Sake brewery visit: Oga Shuzo in Fukuoka prefecture

We went to Oga Shuzo (Sake Brewery) in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Oga Shuzo (Sake Brewery) is the oldest sake brewery in Chikushino City, Fukuoka Prefecture, founded in 1673 (the first yearof the Enpo era).

They continue to make sake using underground water from Mt. Homan and locally grown sake rice, with a focus on handmade and hand work.

Currently, the sake brewery is run by two people, including a young master brewer.

It was the season for brewing Junmai Daiginjo, so we were able to see rice with a polishing ratio of 38%. The grains were very small and pure white.

They also had a fermentation tank, which we were shown, and it had a wonderful aroma!
The wonderful aroma of sake that can only be experienced at this time of year. It’s a scene that you can only see by actually going to a sake brewery.

We were also shown freshly pressed sake, which was a pale yellow-green color.

Let me introduce some of Oga Sake Brewery’s representative brands.
• Tamade Izumi: This Junmai sake is made using the finest Yamada Nishiki and Yume Ikken rice from Itoshima. The rice is steamed in a traditional wooden steamer and the koji is made in a kojibuta. The rice is fermented slowly at low temperature in a small tank, resulting in a clean flavor that you will never tire of.
• Oga: This sake is named after the kuramoto and is made with a focus on Junmai.
• Chikushino: This Daiginjo sake is named after the town of Chikushino where the sake was founded. It is carefully brewed at low temperature from a small amount of mash, and is characterized by its gorgeous, fragrant, and deep flavor that spreads in the mouth.
• Sugawarakou no Sake: This sake is made from yeast from the sacred Tobiume tree of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.

We plan to add this sake to the lineup of tastings at Tsukiji sake salon in the future so be sure to come to our sake tasting room and try this sake.