Miyaizumi-meijo

Fukushima City, Aizuwakamatsu City. Miyaizumi-meijo is located in a corner of a historic castle town, near Tsurugajo Castle (Wakamatsu Castle). Today, the brewery enjoys such popularity that it is rare to see a day without its name appearing in specialty sake shops and restaurants across the country. However, its path to success has been far from smooth.

The brewery’s current breakthrough is supported by two brothers with unique backgrounds, having previously built careers in the IT industry. The elder brother, President Yoshihiro Miyamori, leads Sharaku, the backbone of Miyaizumi-meijo. Meanwhile, the younger brother, Yamato Miyamori, who joined ten years ago, spearheads Aizu Miyaizumi as a “platform for challenge.” Their vision involves rebuilding tradition from “zero” and maintaining a strict commitment to quality above all else. We spoke with Yamato Miyamori, the Executive Director, to hear his candid thoughts.

“Are we satisfied ourselves?”
— The ultimate self-satisfaction, beyond just the customer

When asked what kind of sake he wants people to drink, Yamato gave an unexpected answer.

“To be honest, while the customers are extremely important, we don’t think they are the only consideration. First and foremost, it is vital that we are brewing something we are satisfied with ourselves; if that is then accepted by others, that is the ideal result. Whether we are satisfied with the taste and quality is the foundation of everything.”

From the selection of sake rice to the moment the sake reaches the drinker’s mouth, any lapse in effort at any stage of the brewing process will inevitably be reflected in the flavor. The philosophy of Miyaizumi-meijo is to refine every process so thoroughly that the phrase “no compromise” almost sounds too simple.
“If you look closely enough, the brewing process can be refined infinitely. When pursuing sake brewing to the extreme, you eventually need a sense that goes beyond common conventions. We are constantly seeking a level of quality that we can truly believe in from the bottom of our hearts.”

The world of microorganisms is supported by
the “standard” of thorough hygiene management

Sake brewing at Miyaizumi-meijo is built on a respect for tradition combined with modern hygiene management. They state that keeping every corner of the brewery clean is an “absolute requirement” for producing delicious sake.

“Sake brewing is a world of microorganisms called yeast. If the surroundings are full of bacteria, the delicate yeast will be overwhelmed, and the flavor will drop instantly. Since we are handling food and drink, thorough hygiene management in every corner is a given.”

Beyond just introducing equipment, they focus on maintenance to maximize its performance and daily, thorough cleaning. The capital investment they began proactively ten years ago was not just to run machines, but a means to “continue managing the ideal taste.” The sake of Miyaizumi-meijo is born only when these three elements come together: brewing technology, equipment management, and traditional, meticulous hygiene management.

“History created by my brother”
that began with debts left by predecessors

Behind their current brilliant achievements lies a harrowing past. Twenty years ago, when President Yoshihiro returned to the brewery, he was met with “unsellable sake” and “massive debt.”

“The sake from my grandfather’s and father’s generations was not something you could call delicious. At that time, the trend was to produce sake cheaply by adding large amounts of brewer’s alcohol to increase volume, and most sake from Fukushima Prefecture was this type of ‘economical sake.’ Because only that kind of sake was in circulation, when my brother returned at the age of 26, he was faced with sake that wouldn’t sell and a mountain of debt. My brother’s journey began by taking over those enormous debts from his predecessors.”

However, Yamato reflects that it was his brother who turned this desperate situation around.

“While it was a truly difficult situation at the start, looking back, it meant my brother could decide everything for himself without having to look back. In other breweries, powerful predecessors often block new challenges, but that wasn’t the case for us. The speed at which we have progressed over the last 20 years was only possible because there were no predecessors to stop us. There is almost no history from previous generations in our current sake brewing. My brother built it up piece by piece. There is a weight of accumulated effort and determination behind it.”

The baton of trust
— “It is difficult to do business with shops that cannot manage refrigeration”

No matter how good the sake produced is, the quality must be protected until the very last sip. This is why Miyaizumi-meijo is strict about choosing where their sake is sold.

“Our sake brewing continues until it reaches the customer’s mouth. Sake deteriorates if left at room temperature. Therefore, we only entrust it to liquor stores with whom we have a relationship of trust. It must be transported by refrigerated courier and always placed in a refrigerator at the shop. If that cannot be promised, it is difficult to do business. Our authorized dealers across the country are partners who share our commitment to this quality. Because of this mutual trust, we can pass the baton to the customer in the best possible condition.”

The tradition of Sharaku and
the relentless challenge of Aizu Miyaizumi

The flagship brands, Sharaku and Aizu Miyaizumi, each play a clear role.

Developing people and brewing as a team:
The determination to survive in Aizu

No matter how difficult the environment, what keeps Yamato going is his attachment to the team.

“Our brewery purposely does not hire experienced people. Many are new graduates or local friends. Sake brewing requires the patience to repeat the same tasks continuously. It’s a team that may not be flashy, but can honestly and diligently continue the work of brewing. Both my brother and I approach brewing with a great deal of affection for this team. Improving quality further alongside this team is what I believe we can do.”

“Time passes so quickly in life. That’s why I want to continue doing things that are meaningful both for the region and for us, with people I can trust.”
As he laughed, Yamato’s eyes held a strong will to enjoy adversity and pass on the sake culture of Aizu to the next generation.