- Savor Aizu Sake Brewed with Pure Spring Water and Locally Grown Rice at Tsurugajo Castle
- Sake to Enjoy at Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu Breweries
- 1 | What Is Aizu Sake?
- 2 | Touring Castles and Breweries by Haikara-san Bus & Rental Bicycle
- 3 | Aizu’s Gold Medal Breweries and the Neighboring “GI Minami-Aizu”
- Recommended Breweries near Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu
- Frequently Asked Questions
Savor Aizu Sake Brewed with Pure Spring Water and Locally Grown Rice at Tsurugajo Castle
Table of Contents
- Sake to Enjoy at Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu Breweries
- Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu “Recommended Breweries”
Introduction
The red-tiled castle keep reflects the sky, with snow-capped Mt. Bandai embracing the distant backdrop
— Aizu-Wakamatsu is a land where the stately elegance of castle architecture intersects with the rich flavors of a premier rice-growing region. The silky softness brought by underground spring water, the robust umami produced by Fukushima Prefecture’s original sake rice, and the craftsmanship honed by generations of brewers.
Starting from the historic Tsurugajo Castle, as you trace the stone-paved paths of the castle town and raise cup after cup, each sip unravels memories of the Boshin War and the breath of the four seasons.
In this article, we present carefully selected breweries and notable sake along with model courses that connect castle, town, and sake in a single journey. Consider this your prelude to experiencing the current state of “Aizu Seishu” within Fukushima Prefecture, which ranks among Japan’s top prefectures for gold medal wins.
Sake to Enjoy at Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu Breweries
1 | What Is Aizu Sake?
Aizu sake greets you with a gentle rice sweetness that softly spreads across the palate on the first sip, then finishes with a clean, crisp cut like snowmelt water — a sake that balances both “softness” and “sharpness.”
The secret lies in three factors. First, the ultra-soft water born from snow that falls on Mt. Iide and Mt. Bandai and slowly travels underground. Much of it is soft water with low hardness, which promotes gentle fermentation and produces a silky smooth mouthfeel. Second, the sake rice varieties “Yume no Kaori” and “Fuku no Ka,” developed by Fukushima Prefecture. Yume no Kaori dissolves easily and releases aroma readily, while Fuku no Ka has large grains that withstand high-precision polishing — both supporting a clean, impurity-free flavor.
Finally, the addition of “Utsukushima Yume Kobo (F7-01)” yeast, which produces sweet aromas reminiscent of banana and melon, brings together both drinkability and elegance. Thanks to this trifecta of water, rice, and yeast, Fukushima Prefecture won 16 gold medals at the 2025 (Brewing Year 2024) Annual Japan Sake Awards, returning to first place nationwide for the first time in three years, tied with Hyogo Prefecture.
2 | Touring Castles and Breweries by Haikara-san Bus & Rental Bicycle
In the morning, gaze up at Tsurugajo Castle’s red-tiled keep, then pedal a rental bicycle along the moat. Feel the castle town breeze as you take the Haikara-san city loop bus to the Nanukamachi district. Enjoy the aroma of yamahai sake during a tour of Kaei-gura, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, then savor a daiginjo chiffon cake at the adjoining cafe before hopping back on your bicycle to head to Miyaizumi Meijo.
After sampling Sharaku with its refreshing melon aroma, wind through the back streets to Tsurunoe Shuzo and finish with Aizu Chujo, which unfolds with white peach notes. In the evening, compare local sake at sake shops and restaurants around Noguchi Hideyo Seishun-dori Street. When the one-day bus pass takes you back to your inn, the lingering warmth of a half-day blending history and local sake will quietly linger.
3 | Aizu’s Gold Medal Breweries and the Neighboring “GI Minami-Aizu”
In the town of Minami-Aizu, south of Aizu-Wakamatsu, sake was designated with the Geographical Indication “GI Minami-Aizu” in August 2024, the first in Fukushima Prefecture. The production area is limited to Minami-Aizu Town, and the standards require, among other things, rice grown in the town, water drawn in the town, and no added alcohol or sugars (specially designated sake only). Comparing Minami-Aizu sake with the sake of Aizu-Wakamatsu is a great way to explore the diversity of the Aizu region.
Minami-Aizu Town hosts the “Kanpai with Minami-Aizu Local Sake!” event (held on June 20 in 2025), where GI Minami-Aizu certified sake and other local sake were served (check the official website for the latest information).
In Aizu-Wakamatsu, the “Aizu New Sake Tasting Event” is usually held in February, and Homare Shuzo in Kitakata City usually holds its “Spring Brewery Festival” in April — annual traditions where brewery owners personally serve their sake in the “ora-ga sake” (our local sake) culture.
This region-wide effort underpins the true “power of Aizu Seishu.”
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Aizu-Wakamatsu City and Minami-Aizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Major Attractions | Tsurugajo Castle, Mt. Iimoriyama (Byakkotai graves), Aizu Buke Yashiki (samurai residence), Nanukamachi-dori Street, Noguchi Hideyo Seishun-dori Street |
| Sake Spots | Suehiro Shuzo (Kaei-gura: brewery tour + cafe), Miyaizumi Meijo (Sharaku), Tsurunoe Shuzo (Aizu Chujo), Nagurayama Shuzo (Tsukiyumi) |
Recommended Breweries near Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu
Snowmelt from the Iide and Bandai mountain ranges travels underground over many years to well up as soft water in each brewery’s wells. Combined with Fukushima Prefecture-bred rice varieties Yume no Kaori and Fuku no Ka, and the aromatic Utsukushima Yume Kobo (F7-01) yeast, this water gives birth to “Aizu Seishu” — sake that balances both sharpness and rice umami.
1. Suehiro Shuzo Co., Ltd. | The Power of Yamahai at the Registered Tangible Cultural Property “Kaei-gura”
Founded in 1850 (Kaei 3). In 2018, nine structures, including storehouses built between the Meiji era and the early Showa era and a brick chimney, were registered as National Registered Tangible Cultural Properties.
The brewery upholds its “Three Principles of Local Sake: (1) Natural water (2) Aizu toji craftsmanship (3) Local rice,” and has two breweries: Kaei-gura, which preserves traditional handmade processes, and Hakase-gura, equipped with modern facilities. The flagship brand Suehiro, made with yamahai brewing, features a pear-like acidity and rich body.
Free tours are held every hour from 10:00 AM (except at 12:00; times change in winter). In 2013, the brewery was ranked No. 1 nationwide in Nikkei Plus One’s “Most Enjoyable Sake Breweries to Visit,” and its adjoining brewery cafe “Kyo” is popular for its daiginjo chiffon cake and brewing-water coffee.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Suehiro Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 1850 |
| Main Brands | Suehiro / Kaei-gura |
| Tours | Available (free; reservations required for groups of 10 or more; times change in winter) |
| Tasting | Available (free at shop + brewery cafe) |
| Direct Shop | 12-38 Nisshinmachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City |
| Access | 5-min walk from the Nanukamachi-chuo stop of the Haikara-san city loop bus |
2. Miyaizumi Meijo Co., Ltd. | The Innovative Brewery Behind the Fruity “Sharaku”
Founded in 1955 (Showa 30) as a branch family of Hanaharu Shuzo. For brewing, it uses the abundant spring water that nourishes the Aizu Basin. Fourth-generation head Miyamori Yoshihiro returned to the brewery, rethought its sake making and production environment from the ground up, and launched Sharaku in 2007.
The flagship brand Sharaku, with its ginjo aroma of banana and melon and crisp sweetness, has won awards including first place in the Junmai category of the SAKE COMPETITION and become one of the popular brands that are hard to obtain. The brewery does not offer tours, but tasting is available at the shop (check the official website for the latest information).
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Miyaizumi Meijo Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Main Brands | Sharaku / Aizu Miyaizumi |
| Tours | Not available |
| Tasting | Available (free at shop) |
| Direct Shop | 8-7 Toeimachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City |
| Access | From Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, bus to “San-no-cho” stop, 5-min walk |
3. Tsurunoe Shuzo Co., Ltd. | “Aizu Chujo” and “Yuri” Woven by a Mother-Daughter Toji Team
Source: Tsurunoe Shuzo Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1794 (Kansei 6). At this white-walled brewery on Nanukamachi-dori Street, Hayashi Yuri, the eldest daughter of the brewery family and its toji, carries on sake brewing in the spirit of “wa-jo ryo-shu” (harmonious brewing makes good sake) together with her mother, Keiko. Aizu Chujo, brewed with F7-01 yeast and Aizu-grown rice, is known for its firm umami and clean finish. The junmai daiginjo Yuri, developed for women, is popular for its delicate flavor.
Please check the official website to see whether tours are available. Tasting is always available at the shop (tasting and sales 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM).
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Tsurunoe Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 1794 |
| Main Brands | Aizu Chujo / Yuri |
| Tours | Check the official website |
| Tasting | Available (free at counter) |
| Direct Shop | 2-46 Nanukamachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City |
| Access | 5-min walk from JR Tadami Line Nanukamachi Station |
4. Nagurayama Shuzo Co., Ltd. | A Taisho-era Brewery Pursuing “Beautiful Sweetness”
Founded in 1918 (Taisho 7). With “kirei na amasa” (beautiful sweetness) as its brewery motto, it focuses on brewing with locally contracted Yume no Kaori and Fuku no Ka rice. Using ultra-soft water from their own well and thorough low-temperature bottle storage, the brewery suppresses off-flavors to achieve a mellow sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity.
The brewery has a track record of consecutive gold medals at the Annual Japan Sake Awards and the Tohoku Regional Awards, and its flagship brand Tsukiyumi won a trophy in the Junmai Division at IWC 2018. The brewery does not offer tours; its reception hours are weekdays from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (check the official website to see whether tasting is available).
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Nagurayama Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Main Brands | Nagurayama / Aizu Shikon |
| Tours | Not available |
| Tasting | Check the official website |
| Direct Shop | 2-46 Sengokumachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City |
| Access | About a 10-min drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (check the official website for bus access) |
