Just before the corona pandemic I decided to start my sake journey. The WSET was a blast, and after getting level 3 the next step for me would of course be to travel to Japan again, this time with more of a focus on sake. The corona pandemic delayed these plans for a couple of years, but in December 2022 it was finally time to go and visit a lot of breweries. The brewery I will write about today was the last brewery I visited during the trip, but it is definitely the first one I want to write about on this website. And as the title of this article already says, it will be about Sasaichi Shuzou from Yamanashi prefecture.
Why do I want to write about this brewery? It’s not that well know, not that big, and in a prefecture that is known more for its wine that for its sake. But it was the brewery I have been looking forward to visiting the most of all the ones I had planned! This brewery has a special place in my heart.
A couple of years ago I started taking online Japanese lessons. I found a great teacher, and during the years we started talking about sake as I started learning more and more about the topic. During one of the lessons, she asked me a strange question: was it okay for her dad to send me some local sake? I was caught a bit off guard! Her dad? She told her dad about my study and thought it was such a cool thing to do, that he wanted to send a bottle. Not that long after, a box arrived with a bottle of Sasaichi Daiginjo sake. This act was so thoughtful and nice, that I see this as a core sake moment for me. From that day I started following Sasaichi Shuzou on social media and of course check their website often.
Founded in 1661 as Hanadaya, the name was changed to Sasaichi in 1919. The kanji in the name Sasaichi refer to their goal to make the best sake in Japan! The brewery uses water from Mount Fuji, and uses rice that is locally cultivated. It uses the famous Yamada-nishiki rice, and the locally cultivated Koshu Yume Sansui rice. According to their website they try to make sake that are moderately fruity, and have a crisp aftertaste, as this style of sake goes well with seafood recipes from Yamanashi prefecture.
So, fast-forward to January 6th. From my hotel in Ueno it took about 2 hours to get to the small train station of Sasago in Otsuki. It was a breath of fresh air to leave the busy atmosphere of Tokyo and arrive in this small village. Exiting the train station, it’s not that difficult to find the brewery. It’s only a short walk before you arrive at Sasaichi. Do note: there isn’t much else to do in the village besides visit the brewery, so going here will be a big time investment, especially since the trains arrive hourly at the station.
Sasaichi has two places you can visit while on premise: Shuyukan, which is its shop and tasting area, and the Krand Cafe, a place where you can enjoy a nice coffee and more. Of course, I went to the tasting area first. Most breweries have a very traditional vibe to it. While the brewery makes use of traditional methods for making their sake, the tasting area looks very modern. There were a couple of sake I could try at the tasting area. I first decided to try 2 sake:
- Sasaichi Junmai Daiginjo Koshu Yume Sansui 16%, 45% polishing ratio
- Sasaichi Tokusen Junmai Daiginjo 16%, 35% polishing ratio
Both of these sake were delicious. Quite light, with hints of pear, melon and green apple. The Tokusen Junmai Daiginjo is made with Yamada-Nishiki rice, and this one was much smoother than the Koshu Yume Sansui, and the fruity flavors were much more present. If I had to choose, I would still go for the Koshu Yume Sansui. Why? That has to do with the price. A full bottle of Tokusen Junmai Daiginjo goes for about ¥5500, while the Koshu Yume Sansui is only ¥1750.
I also tried the ‘regular’ Sasaichi Junmai Daiginjo. It is also made with Yume Sansui, but according to the little information card I received, the rice that was used wasn’t made in Yamanashi prefecture itself. This sake was a bit more acidic than the other two, but still great! Seeing as I was there in the middle of Winter, I also wanted to try some of their Amazake. The lovely man at the counter warmed up a big pot of Amazake. During this trip I drank a lot of Amazake, and even after this one I wasn’t getting bored with it. It is perfect on a cold winter day.
After getting some souvenirs I decided to check out the Krand Cafe. As the only person there, I didn’t have to worry about missing out on a limited item. The Krand Cafe sells shaved ice (Kakigoori) made with sake lees. It’s only made for a limited amount each day, so if it’s sold out, you are out of luck. One thing that surprised me was the size of this thing! I was afraid I couldn’t finish this thing, but thankfully it was very fluffy. The sake lees add a very nice sweet flavour to the ice, and I just wanted to keep eating. I would definitely recommend getting one if you have the chance.
Overall, the visit to Sasaichi Shuzou for me personally was totally worth it. I really appreciate my Japanese teacher and her dad for letting me know about this brewery. Next time when I am in Japan, I will definitely go back, and try their new sake!
Sasaichi Shuzou
〒401-0024
Yamanashi, Otsuki, Sasagomachi, Yoshikubo-26
5 minute walk from Sasago Station
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