Welcome to Asabiraki

History of ASABIRAKI

Genzo Murai who was "Samurai" of Nanbu Clan established Asabiraki Sake Brewery in 1871 (Meiji Era).

The name came from a poet blessing the departure of ship from "Manyo-syu "; the oldest poetry book exisits in Japan.

<Nara Period (8th Century).>

The Location:
Northern region, Iwate Prefecture

Iwate prefecture is in the north of Japan and its popuration is 1500,000.

Aguriculture, fishing industry and dairy farming are prospering. Morioka-city is the capital of Iwate prefecuture and its popuration is 280,000. The town is blessed with Mother Nature.

Asabiraki opens our brewery to the public, and also runs restaurant, "Stella Monte" where our microbrewed beer is served at.

Sake brewing technique:
Nanbu Sake Masters and Nanbu Style

"Nanbu Toji" which is a group of sake brewing experts has formed around this area more than 300 years ago.

heir exellence of techniques has become famous through out of Japan, and many of them has been invited to sake breweries all over Japan as sake brewing masters.

Essence of their techniques is creating well-defined aroma with sharp finish in its sake with lower temparature and longer-term fermentation techniques using the merit of cold Norhern weather in Iwate.

This technique is called Nanbu Style.

Evaluation to Asabiraki:
Gold Medals at the National Sake Competition 12 times in row.

Our Brewing Masters has honor of winning gold medals 12 times in row at the National Sake Competiton held in spring every year, which has not happened in the past.

We can proudry say it is because our cotinuous efforts of everyday work for 130 years.

We are also continously winning gold medals at Monde Selection from 1996 to 2001.

We have been positively wrestling with environmental problems from the awareness of importance of resources as a sake maker, and established recycling company in 1980 and working local community for ecoactivity.

How Is Sake Made?

Sake is based on raw rice.First raw rice is polised and refined, washed in good water, then soaked and steamed.

After cooling the steamed rice, Kouji (malted rice) is add to convert starch into sugar (saccharification).

Then steamed rice, yeast and water are add for fermentation. In approximately three to four weeks, fermentation and aging are completed.

Sake is pressed and bottled after pasteurization. Some is shipped immediately, while some is preserved for further aging.

An Overview of the Sake Production Process