Yumegokoro Sake Brewery

Delicious sake from local rice. Thorough product management.

Yumegokoro Sake Brewery is a place driven by a powerful commitment to "All-Fukushima" brewing. Their raw materials are a testament to their home: the rice comes from contract farmers in their local Kitakata, the water flows from the subsoil streams of Mt. Iidesan, and the brewers themselves are local artisans. This philosophy is the foundation of their product lineup, which includes their classic 'Yumegokoro' brand and is built around pure, high-quality junmai, junmai ginjo, and junmai daiginjo sakes.

"There was a time when our sake, brewed with our local 'Gohyakumangoku' rice, won the Gold Prize at The Annual Japan Sake Awards for three years in a row," says sixth-generation president Nobuo Shouji. "It proved that you don't need 'Yamadanishiki' to make truly delicious sake. And what's more, it brings so much joy to the farmers who grew the rice for us." He explains that the benefit of contract farming is the ability to meticulously check the rice's growing conditions. Every year, they assess the unique state of the harvest, adapting their brewing process to draw out the absolute best umami from the rice.

The brewery has another core obsession: product management. They pay scrupulous attention to every detail, from the precise timing of pasteurization (hiire) and storage, to the final quality checks at shipping. "There is no point if the flavor has changed by the time it reaches the customer," Mr. Shouji states firmly. For products that require refrigeration, they work closely with their liquor stores, ensuring their sake is managed with uncompromising thoroughness, all the way to the customer's hand.