A Miraculous Aroma Nurtured in Tendo’s Nature: I Tried the Junmai Daiginjo “Ichiro” at Dewazakura Sake Brewery!!

I paid a visit to Tendo, Yamagata to experience the culture of “kayoi tokkuri (an exclusive bottle for patrons).”

Tendo, Yamagata is a city in the Tohoku region that features an abundance of nature, including a hot spring! Apparently, it is also famous for its production of the wooden pieces used in the game of shogi, the Japanese version of chess.
It is also a breeze to get to, as you will arrive in about 3 hours after boarding the Shinkansen train in Tokyo! This allows for casual visits.

The Good Old Japanese Culture of “Kayoi Tokkuri”

Kayoi tokkuri refers to a culture that existed in Japan during the Edo Period. It is said that sake shops at the time would lend their customers tokkuri, which are containers used to hold sake, that they would pour the purchased sake into.
The name “kayoi tokkuri,” which means commuter tokkuri, came about because customers would commute to the sake shop with their tokkuri in hand.
I’m sure this made people fond of their tokkuri and more friendly with the staff members and other customers in the sake shop… This is a wonderful culture.

Therefore, I went on a trip to Tendo, Yamagata to recreate the wonderful culture of kayoi tokkuri.
Instead of the tokkuri, I used an ochoko, which is a small cylindrical cup for sake that is easy to obtain. I purchased it myself and I hope that you forgive me for this modern take on kayoi tokkuri, in which I commuted to a sake brewery and drank their sake from my ochoko (laughs).

“Sake Is Packed With the Culture of Japan” Ginjo Sake With a Distinctive Fruity Aroma From Dewazakura Sake Brewery

The destination of my visit was Dewazakura Sake Brewery.
This is an amazing sake brewery that popularized “ginjo” sake. Even in the IWC (International Wine Challenge), it has been crowned champion in the sake division twice. They also export sake to the world. But what is ginjo to begin with?

Believe it or not, Masumi Nakano, the 4th generation President of Dewazakura Sake Brewery, came out to welcome me! He kindly and politely gave an explanation of ginjo.

“Our history at Dewazakura Sake Brewery started in 1892. ‘Ginjo’ is the product of techniques that incorporate everything about the art of making sake. As a result of using rice that has been polished well and continuing to watch over it without sleeping to manage it carefully, a fruity aroma and well-rounded quality of umami that are hard to believe to have come from rice can be produced.”

What he served me was “Dewazakura Ichiro.” This is the sake that made Dewazakura Sake Brewery “Sake Champion” twice at IWC, one of the largest contests in the world that is held in London.
From the moment that he poured it, an apple-like aroma filled the room. It smelled so good that I would want it as fabric softener……
I was very curious about its flavor, so I tasted it with lots of excitement.

It had a refreshing fruity flavor that went right through my nose as soon as it entered my mouth. This is easy to drink……… I was amazed at the well-rounded flavor that was completely different from the sake that I had tried before.

“Sake stands out because it has the world’s highest alcohol content, which is part of the umami of sake, and can produce a fruity aroma that does not exist in the ingredients. Also, since it is refreshing, it pairs well with any kind of food. I even feel that this is the defining characteristic of sake. It exhibits great performance, while blending in with its surroundings. Sake is Japanese culture itself.”

Dewazakura Sake Brewery has been exporting sake to the world since 1997. I was told that it currently exports sake to 35 countries.
“I think it would be nice for people to visit our brewery from overseas as a result of us exporting our sake. If they visit our sake brewery, I am sure that they would also want to try having fun in this region. If we continue to do this, the region should eventually start to get more and more lively.”

This is a form of regional revitalization that starts from its sake brewery. If President Nakano’s wishes come true, Japan will probably become a more wonderful place.

“Thank you for today. Please come again!!”
President Nakano gave me a send-off with a smile. I am grateful to you, too!

Nature, Hot Spring, and Gourmet Food…...Enjoying Tendo’s Attractions!!

Since I made the trip already, I decided to enjoy sightseeing to go with the sake!
My first stop was Atago-numa lake at the foot of Mt. Maizuru. You can picture it being along a straight line from Dewazakura Sake Brewery, just on the other side of Mt. Maizuru.

Mt. Maizuru stands tall in the vast sky. It is naturally refreshing.

During the spring, the cherry blossoms bloom proudly, and there is even an event called “human shogi.” I would also like to come during the spring.

My next stop was “Koma no Yu.” There is a bench shaped like a shogi piece in the middle of the hot spring bath.

As you would expect, the foot bath has properties that bring you good health. Nice and slowly, I felt relaxed in my mind and my body…… This was a great way to feel refreshed……

My last stop was “Toyokocho” next to Tendo Hot Springs.

It is a village of food stalls that surprisingly has a shogi board table(!!).
I was told that its name is derived from the “tokin” shogi piece, solidifying its reputation as the city of shogi!

Since it is possible to order food to go, I tried things from various places. I went right to the shogi board table so that I could chow down!!

Among the food I ordered, the Yonezawa beef and tofu dish I ordered from Yamagata Soba Izakaya Nanairo was exquisite! Since the sweet and salty soup was filled with the beef’s umami, filling me with happiness with each bite.
It also paired excellently with the Dewazakura sake I ordered with it!! Ah, how happy I am……

Conclusion

This brings an end to my kayoi tokkuri sightseeing trip to Tendo!
It started with sake and went on to stops in nature and a hot spring before incorporating some culture and finishing with food……… It had so many attractions that I could not visit all of them in a day.
Since there are hotels in the city, it might also be fun to make an extended stay.

Would all of you living overseas also like to visit Tendo so that you can enjoy a kayoi tokkuri commute to Dewazakura? I am sure that your enjoyment will exceed your expectations!!

A word-class flavor created by the famous water of Fushimi, Kyoto - Sampling the Tsukino Katsura at Masuda Tokubee Shoten, a long-established sake brewery that prides itself on its rice production

Fushimi, Kyoto, is one of Japan's most famous brewing regions and home to the beautiful Fushimi Inari-taisha with its 1,000 torii gates. Here, I took a dip into the ancient Japanese culture of kayoi-tokkuri.

What is the good old Japanese culture of kayoi-tokkuri

Kayoi-tokkuri (an exclusive bottle for patrons) is a sake selling method in Japan during the Edo period. The seller would lend a tokkuri (sake container) to the customer and pour the sake into it. It may be time to take another look at this concept, as we are in an age where CO2 emissions and environmental destruction are becoming an issue.

I went to visit the sake breweries, ochoko (sake cup) in hand. They're pretty easy to get here.

My first stop was renting a kimono at Rental Kimono Okamoto. It was great to see the store having English and Chinese labels too. The rental process was also pretty smooth.
Of all the cities in Japan, Kyoto goes especially well with the kimono look. Next stop, the sake breweries.

Fushimi, Kyoto, home of sake and famous for its water

Fushimi is known for its water and is named after its abundant high-quality underwater (fushimizu). Fushimi's water is medium-hard, with low iron content and just the right balance of potassium and calcium for making sake.

The water that springs from Chokenji Temple is also in the same vein as Fushimi's renowned, high-quality underground water. It has a very smooth and mellow taste, with over 20 sake breweries using it.

Many sake breweries are lined up side by side, including some of Japan's leading sake breweries like Gekkeikan and Kizakura and Takara Shuzo, which brews Sho Chiku Bai.

Masuda Tokubee Shoten, a sake brewery with over 350 years of history

Founded in 1675, Masuda Tokubee Shoten is the brewer of the Tsukino Katsura and is highly regarded as the first nigori sake brewer in Japan. It's also the pioneer in the production of aged sake.

We were welcomed by Tokubee Masuda, the brewery's president.

Yamada Nishiki is generally the most common variety of rice used to make sake, with Hyogo being a major producer. However, Tokubee Masuda revived the Iwai rice variety around 30 years ago with the idea of producing rice in Fushimi as well.

Tsukino Katsura "Yanagi" - World-renowned Junmai Ginjo Sake

I immediately decided to try it with my silver ochoko. They served me the Tsukino Katsura Yanagi, a junmai ginjo sake served in four-star restaurants in New York and in-flight on Lufthansa Airlines aircraft. It's characterized by its elegant dry taste.

After actually trying it, it was pretty delicious...!

It tasted crisp yet fruity and was very refreshing to drink. I felt my mouth being cleansed.

"Sake goes well with everything," said President Masuda.

Sake is made using only rice, rice malt, water, and the meticulous techniques developed by the Japanese. It has a clean aftertaste and goes well with all kinds of food.

"Now, all that's left is to pick a drinking partner," smiled President Masuda. It left quite an impression.

When actually purchasing the sake, they also throw in a silver aluminum can resembling an ochoko set. The can is also lighter than the usual bottle and more environmentally friendly.

A tasty food trip into the gourmet foods of Fushimi

I first went to the Fushimi Yume Hyakushu cafe. It utilizes the site of the former Gekkeikan Head Office built in 1919 and still retains its stately appearance to this day.

Customers get to enjoy water-drained coffee brewed with Fushimi's famous water, sake manju, and sake ice cream.

Their ice cream is topped with Eikun, a well-cured sake. The quality presentation and sweetness of the ice cream fit perfectly with the old sake's unique mellow sweet and sour flavor.

Next was Okobu Kitase, a long-established kelp shop.

The store's atmosphere gives off the history of Fushimi. Being an inland city in Kyoto connected to Osaka during the Edo period (1603-1868), it transported many products through the Sanjikkoku Bune, transport ships passing along the Uji and Yodo Rivers.

Kyoto's side dishes are called obanzai. This shop was opened to encourage people to eat more kelp, serving obanzai made with kelp and kelp soup stock.

First up was their best-selling Okobu and Cream Cheese. It's so good that even people who are not into kelp can eat the entire dish.

Kelp and kelp soup stock have been gaining attention outside Japan in recent years and are gaining recognition in Taiwan. They also go well with sake.

For lunch, most people would go for the Obanzai Set Meal. You can pick from mackerel, salmon, or dashimaki egg as the main dish.

Take a walk and experience the history and cutting edge of Kyoto

Now that my belly was filled, I headed out for a walk. Around the area, you can see the past Sanjikkoku Bune that have been converted into sightseeing boats, with the smaller Jikkoku Bune offering rides around Fushimi. The scenery is especially breathtaking during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons.

At the end of the trip, I took the Keihan train from Chushojima Station, home Fushimi's sake breweries, to Gion-Shijo Station, where there are maiko (apprentice geisha). The next and last destination is Kodai-ji Temple.

Kodai-ji Temple is home to the much-talked-about Minder, the android Kannon (Goddess of Mercy). This is where one can truly experience the cutting-edge technology of Kyoto.

The temple features the Heart Sutra, which is about "emptiness." Visitors will learn more about its meaning and message of being at ease by letting go of one's obsessions and accepting things as they are.

I was shocked to see Kannon moving so smoothly together with the projection mapping in English, Chinese, and Korean subtitles. I even heard that they were developing a Buddha statue that can be consulted.

Kyoto has the best sake, food, and scenery, preserving the good old things while evolving into the future.
I would love to visit again.