Sake making at Small Forest Brewing (Kobayashi sake brewery) in Kanuma city, Tochigi prefecture

Dec. 31. 2024

by Kyoko Nagano

I had an opportunity to join the trial tour run by the travel agency – it included the shrine stay at Furumine Jinja shrine and cultural activities as well.

Introduction by Mr.Ichizo Kobayashi, the president of Kobayashi Jouzo, Small Forest Brewing at the classroom

For those who want to make your original sake, it would be great to contact the Kobayashi sake brewery directly and ask them about what your preference would be. They can make order made craft sake.

Kobayashi Sake Brewery had taken over Ikeshima Shuzo in 2021 and it moved to Kanuma city – so Kanuma city is having first time in 37 years to have a sake brewery in the city.

It also revived the abandoned elementary school Kamikasuo Elementary School to the brewery rooms. It also has sake sales room, brewing facility. Emergency helicopter can also land at the elementary school ground. Brewery function is utilizing the school gym area to brew the sake.

Renovated the previous Kamikasuo Elementary school into a brewery

Putting holy water from the Furumine shrine into the yeast starter mash

Putting the cooled rice into the starter mash

The head brewer Mr Terasawa is a graduate from Tokyo University of Agriculture, Brewing Science and used to work at Tatenokawa, Yamagata’s sake brewery. The brewery’s facility is very clean and new, as for the environment of the brewery is ideal – since it’s very clean.

The sake making procedure include washing the rice, and cooling the rice on the second day.

Contact Kobayashi sake brewery directly if you want to participate sake making.

Also, one of the highlights can be staying at Furumine Shrine known for Tengu. The tour included lunch, breakfast and dinner at the shrine. It has a beautiful garden as well. Also, we made the traditional Kumiko making (we made a coaster with a traditional pattern)