Founded in 1781 by Nisuke Izutsuya and currently under the 10th president. The oldest brewery in Kochi with 240 years of history and still in operation today. You can see the same pulley, beams, earth retained walls and bamboo ceiling of this brewery as it was when built hundreds of years ago in 1781. Since brewing sake is largely affected by weather and natural conditions, there is an altar in the brewery which enshrines the god of sake.

The essence of sake brewery is water, rice and kobo (malted rice). Water determines the flavor of sake, so the quality of water is of the utmost importance for Nishioka Sake Brewery. The brewery has been utilizing the underground spring water which has never dried and the pure stream waters that flow into the Shimanto River. Particular emphasis is placed on the rice fit for sake grown by natural farming in the deep Shimanto area mountain terrace rice pads. The Kobo (malted rice) is a fungus that makes the starch into glucose which is
vital for process of making the flavor of sake and alcohol ingredient. The Kochi origin Kobo used at Nishioka Sake Brewery is specially made inhouse at the brewery. Hence the brewery’s sake made from the nutriments of Kochi has a excellent chemistry with the Kochi’s local cuisines. The sake brand name “Kure”( same name of the township) has a crispy and dry taste with a fruity flavor. The taste and flavor of Japanese sake are determined by how much the outer shell of rice is curbed. Among the “Kure” brand, the “Daiginjyoshu” is a premium sake which has a crisp and fragrant flavor made by brewing a long time by utilizing the milled rice shell curbed in half level. You can enjoy the sweet flavor sake by the original rice with the shell remaining brewed. In addition, this brewery offers sake of each season, as well as plum & fruit sake.

You can sample drink the sake before you purchase it. Traditional sake cups and bottles are also available for sale. At the Sake Brewery Gallery, on display are the traditional sake making equipments, video of the sake brewing process and the original illustrations of the traditional “Bonito Single Hooked Fishing” manga.

The cedar ball or “Sugitama” hanged in the front is the symbol of fresh new sake. This a traditional method of advertisement. First, the cedar ball is green which means just newly brewed, and as the cedar color changes
to brown, the color change reflects the ripening and aging of the sake.

• ACCESS & CONTACT
• Nishioka Sake Brewery
  6154, Kure Nakatosa-cho, Takaoka-gun, Kochi-ken.
  TEL / 0889-52-2018
  OPEN / 9:00-16:00
  Holidays / Iregular
  Car / 4min. from Nakatosa IC
  Public Transport / 4min. from JR Tosa-Kure Sta. by walk
  
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