Hideyoshi(Suzuki Sake brewing)

Traditional sake brewing passed down to the present day

An ancient sake brewery

The house and sake brewery, which were rebuilt in the early Meiji period, have a sense of dignity and dignity that can only come from places that have stood the test of time. Inside the brewery, you’ll find a huge “Wagamama” pot for steaming rice and a lacquered “sakabune” sake vat for squeezing sake. It’s hard to believe that all of the tools are still in use, as they are so well-used.

Artworks on display in the storehouse

The brewery is also home to a library that houses the Suzuki family’s collection, which has been passed down for 14 generations. It contains many biographies of sake brewers and antique art, including items donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobunaga. You can get a sense of the profound history of the brewery from the art.

Black Painted Horned Head Helmet

This helmet was bestowed by Oda Nobunaga to Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a reward for his military achievements, and was later bestowed by Hideyoshi to the Kakunodate family, lords of Kakunodate. A box-like head made of cowhide is placed on top of the helmet, and modified helmets like this were apparently popular during the time of Oda Nobunaga.

Hairpin

This item has been carefully passed down as a tool for welcoming the bride of the Suzuki family. It is made of gold and is decorated with crystal and coral.

Ancient documents

The “Records of Sake Brewing Since the Genroku Period” begins with this sentence. “Feel the changing of the seasons with your skin and your senses, and when the time is right, start brewing sake.” This sentence expresses the essence of sake brewing, teaching us that the workings of nature are the path of all things.

The historic front entrance

The story of Hideyoshi’s birth

In the early Edo period, there was a man named Chobei who ran an oil shop in Ise Province (Mie Prefecture). Chobei’s son grew up surrounded by pilgrims from all over the country visiting Ise and gathering the latest information, and decided to move to the prosperous Akita. The young man settled in Nagano Village (Nakasen Town) and, after many hardships, became a landowner. After that, in the second year of the Genroku era, he took advantage of Nagano Village’s abundance of rice and water and began brewing sake. This was the birth of our brewery, which has a history of 317 years in sake-producing Akita Prefecture.

Origin of the brand

During the Kaei period, when our sake brand was “Hatsuarashi,” Lord Satake of the Akita domain gathered all the famous sakes in the domain to hold a sake contest. There, our sake was highly praised as superior to the previous official sake “Kiyomasa.” The name “Hideyoshi” was given to us by combining the two meanings of “Toyotomi Hideyoshi,” whom Kato Kiyomasa served, and “Hide de Yoshi,” and has remained so to this day. We have received the same trust and patronage from the local community since our founding in the Genroku period.

Sake brewery experience tour

Tasting comparison during a tour of a sake brewery

On the tour of the sake brewery, you can enjoy snacks that go well with sake, and compare seasonal sake. You can enjoy the scenery of the brewery that has been in operation for 300 years. There is also a shop where you can purchase items on the spot.