Contemporary Sake Experiences in Fukui

Sake Culture in Fukui

Sake, often referred to as Japanese rice wine, is a traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice, water, yeast, and koji mold. Its quality is said to depend on four things that Fukui has in abundance: soil, rice, water, and craftsmanship.

The region’s fertile soils yield premium sake rice varieties such as the locally developed Sakahomare. Water is used throughout the brewing process from washing, soaking, and steaming the rice to fermentation and dilution. Fukui Prefecture has abundant clean water sources, including springs, rivers, and subterranean reservoirs. The city of Ono, renowned for its pristine waters, is home to one of the prefecture’s oldest sake breweries, Uno Sake Brewery, established in 1620.

Fukui breweries craft a variety of sake, from light and crisp sakes to thick and cloudy nigorizake, each suited to different dishes. For example, the umami-rich flavors of heshiko (fermented mackerel) are complemented by dry, robust sakes, while sweeter varieties pair well with delicately flavored foods such as sashimi or tofu dishes. There are also breweries experimenting with new beverages, such as Fukuchitose in the city of Fukui which sells an actual wine vinified from rice.

Sake is traditionally brewed in winter, because the fermentation process works best at constant cool temperatures. Its production begins with the selection of sake rice, of which there are over 100 varieties. The rice is then polished to remove the outer bran and reveal the starchy core. The degree of polishing impacts the flavor, aroma, and classification of the sake. After polishing, the rice is steamed and then inoculated with koji mold, which converts starch into fermentable sugars. This prepared rice is placed in fermentation tanks and combined with a yeast starter to produce alcohol.

After fermentation, the sake mash is pressed to separate the liquid from the solids. The yielded sake is then typically filtered, pasteurized, and diluted. Most sake is matured for several months before bottling. Sake brewing is influenced by factors like the quality of the annual rice yield, which is affected by weather, and soil conditions, making each batch unique. The toji oversees every step of production, from rice soaking times to fermentation temperatures and what yeasts are used, determining the final product’s quality and flavor.

To see the production process first-hand, there are sake breweries around Fukui that offer tours. Tanabe Shuzo in the temple town of Eiheiji, has guided tours during the brewing period (January to March) that include a sake-tasting session at the end. Reservations need to be made either by email or phone.

Promoting Sake and Regional Culture

Located in Eiheiji, Kokuryu Sake Brewery, established in 1804, has earned a reputation for its innovation. Their signature sake, Ryu, is an aromatic beverage that was one of the first to be made using French wine maturation techniques.

Always pushing the boundaries, Kokuryu Sake Brewery launched ESHIKOTO in 2022. It is both a sake brand and a new multi-purpose complex built near the Kuzuryu River. The project is aimed at promoting the sake, food, art, and culture of Fukui and the Hokuriku region. Its buildings were designed by notable architects such as Kengo Kuma, Simon Conder, and Shunichi Furuya. The facility includes a restaurant (acoya), which serves gourmet dishes inspired by Buddhist cuisine (shojin ryori), paired with various sakes and wines, a bakery (Hareya), a soba restaurant (Yamaya) and an auberge (Kanshukuen ESHIKOTO) that offers luxurious stays surrounded by Eiheiji’s landscape. At the Ishidaya ESHIKOTO store, visitors can take part in sake tastings and purchase limited editions of sake that can only be bought there.

Local Ingredients and Modern Innovation

Yoshida Brewery, also in Eiheiji, takes a holistic approach to crafting their sake, using only regional ingredients. They work with local farmers to grow their own rice, overseeing all aspects from treating the soil and managing irrigation levels to harvesting and drying the rice. Their flagship sake, Eiheiji Hakuryu (White Dragon) is renowned for its fresh and juicy flavor that embodies the Eiheiji terroir. Mako Yoshida, the seventh-generation toji, took over at just 24. Her sister, Shoko Yoshida, manages the business side, which makes Yoshida Brewery an emerging example of female leadership in the sake industry.

Tours and tastings are available at Yoshida Brewery’s modern facility, Kippoh Gura, from April to December. The brewery has large windows overlooking the brewing process, with English signage for accessibility. Guided tours are offered once a day and conclude with a sake-tasting session. Next to the brewery, Marche Tomo sells sake and goods like cups or soaps made from byproducts of the brewing process. The store also sells non-alcoholic amazake soft-serve ice cream. From the second-floor terrace, visitors can enjoy views of the rice paddies that support the brewery’s operations.

Sake is promoted throughout the prefecture and available for tasting at various venues and festivals. The Spring New Sake Festival celebrates the release of newly brewed “shinshu” sakes from the prefectures of Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama. Attendees can taste fresh sakes and purchase bottles directly from the producers.