Experience Sake Brewing at a 170-year-old Brewery in Nara’s Yamato Koriyama, the Historic Birthplace of Modern Sake

A Repository of Brewhouse History

Conceived of as a place of bridging — past to present, tradition to trends, sake makers to sake lovers, and Nara prefecture to the rest of Japan and the wider world — Nakatani offers Japan’s first microbrewery and sake bar where visitors can experience the craft themselves, in a building designed to invoke the sensibilities and atmosphere of traditional brewhouses. But this is more than a mere aesthetic – located near the “Birthplace of Sake” and a historic river port for shipping sake, the building is also full of genuine artifacts from the history of the Nakatani house of sake brewers, founded in 1853 and today in its sixth generation.

The entryway to the microbrewery location, replete with historic traditional styling

Discovering the Birthplace of Sake

Nara, the capital of Japan in the 8th century, was a center of advanced sake making using then cutting-edge techniques from China. Even after the capital was relocated to Kyoto, these techniques continued to be handed down in the area’s temples to meet religious needs for sake, which in Japan’s syncretic traditions is offered ceremonially to the gods. The eastern Nara temple of Shoryakuji became the first to transport sake using barrels after barrel production was introduced to Japan in the late 14th Century. Shoryakuji was a subsidiary branch temple of the powerful Kohfukuji Temple, and served as its sake brewery. 

The passage to the second floor seating area, lined with photos showcasing the history of the brewery — and sake itself

Shoryakuji cedar-scented sake was so well received that it became the first ever branded sake, and the temple itself became the first large-scale sake production facility, which is why it is still known as “The Birthplace of Sake.” The site where Nakatani sake brewery stands today was once a river port from which Shoryakuji’s sake was shipped. 

Nakatani Sake Brewing Heritage

A certain Suzumura merchant family was long specialized in the trade of cotton and beans, and even served as eminent village headmen during the Edo period. In 1853, after business success and influence allowed them to obtain a brewhouse license, the younger of the two brothers Suzumura from that generation split off to form his own house under the name Nakatani.

Nakatani’s expert explanations of material characteristics and production processes enlighten the novice and enthusiast alike

The current sixth-generation head of the brewery is the affable Masato Nakatani. In addition to helming the whole international operation today, he also personally guides visitors in the sake brewing experience – something he has become practiced at doing not only in Japanese, but in English and Chinese as well. 

Nakatani brewery is full of charming brewhouse relics that bring history to life

Masato Nakatani has undertaken no less bold a move to breathe new life into ancient local traditions and a storied family pedigree. Thanks to his efforts, these traditions not only live on to be enjoyed, but are more accessible than ever for visitors to come and experience for themselves.

The Sake Brewing Process

Nakatani’s explanations on all the ins and outs of sake brewing – its history, its similarities to and differences from wine and beer brewing, the characteristics and behaviors of differently sized rice grains, the importance of temperature and time and the biological preferences of koji (a kind of mold grown on steamed rice)– bespeak a real passion not only for the craft, but for sharing it with others. 

With Nakatani’s guidance and expert commentary, guests can get hands-on learning the qualities of the rice behind the drink

Working under Nakatani’s guidance is sure to give you an appreciation for the precision involved in sake brewing, such as when conducting the water absorption test on your batch of rice grains or working with a stopwatch to ensure optimal timing.

By the end of the experience, you will not only have done real brewer’s work, but undergone real brewer’s training. Nakatani expertly guides visitors through everything there is to know about the process of sake brewing. 

Laying out the steamed rice to thoroughly cool before the next step

From Fermentation Tank to Tabletop – with a Break for a Sightseeing Walk

The Nakatani experience is unique in its comprehensiveness. Sake brewery tours themselves are not unusual in Japan, but a genuine experience of the main steps of the brewing process from raw rice to fermentation mash definitely is. In fact, so authentic is the experience at Nakatani that you’ll have to wait an hour (60 minutes) after steaming the rice just to achieve the optimal temperature before adding in it for fermentation.

Stirring a fermentation mash

Thankfully, you’re in a neighborhood where having time to kill is a blessing. The perfect lineup of nearby sightseeing attractions and activities awaits, from the nearby ruins of Koriyama Castle to the Hakomotokan museum of traditional indigo dyeing. 

Yamato Koriyama is also an epicenter of goldfish cultivation and a uniquely delightful city to wander for fans of aquariums, with a smorgasbord of exhibits and installations all over town.

The ruins of Koriyama Castle, a bastion of power predating the Edo period unification of Japan

A Comparative Tasting of Three Types of Sake with Food Pairings

As an optional add-on (additional fees apply), you can choose to experience a comparative tasting. Compare a lineup of three different brews specially selected for participants in this experience alongside a perfectly paired meal. Delight in three types of sake paired with nine small entrees of seasonal cuisine from local restaurant Kisetsu Ryori Okina, where the menu changes with the seasons.

Seasonal meals that are a delight for the eyes and palate alike

“If there’s one thought I’d like to leave visitors with as they make their way home,” he says, “it’s that sake is the ideal drink for Japanese cuisine.” Whether taking advantage of the tasting or not, all participants can take home two 720ml souvenir bottles of the same type of sake brewed in the experience. Why not dive deep into the world of sake through this Wabunka plan?

A tasting of three brews specially curated for this experience