Taste the Finest Sake at Fukumitsuya, Kanazawa's Oldest Brewery—Optional Brewery Tour Available

A Junmai Brewery in Kanazawa, Known for Its Pure Water and Quality Rice

Founded in 1625, Fukumitsuya is the oldest sake brewery in Kanazawa. A major shift occurred in 2001 when it transitioned to producing only junmai sake. Junmai sake is made purely from rice and water, unlike non-junmai sake, which includes added alcohol and other ingredients. By becoming a junmai brewery, Fukumitsuya embraced the simplicity of sake made from just rice and water.

Fukumitsuya, Kanazawa's oldest sake brewery

Water is crucial for brewing junmai sake, and Fukumitsuya’s water comes directly from a spring on its premises. Located near Mt. Hakusan, one of Japan’s three most famous mountains, rain and snow gradually filter underground, taking over 100 years to reach the brewery. This pure water, called Hyakunensui (100-Year Water), is why Fukumitsuya chose this location for its brewery.

A selection of junmai sake made with carefully sourced water and rice

Hyakunensui, A Gift from Nature and a Tribute to the God of Sake Brewing

The brewery visit begins at the Hyakunensui well, the source of Fukumitsuya's brewing water. "This is key to what makes Fukumitsuya's sake special," explains the guide. You'll also have the chance to taste the water yourself, experiencing its texture and flavor.

Sample Hyakunensui, rich in minerals

Cedar balls, traditionally hung under the eaves of sake breweries, are made by bundling cedar leaves into a sphere. When first displayed during the new sake season, the leaves are green, but they gradually turn brown as they dry, reflecting the aging of the sake. Fukumitsuya receives its cedar ball from Omiwa Shrine, Japan’s oldest shrine, which honors the god of sake. The brewery hangs it for a year, praying for safe, successful brewing and high-quality sake, as a symbol of respect for the god of sake brewing.

Cedar balls hanging in the "Kotobukigura" signify the making of fine sake

Discover Fukumitsuya’s Sake Brewing With a Video and a Brewery Tour

You can also add an optional brewery tour led by a brewer to your experience (available November to March). The tour begins with a video introduction to Fukumitsuya's sake brewing process. In junmai brewing, rice and water are essential. The brewing water is the Hyakunensui mentioned earlier, and the rice is sourced from local farmers, with whom Fukumitsuya collaborates from soil preparation onward. They primarily use Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyogo Prefecture, the top choice for sake brewing.

Watch a rare video of koji mold growing

Next, you’ll enter the brewery, where you can enjoy the rich aroma of freshly made koji. In the following room, you'll get a close-up view of the tanks where the yeast starter (moto) is cultivated. This is where yeast, a microorganism that converts sugar into alcohol, is nurtured. Fukumitsuya has around 300 types of yeast, and an experienced brewer will explain the process in an easy-to-understand manner.

The yeast starter is carefully cultivated under controlled temperatures

Next, head to the fermentation room, a key part of sake brewing. Here, you'll find over 60 tanks filled with the cool aroma of sake. During the moromi preparation, yeast, koji, steamed rice, and water are carefully mixed in three batches, allowing the yeast to thrive without being overwhelmed by bacteria. As fermentation occurs, you can hear the gentle bubbling in the tanks. The simultaneous saccharification and fermentation technique is a feature of sake brewing, where brewers apply the wisdom of their predecessors to create delicate sake with passion and care.

A tank of mash quietly fermenting in the dimly lit brewery

Tasting Fukumitsuya’s Special Sake

After exploring Hyakunensui and the brewery, you can enjoy an exclusive Wabunka tasting course featuring Fukumitsuya’s finest sake. These limited-release sakes are all pure rice varieties that Fukumitsuya takes pride in. Among them, the "Momotose 30 Years," aged for 30 years, offers an exceptional richness in aroma that delights all five senses.

Three types of snacks are available to enjoy with the sake

In the store, you'll find a selection of Fukumitsuya's junmai sake. Just let the staff know your taste preferences, and they'll recommend the perfect sake for you. Alongside sake, the store also offers cosmetics made with rice fermentation technology, snacks and sweets that pair well with sake, and stylish sake ware, making great souvenirs.

Fukumitsuya's popular junmai sake is displayed

Sake Brewing, Nurtured in Harmony With Kanazawa

Fukumitsuya brews sake using blessed 100-year-old water, contract-grown rice, and traditional techniques honed over many years, with craftsmen pouring their passion into every batch. The result is high-quality sake crafted by skilled master brewers that is both refreshing and rich, flavorful, and full-bodied — a junmai sake unique to Fukumitsuya.

Kanazawa's harsh winters create a climate ideal for sake brewing

Kanazawa, once a castle town in the Kaga domain, has fostered a rich variety of crafts and food culture. Fukumitsuya's sake has evolved alongside Kanazawa's culture, becoming a part of everyday life for its residents. Why not come experience the history and culture of Kanazawa while savoring the unique charm of Fukumitsuya's sake?