Otone Sake Brewery

Oze is a place rich in the bounties of nature, with clean air, clear flowing water, and the Okutone mountains standing around it. Located at the base of Oze is the Otone Sake Brewery. The brewery has its roots in the middle of the Edo period, originally founded in 1902 as Otone Sake Brewery. Its sake brand “Oze’s Sadaijin” is named after a nickname given to Saburo Oze, a master of both the literary and military arts in the late Heian period.

The storehouse was initially sold by the army, and it has a high ceiling and the same truss structure (a construction method that allows for a large space without needing pillars in the center of the building) as Tomioka Silk Mill, a designated World Heritage Site. Otone Sake Brewery stands inside such an interesting historical building, and yet tours of the brewery are available for free, allowing visitors a glimpse into the mysterious world of sake brewing. The sake brewing lectures by its owner and head brewer are also popular, offering up new bits of knowledge each time, so repeat visitors are not an uncommon sight.

Among the varieties of sake produced at Otone Sake Brewery, the most recommended is their “Sadaijin Junmaishu,” featuring a refreshing flavor while maintaining the umami and sweetness of the rice, making it a perfect mealtime drink. The flavors of sake also change depending on its serving temperature, so be sure to try it both cold and hot.