Kawashima Shuzo: A Local Sake Brewery Using Exceptional Water

Next to the verdant shores of Shiga Prefecture’s Lake Biwa, the largest lake of Japan, lies the historic Kawashima Brewery that has been making local sake since 1865. Founded by Yanosuke Kawashima back in the Edo Period, the brewery is now run by Tatsuro Kawashima, its  6^th generation owner.

Now in his 70s, Kawashima-san’s face still lights up when he starts talking about sake and his work. He is eager to share his knowledge and experience with younger generations and help preserve the culture his family has long been part of. An unsung hero of the company is his wife, Junko Kawashima, who has been integral to the day-to-day business of the brewery as the assistant CEO.

Kawashima-san sees sake as a part of the wider world of fermentation, which he believes to be essential to Japanese culture. Many food products essential to Japanese cuisine such as soy sauce or miso are made through fermentation with a variant of Koji-kin, the mold that plays a crucial role in the production of sake. For Kawashima-san, fermented food and drinks are indispensable for a healthy and long life. Indeed, when one sees his vigor and passion at his age, it becomes hard to disagree with his words.

“Shiga’s high humidity and heavy snow causes inconveniences for living, but it is ideal for fermenting foods,” says Kawashima-san, as we talk during an unbearably hot and humid summer day. To freshen up, we follow him to the small garden in the back of the brewery, where water is drawn from a well to be used in the making of sake. This is one of the points Kawashima Brewery takes the most pride in, pristine underflow water coming from the Hira Mountains. Since sake in its completed form is almost 80% pure water, the quality of the water significantly affects the quality of the final product.

If you visit the Kawashima Brewery, there is an opportunity to taste this water directly from the well and take a bottle of it with you. Kawashima-san fills a cup for me as well. I am indeed impressed with how clean and soft the water tastes, with a hint of sweetness.

Once we return to the interiors, my attention shifts to the various oil paintings hung on the walls of the brewery. “The 30 paintings here are all drawn by the former president. He believed that if the brewers are happy, that is transmitted to the yeast and ultimately makes their sake flavorful,” explains Kawashima-san. He prizes harmony between the brewers, which results in harmonious sake.

Kawashima Brewery’s sake brand is “Matsu no Hana,” or the flower of the pine. The name has a poignant story behind it. Apparently, in order to build the brewery, the founder had to cut down an old pine tree on the grounds. His strong attachment to the pine was embodied in his sake brand, still preserved today.

Kawashima Brewery’s product line is extensive, as can be seen from the shop inside it. This shop is a popular spot for locals to visit to get their sake fix, and Kawashima-san likes to chat with his customers. I enjoy seeing such scenes highlighting the local character of this brewery. ‘Jizake’ is the term used for craft sake from small local producers. Although the term has no legal definition, the appreciation of the local population is a must for Kawashima san, who proudly calls Matsu no Hana a jizake brand.

Among the wide variety of sake made by Kawashima Brewery, a range of ‘muroka nama genshu’ products stand out. Denoting unfiltered, unpasteurized, and undiluted sake in its most natural form, this has become a popular variety lately and Kawashima-san surely caught up to the trend. He wants to preserve the traditions of the brewery while keeping up with innovation to access a wide range of consumers. In fact, Kawashima Brewery is one of the rare local breweries that sell their products abroad too.

I will feature the reviews of several sake from Kawashima Brewery, including the ones available overseas in the blog soon. Keep following us and let’s find out if Kawashima Brewery’s products deliver the promised quality!