NATURE, ENHANCED
BY EXPERTS
For generations, people here have taken advantage of the abundant resources around them. As their skill grew, so did their reputation. So much so that the Echigo Toji guild — master brewers of the Echigo, or Niigata region — is recognized as one of the great three brewing guilds of Japan. At Asahi-Shuzo, we are blessed with not one, but two Echigo Toji, ensuring our sake is in safe hands.
We harness these brilliant natural resources — rice, water and people — to continuously develop and produce a vast range of outstanding sake.
THE KUBOTA SAKE BREWING PROCESS
step
1

RICE
POLISHING
step
2

RAW
INGREDIENT
PROCESSING
step
3

STEAMING
step
4

KOJI MOLD
MAKING
step
5

STARTER
CULTURE &
MOROMI
step
6

PRESSING &
PASTEURIZATION
step
7

STORAGE
step
8

FURTHER
PROCESSING
step
9

BOTTLING &
SHIPMENT
INTRODUCING OUR TASTEMAKERS
We entrust our sake to brilliant men and women who work hard to brew, research and continuously improve it.
At Asahi-Shuzo, we have two master brewers that are of Echigo Toji ilk. They are determined to not only to create the best sake possible, but also to study and research sake making techniques for future generations. The Echigo Toji distinction is an important one. Though there are over 30 toji guilds in Japan, the Echigo Toji of Niigata Prefecture, together with Nanbu (Iwate Prefecture) and Tanba (Hyogo Prefecture), is one of Japan’s three great master brewer guilds, and considered a particularly special distinction.
ECHIGO TOJI
(MASTER BREWER)
MOTOYOSHI YAMAGA
Motoyoshi Yamaga started at Asahi-Shuzo as a part-time seasonal worker in 1985 and after becoming a certified Echigo Toji, rose the ranks of master brewer in 2012. Though he now oversees brewing at the Asahi brewery facility, he still farms rice on the side. By providing Asahi-Shuzo with one of its key ingredients, he is involved in the sake brewing from start to finish. Though he conducts his tasks with the utmost precision, he says he retains the attitude that ‘sake making is a natural part of life’ to maintain a healthy relationship with his calling. “I want to make the best possible sake,” he says. “The brewery is a place for my self-expression and the realization of my goals.”
ECHIGO TOJI
(MASTER BREWER)
RYOSAKU OHASHI
Ryosaku Ohashi has been master brewer of the larger Shorai brewery facility since 2016. During his years at Asahi-Shuzo, he has developed an understanding of measurements that are almost intuitive. “After a while, [the sake] becomes the way you expect it to be. That’s a reflection of experience,” he says. Personally, he considers sake a tool — one that supports the spirit and allows one to reflect on the day in the company of family and friends. His top tip for sake beginners who can’t decide on what to try is to experiment with a variety of brands, and pair them with different dishes. There are so many options and it’s best to find one that suits your taste and preferences.
SAKE RESEARCH CENTER,
ERI ICHIKAWA
Eri Ichikawa is an integral part of the team researching, developing and testing new sake varieties and methods. She takes her work home with her — she sometimes tests sake pairings with new dishes for dinner — and believes that one of the keys to good research is having a variety of interests. Inspiration can spark from the unlikeliest of places and experiences, especially as younger generations are entering the industry. “There’s still a lot [about sake] that we don’t know. We have a lot to learn, especially since we’re working with living ingredients like koji. One tiny adjustment can lead to new discoveries,” she explains.