A Land Destined for Sake Brewing: The Story Behind SAKE and Wine Crafted by Sasaichi Sake Brewery

Along the Koshu Kaido highway leading from Tokyo to Yamanashi, past Sasago Pass in Sasago Town—which once flourished as a post town—stands Sasaichi Sake Brewery, with a history of over 360 years.
Originally operating under the trade name "Hanadaya," it remarkably began brewing sake in 1661 and is now the only sake brewery in Otsuki City.

A brewing tradition that has continued from around the time of the Battle of Sekigahara to the present day already feels full of romance, but what is especially noteworthy is that it is also a winery—the only one in Japan that produces both Japanese sake and Japanese wine under the same roof!
As a winery, it celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.

We interviewed President and Representative Director Satoshi Amano to hear all about the charms of the fascinating Sasaichi Sake Brewery.

Here in the Mt. Fuji-Misaka Mountain Range,it is the only region in Japan where pure, cool soft water with exceptionally few impurities springs forth, and from the site of Sasaichi Sake Brewery,deep underground water from the Mt. Fuji-Misaka mountain system wells up. It is water of such renowned quality that historical records mention water couriers transporting it to Edo Castle for tea ceremonies. Furthermore,it was selected as "Gozensui," the water brought along for Emperor Meiji's imperial procession to Kyoto.

The Mt. Fuji-Misaka Mountain Range, which serves as the origin of this water flow,is a region created and uplifted by the collision of the Asian continent and the Izu Islands. It is composed of lava erupted from submarine volcanoes thousands to hundreds of years ago and crushed rock fragments, containing less potassium than eruptions from volcanoes on Honshu and matching the lava of the Izu and Ogasawara Islands. In other words,the Misaka Mountains consist of ejecta from submarine volcanoes millions of years ago.

Sasaichi Sake Brewery is situated on top of this Misaka Massif, beneath which spring water emerges from the plate junction caused by the collision of Honshu and the Ogasawara Islands.This makes it a brewery standing on the geology of submarine volcanoes (the Ogasawara Collision Zone).

The faster water seeps underground, the fewer impurities it picks up. On the other hand, it takes a considerable amount of time to emerge as spring water. This terrain composed of volcanic rock allows water to flow very quickly,carrying waterdeep underground in just 10 days. It then takes 40 years to spring back up, making this a truly naturally blessed location.

Because of this, it has attracted interest from around the world and receives visits from many overseas sommeliers every year. One sommelier who drank this spring water reportedly remarked, "It tastes of three different flavors."

For this reason, in the world of sake where water is paramount,it was designated as GI Yamanashi Fuji-Misaka Mountainsin 2021.

Now, we have discussed how blessed Sasaichi Sake Brewery's land is with water, but serious wine enthusiasts likely know that well-drained soil is crucial for wine grapes.
You might wonder: is a place right next to where spring water emerges and accumulates really ideal for winemaking (grape growing)?

Let's take a closer look at Sasaichi Sake Brewery's wines from here on.

Dry climate, long hours of sunlight, a large temperature difference between day and night, and good air circulation are favorable conditions for cultivating wine grapes. In particular, low rainfall and good drainage are among the most important points to consider.

First, Sasaichi Sake Brewery's vineyards are located in Kai-Yamato and Toyotomi. Both are situated in the Misaka Mountains.
Let's examine the characteristics of each vineyard.

Located on the Sasago Pass. It is the vineyard that first catches the "Sasago Oroshi"*—a wind always mentioned when discussing Katsunuma wine.
Here, they cultivate the original strain of Koshu, a white grape native to Yamanashi Prefecture.
Around 25 million years ago, when the landmasses shifted, Vitis vinifera originated in Europe. It later traveled along the Silk Road from the Eurasian continent, crossed with wild Chinese species to develop a slightly reddish skin, and was brought to this land due to tectonic movements that collided with the Ogasawara Islands, where its native strain is said to remain.

*What is "Sasago Oroshi"?
A cold local wind that blows down around Katsunuma-cho, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture in early autumn. This wind helps ease the summer heat, creates a significant temperature difference between day and night, and produces grapes with high acidity.

Located in the south of the Kofu Basin, an area known for particularly large temperature swings between day and night.
Although European varieties (Chardonnay and Syrah) are mainly cultivated here,the area features warmer temperatures than other parts of Yamanashi, resulting in higher sugar content in the grapes.The prevailing westerlies keep the air moving, making the vines resistant to disease as well.

Because both of these vineyards are located in the Misaka Mountains, as mentioned earlier, the soil consists of strata from submarine volcanoes and volcanic rock. As a result, water flows through very quickly, meaningexceptional water drainageis achieved here.

A spot with spring water that yields the finest sake, and pyroclastic flow strata that create well-drained vineyards. These two locations are only about a 10-minute drive apart!

Alcoholic beverages born from a miraculous natural environment formed by the geological rift known as the Fossa Magna.
Sake geeks and wine lovers alike are surely curious about how they taste.
Mr. Amano, President and CEO of Sasaichi Sake Brewery, introduced each of these creations to us.

Incidentally, the tasting venue was a stylish space featuring pillars and a counter crafted from basalt, a type of volcanic rock,Sasaichi Shuyukan. Here, you can also find exclusive sake available nowhere else, as well as sweets made with sake lees unique to a sake brewery.

Sake brewing that has continued for 360 years.
Isn't it wonderfully mystical that its origins trace back thousands of years to when the Japanese archipelago was formed?

Born from the finest water source at the junction of a collision zone,sake ,and wine crafted from vineyards with optimal drainage in pyroclastic flow strata.
It almost feels like a special place designated by the gods for making wine and sake.

Nature-guided "sake brewed from water and soil" is an experience well worth having!

https://www.sasaichi.com/

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