Taste Traditional and Innovative Sake with a Terroir Tour of Nagai Sake Brewery in Kawaba Village, Gunma

Exceptional Sake, Born of Kawaba’s Majestic Nature

After arriving at Jomo Kogen Station on the bullet train from Tokyo Station, take a private Nagai Sake Brewery car through the beautiful rural scenery of Kawaba rolling out from the foothills of the sacred Mount Hotaka. Here, Gunma Prefecture’s leading sake brewery has been brewing since 1886, and it aims to capture the natural beauty of Kawaba in every bottle.

The charm of Japanese sake in the glorious natural beauty of Kawaba Village

Even as it maintains historic traditions, Nagai Sake Brewery constantly innovates and never accepts the status quo. Sixth generation head Noriyoshi Nagai developed “Mizubasho Pure,” a sparkling sake which employs the same in-bottle secondary fermentation method used in champagne production. He also advanced the “Nagai Style” concept of sake and food pairing, and took the unusual step of adding a tasting room to his brewery. In this special terroir tour, you can discover the worldview behind Nagai Sake while soaking up the rich natural environment of Kawaba Village.

Elegant design expressing the worldview of Nagai Sake Brewery

Tour the Denen Plaza Roadside Station, a Marketplace Hub by Locals for Locals

Before arriving at the Brewery, take a tour of the “roadside station” known as Kawaba Denen Plaza. This rest-area-cum-marketplace is the product of a policy of “agriculture plus tourism” advocated by Noriyoshi’s father when the latter served Kawaba Village as its mayor. And the elder Nagai’s vision has proven a success, attracting attention all over Japan as a model of effective regional revitalization. Some of the products on offer include Yukihotaka Koshihikari rice, lovingly grown, harvested, and of course eaten here in Kawaba Village, as well as other fresh local produce. The roadside station also offers a number of restaurants serving fare cooked with locally-sourced ingredients.

Kawaba Denen Plaza, a popular roadside marketplace for shopping, dining, and play

A Natural Water Source: The Lifeblood of Sake

A brewery’s water source is the heart and soul of its sake. Nagai Brewery’s founder Shoji Nagai fell in love with the water from Kawaba’s mountains, watershed of the Tone River which supplies water to the broader Kanto region. His desire to use this water in his sake production is why the brewery was built here.

The Mizomata River flows from Mount Hotaka snowmelt, eventually merging into the Tone River

Nagai Brewery uses groundwater from the 2,158-meter tall Mount Hotaka when brewing its sake. This water, which takes decades to filter through Kawaba’s land, is classified as medium soft (50mg/l, PH6.8) and has a slightly sweet mineral aftertaste. To safeguard this water supply, the brewery owns the forest to its north and has spent generations preserving it.

Brewery founder Shoji Nagai fell in love with Kawaba’s water, choosing it for his sake brewery

Apropos of a brewery terroir tour, kick things off with an outdoor toast of the aperitif brew Mizubasho Pure in the midst of the local nature. The nearby river is as delectable to the eyes and ears as Mizubasho Pure’s refreshing notes of cherry and lychee and fine silky bubbles are to the palate. This exceptional sake has won numerous awards in Japan and abroad since its launch in 2008.

*In the event of rain, the toast will be held in the SHINKA tasting room alongside a talk on the history of Nagai Brewery.

An unforgettable toast with a babbling brook in the background

Water, Rice, and Starting from Scratch with Locally-Sourced Ingredients

Following the river’s descent opens the view of a sprawling rural landscape said to reflect Japan’s primordial form. Kawaba’s altitude and sunlight hours make it excellent for rice cultivation, leading to its autumn harvests of the rare Yukihotaka variety once eaten only by locals.

The lush rural landscape unfurling from the foothills

After water, the brewery’s next challenge in its grand ambition to source everything locally was the rice fields themselves. Its junior staff take on the primary responsibilities for learning and mastering rice cultivation.

Autumn ears of rice bowing on their stalks under the weight of their abundant yields

Sake Tasting Paired with Gorgeous Countryside

Nagai’s desire to “raise the value of sake” was his impetus for opening his tasting room, called “SHINKA,” alongside a brewing research laboratory in 2023. This tasting room – an unusual feature for a Japanese sake brewery, was inspired by the wineries of California’s Napa Valley, which rapidly transformed itself into a preeminent wine region in part thanks to tasting tours.

The tasting room’s window frames a picturesque landscape

A sweet and savory anticipation builds as visitors step into the tasting room, which offers a rural panorama nonpareil. The Kawaba countryside, terroir to Nagai sake, is a treat for the eyes. Drink it in and let it soothe you after your long journey.

Sake tasting accompanied by an arresting vista

Sample three varieties of sake: Mizubasho Yukihotaka (sparkling sake made with Yukihotaka rice), Mizubasho (a Junmai Daiginjo; made with pure maximally polished rice), and “Lab Sake,” produced at the brewing research laboratory. Enjoy these delicious fruits of the Kawaba countryside while taking in a talk on the history of sake.

Mizubasho Pure, recipient of numerous awards at home and abroad

“Just as wine comes with its own world,” says Nagai, “I thought sake was capable of expressing a worldview as well.” He took this challenge up with the development of aged sake, seeking to create an aperitif perfect for toasts and arriving at the brewery’s Sparkling Sake. Meanwhile, its traditional brands like “Mizubasho” and “Tanigawadake” have been positioned as its “Still Sake.” Finally, the “Nagai Style” lineup was completed with Vintage Sake and Dessert Sake for a complete course journey moving from beginning to end of a meal.

A paired lunch to your sake tasting, made with seasonal local ingredients, is also available as an optional add-on – or, alternatively, an amuse-bouche incorporating Kawaba ingredients created by a popular itinerant chef. Additional fees apply for both options.

Sumptuous lunch fare with seasonal produce harvested in Kawaba

Sake with amuse-bouche pairing, incorporating local Kawaba ingredients

Pick Up Your New Favorite at Koshinkan, in a Historic Building Exuding Meiji Era Charm

The tasting is followed by a visit to Koshinkan, a direct sales establishment that carries all of the Nagai Sake brands. The space emanates retro atmospherics, having been renovated from a historic brewhouse dating back to the brewery’s founding. First you discovered your new favorite, and now you can take it home as a memento of your trip.

Visitors can purchase not only sake, but a variety of sake vessels

A Terroir Tour Offering Unique Depth of Access to the World of Sake

A terroir tour – with its robust all-five-senses approach to enjoying a brewery and the environment whose unique character gives its sake its distinctive flavor – is still a unique thing in the world of sake. With each cup you drink, you will feel more and more of the deep spirit and bountiful nature of Kawaba Village. Make Nagai Brewery a stop in your travel plans for an opportunity to enjoy Japanese sake to the fullest – along with the environment and climate that nurtures it.

The “Mizubasho Artist Series” features an eye-catching artist-designed custom label