Tokimeku Tohoku[Tourism web media of six cities in Tohoku]

Tohoku Diary

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Yamagata City/Every drop contains over 230 years of history. Yamagata’s local sake “Hayo Otokoyama”

2023/02/01

Yamagata City/Every drop contains over 230 years of history. Yamagata’s local sake “Hayo Otokoyama”

Crisp dry sake made with clear underground water

Yokamachi district near the center of Yamagata City. Here, there is a sake brewery that produces ''honest'' sake that reflects the spirit of the Yamagata people. This is Otokoyama Sake Brewery, whose signature product is ''Hayo Otokoyama.'' Founded in 1789. Despite boasting a history spanning over 230 years, we still continue to refine our technology and keep a strict eye on the selection of raw materials.

Yamagata City, surrounded by mountains and blessed with clean water and clear air, has an abundance of high-quality underground water from the Zao Mountains. At Otokoyama Sake Brewery, water is pumped up from 100 meters underground on the premises and used for sake brewing. This hard water rich in minerals, which is rare in Japan, is what gives ''Hayo Otokoyama'' its clean, refreshing taste.
The rice, which together with water determines the flavor of the sake, is also made from local ingredients, using rice suitable for sake such as Miyama Nishiki and Dewa Sansan from Yamagata Prefecture. Our inquisitive spirit for delicious sake, such as experiment brewing with new varieties of rice grown by our employees, is shaping the history of our sake brewery into the future.
Another thing that is essential to the sake brewing process at Otokoyama Sake Brewery is the craftsmen. It is the master brewers and brewers with a wealth of knowledge and experience who make the most of the materials and control the finish according to the situation. Craftsmen who are passionate about sake brewing work hard every day to hone their skills.

Hayo Otokoyama, which is brewed in this way, is a dry sake with a rich flavor. It is highly rated as a drink to accompany meals, and is perfect for seasoned dishes, meat dishes, and fried foods. Even if you keep drinking it, you will never get tired of drinking it.

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About the Writer

writer

Kanto Hiroko

Today we will be traveling somewhere to report, mainly focusing on the six prefectures of Tohoku. I love traveling both domestically and internationally, even in my private life.