We spare no effort in our traditional brewing methods, preferring hand-crafted production to machinery, continuously honing our senses at each step of the process.
- Rice Washing/Soaking
- After carefully washing the rice bran from the rice, the rice is then soaked in water. The ideal soaking time is calculated based on various conditions such as climate, water temperature, and the ratio of polished rice. This judgement requires a high level of expertise.
- Rice Steaming
- Rice that has been soaked in optimal conditions is then steamed in a traditional Japanese kettle that has been passed down for generations, called a koshiki.
- Cooling
- After the steamed rice is spread on linen cloth and cooled, it is transferred to our traditional rice malthouse.
- Producing Koji
- Koji seeds are sprinkled on the steamed rice to make the fermentation starter known as koji. This step in the process requires particular care, and in order to create the ideal koji the master brewer uses his finely tuned senses to check the texture, the aroma, and the taste of the koji.
- Producing Shubo
- Shubo (yeast mash) is produced to create a large quantity of yeast. Koji and water are mixed in with the steamed rice, and after the yeast is added the pure yeast continues to grow over the course of two weeks.
- Producing Moromi
Paddle Stirring - Koji, shubo, and water are added to the steamed rice to create moromi (mash). While constantly checking the fermentation progress, the ingredients are repeatedly mixed with a long paddle, called a kai, and the temperature is fine-tuned to produce our traditional moromi.
- Pressing/Sterilization
- The finished moromi is pressed and the solid remnants are separated out from the sake. The freshly pressed sake is then bottled and undergoes heat pasteurization.
