Asahi-Shuzo

Upon arriving at Nagaoka Station via the Shinkansen, I transfer to the local Shinetsu Line and reach Raikōji Station after just three stops. The quiet Raikōji Station offers a peaceful starting point for my journey to Asahi Shuzo. I open my map app for simple directions, and the crisp winter air accompanies me on a leisurely 10-minute walk. After turning off the main road, I follow the path that runs along the Shinetsu Line. A sign marked "Asahi" assures me that I’m almost there. On my left is Momiji-en (Maple Garden), and on my right is the stately traditional gate of Shoraikaku, Asahi-Shuzo's founder, Yonosuke Hirasawa, and his family lived for generations until 2001. During winter, trees are neatly wrapped in "snow protection" to prevent their branches from breaking under the weight of snow, offering me a glimpse into a unique snowy landscape tradition.

Step inside one of Asahi Shuzo's breweries, the Shorai brewery facility, where tradition and innovation come together. Visitors can dress in sanitary attire to explore the brewing process and observe how rice, water, technology, and craftsmanship converge to craft sake.
 
The 1985 debut of Kubota marked Asahi Shuzo's innovative leap from the local fame of Asahiyama sake to a refined product crafted for Tokyo. The launch of the Joetsu Shinkansen likely played a role in this shift. The "tanrei-karakuchi" - crisp, clean and dry KUBOTA HYAKUJYU and SENJYU captured the cultural shift in Japan's workforce. They pioneered the trend for dry sake that could be served with delicate, light-flavored meals, which were in greater demand due to the increase in intellectual work rather than physical labor, and they also preempted the dry beer boom.

The first thing that catches my eye upon entering the brewery is a display of rice polishing samples. When closely inspecting a sample of rice polished for each sake, it was surprising to me that even a mere 5% polishing ratio could make such difference.
 
Asahi Shuzo embraces the philosophy that "sake brewing starts with rice cultivation." To support local sustainable farming and ensure the highest quality sake rice, they established Asahi Noken, a separate company dedicated to rice research and agricultural development. Their meticulous approach to rice cultivation reflects their deep-rooted commitment to sake craftsmanship.
 
The sake brewed here is stored at another facility. When it is eventually ready to be turned into a final product, it undergoes filtration, dilution, and pasteurization. At the end of the tour, I had the opportunity to taste the unfiltered sake crafted at this place.

During the tour, I saw the huge tanks (the pictured on the left) on the lower floor of the brewery.
 
While modern production technology is utilized, the traditional methods are carefully maintained to achieve stable and superior-quality sake.

Notably, it was fascinating for me to know that Asahi-Shuzo is deeply committed to environmental preservation, treating the water used in sake brewing to return it cleanly to nature, with dedicated facilities for environmental conservation.
 
Moreover, they initiated the Firefly Village Project and have been dedicated to it for a long time, working closely with the locals to restore firefly populations. Clean water is essential for sake brewing, which relies solely on rice and water. Fireflies, known as indicators of water quality, have been growing in number. June, when the firefly festival takes place, is my ideal time to visit again.

The main building embodies Asahi Shuzo's commitment to fostering connections with the local community. The excellent acoustics of this space make it ideal for music, with a grand piano placed here and a concert scheduled on the third Saturday of each month. To make the space more welcoming, they regularly host a variety of events, creating opportunities for local people to gather.
 
The high ceiling is supported by towering columns designed with the shape of cedar and sake cups. At the far end of the hall, a stained-glass window by an artist from Niigata, Nagatoshi Shibata,  evokes the "morning sun (Asahi in Japanese) through the four seasons."

As I walk down the long hall, a timeline tracing the brewery's history from 1830 to the present offers a sense of its 195-year journey. During the company's early days, there was a sake brewery called "Kubotaya," and its name eventually became a sake brand. Back then sake was distributed in reusable flasks (the picture on the right).

Bottling and labeling take place at this building, and the process can be viewed from the hall at designated times. Since Kubota’s labels are made from locally handcrafted washi paper, developing a machine to properly affix them to bottles was a significant challenge.
 
I was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the brewery, yet my visit made it clear that meticulous attention is paid to even the finest details.

"Shoraikaku," an exquisite work of architecture, was built around 1930 by Asahi Shuzo founder, Yonosuke Hirasawa and served as the family home until 2001. This house blends traditional Japanese style with Western influences in the Art Deco style. Afterward, Asahi Shuzo took over from the Hirasawa family while carefully maintaining it as a National Important Cultural Property.
 
It is said that the surrounding environment’s blessings made it possible to build such a remarkable house. I was able to fully explore the beauty of early Showa period housing embraced both the design trends and the latest industrial technology of the time.

The entire hallway of Shoraikaku is made from long pieces of zelkova wood, which are now rare and difficult to obtain in this size and length. Upon closer look, I found that where there were probably knots in the wood, they've been covered up with wooden inlays shaped like Mount Fuji and gourds.

It is said that Kubota was born here. President Toru Hirasawa welcomed then brewing manager and shared his vision for a new style of sake at one of the parlor rooms (the picture on the left).
 
The picture on the right is a Western-style parlor. This room was decorated by the designer who worked on the family residence of the Empress Emeritus of Japan.
 
The residence was highly impressive for its era, with a foundation of traditional architecture complemented by sophisticated techniques.

In a guest room of this gracious home that has kept tradition and craftsmanship alive, I had the incredible opportunity to experience two-course sake pairings:
 
1.KUBOTA HEKIJYU with Parmigiano Reggiano
2.KUBOTA JUNMAI DAIGINJO with a framboise macaron
 
The setting inspired me to think creatively about pairing sake with ideas of blending Japanese and Western styles, harmony with space, and unexpected combinations. It made me eager to style and enjoy various ways of drinking sake in everyday life.

After the tour, I stopped by the gift shop “Sarano Sato” in front of the brewery to pick up some local and sake-related souvenirs. The factory-fresh sake lees are only available seasonally at “Sarano Sato, Asahiyama” and another store “Ekinaka shop” in Nagaoka station ー see below. It seemed perfect seasoning for making pairing snacks, so I decided to buy some.
 
Before heading back to Tokyo, the store in Nagaoka Station offered the last chance to shop more and enjoy drinks at a bar.

“Sarano Sato, Asahiyama”

584-3 Asahi, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata
Tel 0258 92 6070

“Sarano Sato, Asahiyama - Ekinaka Shop”

Nagaoka Station Bldg CoCoLo Nagaoka 1F,
1-611-1 Jonaicho, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata
Tel 0258 39 4560

Aya Komboo
director/writer/curator
Instagram @ayakombooo