Tsuchida
prefecture: Gunma Prefecture
In the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, nestled in the small village of Kawaba with just 3,100 people, lies the Tsuchida Sake Brewery. Established in 1907, it may not be one of Japan’s oldest—where some breweries trace back over 400 years—but for six generations, it has remained a family-run operation. With over 1,500 sake breweries across the country, Tsuchida stands out not for its size, but for its dedication to craft. Every bottle of their sake is born from a method twice as long, more challenging, and intensely laborious compared to the modern standard—yet, the payoff is in the glass: sake with natural elegance, rich complexity, and layers of flavor that linger on the palate.
Blending the wisdom of the past with the tools of today, Tsuchida embraces both tradition and innovation. Their production, rooted in the kimoto method, is a nod to heritage while leveraging modern advances in equipment, IT, and chemistry. The result? A balance of old and new, handed down from one generation to the next, all expressed through their sake’s distinctive character. Relying on the rich profiles of Brewing Association yeast strains 7, 6, and 9, each brew speaks of a legacy intertwined with contemporary craftsmanship.
When Yuji Tsuchida took the reins in 2008 as the brewery’s 6th-generation owner, he reimagined the path forward. Committed to drawing out the full umami of rice, he embraced traditional kimoto fermentation, ambient yeast, and minimally polished grains. In his hands, sake is more than just a drink; it’s a tribute to history, an embrace of nature, and a vision for the future.