutsu Hassen 陸奥八仙)
• Akita Seishu (Brand: Kariho 刈穂)
• Ookidaikichi (Brand: Shizengo 自然郷 )
• Shimazaki Shuzo (Brand: Azuma Rikishi 東力士 )
• Ono Brewing Company (Brand: Yoakemae 夜明け前)
• Aoki Shuzo (Brand: Kakurei 鶴齢)
• Doi Shuzojyo (Brand: Kaiun 開運)
• Toshimori Sake Brewery (Brand: Sake Hitosuji 酒一筋)
• Yoshida Sake Brewing (Brand: Gassan 月山)
• Imada Sake Brewery (Brand: Fukucho 富久長)
• Tenzan Sake Brewer (Brand: Hichida 七田)

魂志会　Konshikai (Hiroshima)

Konshikai is Sake team in Hiroshima. The member is as below;

• Aihara Shuzo (Brand: Ugo no Tsuki 雨後の月)
• Imada Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Brand: Fukucho 富久長)
• Miwasakura Inc. (Brand: Miwasakura 美和桜)
• Hoken Shuzo (Brand: Hoken 宝剣)
• Kanemitsu Shuzo (Brand: Kamo Kinshu 賀茂金秀)
• Tenpoichi (Brand: Tenpoichi 天寶一)

They exchange the information and organise Sake seminar events for restaurants and also for consumers.

NEXT5 (Akita)

NEXT 5 is the Sake project by 5 breweries in Akita prefectures as below;

• Yamamoto Sake Brewery Corp. (Brand: Shirataki 白瀑/ Yamamoto 山本)
• Kuribayashi Brewing & Co. (Brand: Harukasumi 春霞)
• Fukurokuju Brewery Co., Ltd. (Brand: Ippaku Suisei 一白水成)
• Akita Jozo (Brand: Yuki no Bijin ゆきの美人)
• Aramasa Co., Ltd. (Brand: Aramasa 新政)

These 5 breweries research about brewing technique together to cooperate each other and brew 1 sake every year. The one brewing change by years so 5 years is 1 round. They do not keep their knowledge as their own, but share the knowledge to develop the products year by year.

Date 7 (Miyagi)

Date 7 is the Sake team from Miyagi. They are inspired by NEXT5 and trying to promote Miyagi Sake, and producing the brand with 7 breweries. The member is as below;

• Katsuyama Shuzo (Brand: Katsuyama 勝山)
• Suminoe Shuzo (Brand: Suminoe 墨廼江)
• Niizawa Jozoten (Brand: Hakurakusei 伯楽星/ Atagonomatsu 愛宕の松)
• Yamawa Shuzoten (Brand: Yamawa 山和)
• Hagino Syuzou (Brand: Hagi no Tsuru 萩の鶴)
• Kanbai Shuzo (Brand: Miya Kanbai 宮寒梅)
• Kawakei Shoten (Brand: Koganesawa 黄金澤)

Most of the Sake team, the members are in the same generation, but in Date7 the age is quite wide as breweries in Miyagi is closed in the relationship.

Yamakawa Mitsuo 山川光男 (Yamagata)

Yamakawa Mitsuo is another group in Yamagata, same as NEXT5 and Date7. The name 山川光男(Yamakawa Mitsuo) sounds like the name of man, but it comes from the letter of the brand in each breweries; 「山」形正宗/楯野「川」/東「光」/「男」山.

The member is as below;

• Mitobe Sake Brewery (Brand Yamagata Masamune 山形正宗)
• Tatenokawa Shuzo (Brand: Tatenokawa 楯野川)
• Kojima Sohonten (Brand: Toko 東光)
• Otokoyama Shuzo (Brand: Otokoyama 男山)

Hope you learn about Sake Team!

See you in the next articles!