Official
We interviewed "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery", who has a shop in Shinkawa, a place of tradition of Edo descent sake culture, and East Japan Branch Manager!
Most sake is called "Kanzukuri" and is made during the coldest season of the year (from December to February). The season was stormy after the great cold and early spring of twenty-four season old calendar, but during this season the spring sake began to be served and the fresh young sake is still available, so the drinkers would drink too much.
By the way, this blog is also based on the theme of sake, following the previous "Nihonmori", a sake brewery maker that has a shop in Shinkawa, a place of Edo descent sake culture tradition, "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" famous for "Shiraka". I would like to introduce you to Mr.
The other day, I visited the eastern Japan branch of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" and interviewed Kenji Takahashi, the manager of the branch, so I would like to introduce the history and products of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" and the appeal of sake. I hope you can tell you.
At the end of last year, Mr. Koji Hirooka, President of Kashimaya (1-7-4 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku) and Mr. Koji Hirooka at the "Masaru Shinkawa Jingu Taru Sake Festival" (a blog in December). I met and this interview was realized.
Mr. Ayabe (left) explained with Takahashi Branch Manager (right).
What kind of company is "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery"?
Founded in 1662 (Kanbun 2), the first "Tatsuya Yoshizaemon" (Tatsuyakichizaemon). The name of the Tatsuma family at that time was "Tatsuya". ), When a well was dug in the house of Nishinomiya according to the god's announcement, the good water of clear sweetness (later "Miyamizu") boiled, and sake brewing began from there. Was.
It has a history of more than 350 years, and in Nada Gogo (Japan's representative sake spot on the coast of Kobe City and Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture) (although there are various theories), Kenbishi Shuzo (1505 (Eisei 2) ), It is said to be the oldest sake brewery after Masamune Sakura (founded in 1625).
The Tatsuma family was born from the head family, such as the Kita-Tatsuma family, the Minami-Tatsuma family, the Matsu-Tatsuma family, and the Yanagi-Tatsuma family, and the Kita-Tatsuma family founded Shirataka in 1862 (Bunkyu 2). It continues as a sake brewery, and as we do, the headquarters is Nishimiyaichi and the Tokyo branch is in Shinkawa.
In addition to the sake brewing industry, we are actively engaged in various businesses such as education, culture, tourism, real estate, etc. as the Shiraka Group, and are closely related to the region.
For example, as an educational business, the 13th generation “Kichizaemon Tatsuuma”, who always considered the importance of education, founded the former Koyo Junior High School in 1920 (Daisho 9), and currently the Tatsuma Ikueikai, a school corporation, Koyo Gakuin Junior High School・ I run a high school. By the way, Nada Junior High School and High School in Nada Gogo were founded by Kikumasamune Sake Brewery (Honkana Family), Hakutsuru Sake Brewery (Shirakana Family), and Sakura Masamune (Yamamura Family).
In addition, we established the Shiraka Memorial Sake Brewery Museum in 1982 to commemorate the 320th anniversary of our founding, with the aim of properly communicating the history of sake brewing, the Cultural Heritage of Japanese people.
Furthermore, in the tourism business, in 1992, in commemoration of the 330th anniversary of its founding, the Koshien Miyako Hotel was built and opened in the birthplace of Koyo Gakuin. Later, the hotel was renamed Novotel Koshien, and then sold (after the sale, it is now called Hotel Huit Koshien). 。
<Column> About sake brewery, Kuramoto, Sake Brewery
"sake brewery" is called "Sakagura" and refers to a storehouse for brewing and storing sake, but "sake brewery-san" is used in the meaning of the manufacturer.
"Kuramoto" is read as "Kuramoto" and refers to the brewery for brewing and storing sake, that is, the manufacturer that owns the "Sake brewery", especially the owner.
"Sake brewing" is read as "Syuzo" and literally refers to making sake, and is used like "brewering industry" or "brewering makers".
Therefore, I think "sake brewery-san", "brewer" and "brewer" have almost the same meaning.
Could you tell me about the East Japan Branch?
In 1949 (Showa 24), we established the Tokyo Sales Office here in Shinkawa, where sake wholesalers gather. He was promoted to a branch in 1969 (Showa 44), rebuilt the company building in 1991 (Heisei 3), and completed the "Shiraka Kayabacho Building" in 1993 (Heisei 5).
I had been working for about 30 years at the Shiraka Kayabacho Building, but in January 2023 (Reiwa 5), I moved here to the Grand Kayabacho Building, and the Shiraka Kayabacho Building is now lending all floors to tenants.
As a business type of sales destination, there are many mass retailers. However, at the East Japan Branch, there are a little more professional liquor stores than other branches. We sell less than 20% of branch sales, from wholesalers to retail stores and from retailers to restaurants. In addition, in the Tokyo metropolitan area, around 10% of "Kuromatsu Shiraka" is sold to department stores and other places as gifts. That's about quality first, but I think it's more than other manufacturers.
At its peak, the number of branches was about 30 in the Tokyo metropolitan area alone, but with sales, the number has decreased, and now it is 9, and I am in charge of everything from Hokkaido to Kanagawa.
This is due to the declining demand for sake, the rise of locally brewed sake among sake, and the popularity of alcoholic beverages other than sake, such as RTD (alcoholic beverages in cans).
Reprinted from "Hihozu" in the Showa 20s ("Chuo-ku history map book [Kyobashi Hen]" (Chuo-ku Kyobashi Library / March 31, 1996) and added red circles.) 。
At the center of the map is Eitai-dori St., a large road that runs left and right (east and west), facing the north side of Eitai-dori St., and you can see that there is "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery KK". The location is exactly where the "Shiraka Kayabacho Building" is currently built.
In January 2023 (Reiwa 5), we moved from the "Shiraka Kayabacho Building" on the left of the photo to the "Grand Kayabacho Building" on the right of the photo.
What kind of liquor is "Shiraka"?
Our company has been brewing sake for more than 350 years since its establishment in 1662 (Kanbun 2), supported by the blessed climate of nature, such as Miyamizu, high-quality rice, and Rokko Grated in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. .
Miyamizu
Miyamizu is a hard water that contains a lot of minerals such as phosphorus and potassium that promotes yeast fermentation (accurately "medium hard water") and contains moderate salt. In addition, the iron content that alcohol dislikes most is extremely low, and it can be said that it is natural water for sake brewing.
We also had built and operated a factory on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, United States. It closed eight years after its completion in 1992, but in addition to high-quality California rice, snow melting water from the Rocky Mountains (hard water with ingredients similar to Miyamizu) was suitable for sake brewing. The U.S. "Kuromatsu Shiraka" brewed with that water gained a high reputation and gained many fans.
By the way, we have been active in expanding overseas for a long time, and North America is now the best overseas market. Overseas sales account for less than 20% of sales, which is higher than other companies.
High quality rice
We ask farmers who belong to the Shirakakai in Hyogo Prefecture to contract cultivation and carefully cultivate high quality Yamada Nishiki. The Yamada Nishiki that we use for sake brewing is all from Hyogo Prefecture, and the large size of the heart white (white place in the center of rice) is produced for the sake of Nada, Yamada Nishiki is an indispensable sake rice for white deer sake.
We now sell 100% Yamada Nishiki products at any company, but it was our company that sold the most Yamada Nishiki, which used 100% Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture, about 17 to 18 years ago.
However, at present, there are more liquors made using other sake rice. Nowadays, the mainstream style of making alcohol that is easy to drink and does not get tired of drinking every day is the mainstream, so we call it "Shiki brewing", brewed using various sake rice throughout the year, and excellent sake quality We strive every day to value the stable provision of sake.
Rokko Oroshi
In sake brewing, there is a process called "cooling" that cools steamed rice. It is now a machine work, but in the past it was rather cold by spreading rice over it. There, Rokko grated (a cold and dry wind blowing down from the Rokko Mountains) blew and helped quickly "cooling".
<Column> From "Kanzo" to "Shiki Brewery"
Sake was originally made throughout the year, but in the Edo era, sake brewing was the best environment in cold winter, it was easy to secure farmers who could be spared in winter as labor, and sake brewing control As part of the prohibition of non-winter manufacturing methods, sake brewing began only in winter. This is the beginning of "cold making".
And this "cold making" increased the migrant of farmers during the off-farm season, and hereby created a sake brewery specialist (chief of sake brewing) called "Toji".
However, at present, major sake breweries equipped with air conditioning equipment can make sake at any time using the same manufacturing method as `` cold brewing '' by making sake throughout the year, so sake brewing technology is It has been passed down from Toji to employees of annual employment.
In the case of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery", it was said that "Toji" did not come now, but the chief executive of sake brewing was that he was a member of the "Tamba Toji Association".
Could you tell me a typical product?
"Specially selected Kuromatsu Shiraka" (third from the left in the photo above) will be our flagship product. "Kuromatsu Shiraka" with "Kuromatsu" is "Specific Name Sake" (see <Column> below), and "Shiraka" without "Kuromatsu" is "Normal Sake".
"Kuromatsu" is an evergreen tree and has the meaning of "shiraka" along with the origin of "shiraka". By the way, the name "Kuromatsu" is not only used by us, but is also used by other companies. For example, there are "Kuromatsu Kenbishi" by Kenbishi Shuzo (Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture), "Kuromatsu Senjo" by Senjo (Ina City, Nagano Prefecture), and "Kinkan Kuromatsu" by Murashige Sake Brewery (Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture).
"Specially selected Kuromatsu Shiraka" is not placed anywhere, and if you can drink it in Tokyo, it will be a little good shop. I had been in Kyoto for a long time, but in Kyoto and Michelin shops, I was mostly dealing with this. That's why "Specially Selected Kuromatsu Shiraka" is our most representative liquor. However, it doesn't mean that there are shops and liquor stores that sell so much in volume.
As a feature of the product, alcohol is usually prepared in three stages: "Hatsuzoe", "Nakazoe", and "Tomezoe", but this is another step, The number of preparations is increased to four stages, and the fourth stage is hung with glutinous rice. As a result, the original taste of rice cake is added, and you can enjoy the deep taste with swelling.
This "four-tiered preparation" was developed in 1920 (Daisho 9) by Mr. Saburo Ume Umedata of Tamba Tori, and since then, "Specially selected Kuromatsu Shiraka" has been particular about "four-tiered preparation". , Continue to brew.
The alcohol content is 15 degrees or more and less than 16 degrees, and the sake level is "-1", so it is a little sweet.
"Specially Selected Kuromatsu Shiraka" contains brewed alcohol, so you won't get tired of drinking. It goes well with any dish. Especially in this season, it is recommended to match with Oden.
＊Click here for the recipe of "Ate" that goes well with "Shiraka".
＊ Click here for information on products.
<Column> About "Specific Name Sake"
In 1989, the classification by "special name liquor" was determined by the Liquor Business Association Act. Specifically, there are eight categories of “Junmai daiginjo Sake”, “Daiginjo Sake”, “Junmai Ginjo sake”, “Ginjo sake”, “Special Junmai Sake”, “Junmai Sake”, “Special Honzo Sake”, and “Honzo Sake”.
These eight types of sake are classified into two groups, Junmai sake and Honzo sake, depending on the raw materials used. "Junmai sake" uses rice and rice koji, and "Honzo sake" uses brewed alcohol in addition to rice and rice koji.
In addition, there is a classification rule based on the rice polishing ratio*.
In terms of the Junmai Sake group, there is no provision for what is simply called Junmai Sake, but in order to claim it as Special Junmai Sake, rice polishing ratio must be less than 60%. And "Junmai Ginjo sake" is less than 60%, and "Junmai daiginjo liquor" is less than 50%.
Ginjo sake and DaiGinjo sake are under 50% of the total amount of brewed sake.
By the way, the word "ginjo" literally means "scrutiny and brewed". On the NTA website, "ginjo-zukuri refers to scrutiny and brewed, traditionally better milled white rice slowly at low temperatures, increase the rate of grazing, and brewed to have a unique aroma (ginka). "
Sake that is not included in "Specific Name Sake" is called "Normal Sake" or "General Sake".
（※） What is rice polishing ratio?
After shaving brown rice, the remaining percentage is indicated by percentage. In general, the higher the rice polishing ratio, the stronger the flavor of the ingredients derived from rice and rice koji are, the richer the taste, and the lower the rice polishing ratio (more cut), the weaker the ingredients, the lighter the taste, and the more you can feel the yeast-derived Ginjo incense.
Do you have any new products?
We plan to renew our two products this spring (early March).
First of all, the design of the product called "Suzuro" will be renewed. This is a long-selling product for more than 25 years, and we have been doing it almost without changing the design until now, but this time it has been renewed to a design with Japanese patterns and cut glass motifs.
Characteristics of the product are spring and summer (March to September) seasonally sweet ordinary sake (alcohol degree: 14 degrees or more and less than 15 degrees, sake degree: -2, acidity: 1.4, rice polishing ratio: 70% Koji rice, 78% Kakemai). In addition, it has received many award-winning products, such as receiving the highest gold prize in the "Delicious Sake Award 2021 Main Category with Wine Glass".
The desired retail price (excluding consumption tax) is 763 yen for 720ml and 356 yen for 300ml, which is the most affordable price in the ordinary sake bottle category (720ml).
Next, "Kuromatsu Shiraka Junmai Ginjo" will also be renewed. The taste and design change here. The development concept is "Sake enthusiasts long-awaited! It is a product that combines luxury, rich, and cospa, and can be enjoyed luxuriously with dishes.
The product is characterized by its slightly dry pure rice Ginjo sake (alcohol content: 14 degrees or more and less than 15 degrees, sake content: +1, acidity: 1.4, rice polishing ratio: 60%).
Regarding the design, we made it a shining label of Black & Gold and made it more luxurious, but the desired retail price (excluding consumption tax) is 1,114 yen for 720ml and 508 yen for 300ml, which is also affordable.
How about an event?
In collaboration with "Virtual YouTuber (V Zhu Bar)" to hold a "Dinner Expo"!
From December 19, 2023 (Reiwa 5) to January 24, 2024 (Reiwa 6), we held an event in collaboration with "Joe Rikiichi" of V Zhu Bar (a video streamer who uses 2D and 3D avatars to deliver YouTube on behalf of the distributor).
If you put the product of "Shiraka", take a picture of drinking it, and post it on X (former Twitter), it will be introduced in the broadcast.
At the online shop, I was selling a set of alcohol with the bromide of "Joe Rikiichi Joe Rikiichi", but it was already sold very hard!
By doing this kind of event, I think young people were interested in sake, and I understand that the first start of everything was important. There may be a second step in the future.
Reprinted from the website of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" (https://www.hakushika.co.jp/topics/6538/).
"Nishinomiya Kurakai 2024" will be held!
On February 10, 2024 (Saturday), "Nishinomiya Kurakai 2024" was held on the premises of our headquarters. This event was held as part of the “Sake Promotion Project” conducted by Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, where six breweries in Nishimiyaichi (Osawa Honke Sake Brewery, Mandai Osawa Brewery, Mori Himoto, Shirataka, Ozeki, and our company) opened their premises and served the freshly squeezed young sake event.
Reprinted from the website of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" (https://www.hakushika.co.jp/newsrelease/6589/).
Then, could you tell me the dinner style of Mr. Takahashi's branch manager?
I have been transferred alone for a long time, and I often go to Kanazawa Hakkei to do my favorite fishing on holidays. And we fly the horse mackerel that we have caught, make Shirogisu into Tenfura or sashimi, and when we are blessed with fishing results, we dry it half a night and send it to families in Hyogo Prefecture.
The sake that matches them is a pure rice pack of "Kuromatsu Shiraka", and my style is to drink hot even in summer. Warm is kind to the body, and if it is cold, it is a bit too much.…。
Finally, please give me a word!
Our East Japan Branch is a small number of elite and teamwork first, and we are working hard every day to deliver as many "Shiraka" to our customers. We look forward to your continued support in the future. (Director, Takahashi Branch)
Takahashi Branch Manager I feel every day that I am creating the atmosphere of the branch. I would like to continue to do my best. (Mr. Ayabe)
Takahashi Branch Manager (left) and Ayabe (right) at the Masaru Shinkawa Jingu Taru Sake Festival (held on December 27, 2023 (Reiwa 5)).
Yeah
Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery has been walking the main road of sake for more than 350 years since its establishment in 1662 (Kanbun 2), one of the Nada Gogo, Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. This time, I interviewed Kenji Takahashi, the manager of the East Japan Branch, and through that valuable story, I was able to feel the history and tradition of "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery".
In addition, "Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery" is actively engaged in various businesses such as education, culture, tourism, real estate, etc. as a Shiraka Group as well as the sake brewing industry. I thought that it just sublimated the brewing industry into the cultural industry.
With regard to "cultivating" in our corporate philosophy, President Kiyoshi Tatsuma says, "Sake is not something to make, but something to grow." When I asked them about that, first of all, Ayabe said, `` The main raw materials of sake are rice and water, and it can not be made without the help of microorganisms such as koji mold and yeast, so after all, I think it's not something to make, it's something to grow, "said Takahashi, the manager of the branch, like his father, "It's impressive that sake brewing is something that takes time to grow."
[Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery Company]
Head Office
〒662-8510
2-10, Tateishicho, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo
TEL 0798-32-2761 (operating)
TEL 0798-32-2701 (Management)
TEL 0798-32-2811 (manufacturing)
East Japan Branch
〒104-0033
Grand Kayabacho 2nd floor, 1-22-17 Shinkawa 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
TEL 03-3553-0411
＊This blog was created with reference to the company's website, in addition to interviews with Tatsuma Honke Sake Brewery and Kenji Takahashi, the manager of the East Japan Branch. In addition, the <column> in the blog is compiled by New River as "Basic knowledge related to sake", referring to "New revised sake base / NPO FBO (Function of Food and Drink Professionals Association)" etc. It becomes. In addition, in the previous blog, "Basic knowledge related to sake" was introduced as "Comment on New River", so I hope you can see it.