🕓 2025/6/16
#Japanese sake
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A trip to Sendai where you can soothe your soul in the fragrant capital of Date and savor Sendai’s local sake.
table of contents
- What kind of sake can you enjoy in Sendai?
- Around Sendai“Recommended sake brewery”
- Around Sendai“Recommended Sake Selection”
- Touring Sendai and sake breweriesRu“Model course”
Introduction
Sendai, where mountains and the sea, samurai culture and modern cities intersect, is a place where “Date sake” flourishes, nurtured by the clear underground water of the Hirose River, the ultra-soft water of Mt. Izumigatake, and the harsh winters of Sanriku. The innovation of the Date family warehouse, the coastal culture that continues to Matsushima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, and the bustle of urban warehouses in the city area.
–In this article, we will provide a thorough guide to the multi-layered terroir unique to Sendai in four chapters: history of sake, breweries, brand selection, and model courses. With a glass of local sake in hand, let’s go on a journey to “ride, walk, and taste” the historic sites of the castle town, the spectacular views of the bay, and the back parlor where the steam shimmers.
- 1. What kind of sake can you enjoy in Sendai?
- 2. “Recommended sake breweries” around Sendai
- 1. Sendai Izawaya Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. | World quality brewed by the Date family brewery
- 2. Moritami Sake Brewery Headquarters | The only brewery + amazake cafe in the city “Moritami Sabo”
- 3. Saura Co., Ltd. (Urakasumi Brewery) | Association No. 12 yeast and 300-year-old establishment
- 4. Abe Kan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. | A brewery in a port town that is responsible for the sacred sake of Shiogama Shrine
- 5. Ichinokura Co., Ltd. | Eco-brewing joint brewery that created “Suzune”
1. What kind of sake can you enjoy in Sendai?
1 | Date sake nurtured by the clear streams of the Hirose River and the underground water of Mt. Izumigatake
Founded in 1849, in Aramachi, Wakabayashi Ward, along the Hirose River,Moritami Sake Brewery Honkeis the only existing “former Sendai City built-in building”. The “Seiryu Hirosegawa” brand combines underground water from the river with local rice (Kuranohana), contributing to environmental conservation through citizen participation. On the other hand, during the feudal period, it served as the purveyor of the Date family.Sendai Izawaya Katsuyama Sake Breweryrelocated the brewery to the foothills of Mt. Izumigatake in Izumi Ward, and introduced cutting-edge technology such as centrifugally pressing Junmai Daiginjo using ultra-soft water drawn from a deep well.
The “Ken”, which received the IWC highest award, is characterized by its smooth flavor and elegant aroma. Only in Sendai is it possible to taste and compare two water systems, “underground water in the mountains and clear streams in the city center” near the city.
2 | Enjoy visiting breweries on the subway and on foot – the true pleasure of walking around town with the “Guinen Passport”
After enjoying a brewery tour and tasting in the Aramachi area, a 15-minute walk from Sendai Station, take the subway Namboku Line to Izumi Chuo and head to Katsuyama Sake Brewery.Let’s head out to Kokubuncho’s Ichinisan Yokocho in the evening, focusing on conquering two breweries in the city.
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Guinen Passport(5/12–10/31) comes with an original sake cup made by a potter in the prefecture and 5 sake tickets. This is a popular city walking project where you can sample a variety of Miyagi brands while visiting member restaurants.
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Sendai Sake Fest(5/25) is one of the largest tasting events in Tohoku, with approximately 150 varieties from 46 breweries from all over the country. There are two rotating parts, and there are plenty of food booths, and tickets are sure to sell out every year.
Coupled with the tree-lined streets and alley culture of Mori no Miyako, the fun of “walking and bar hopping” is even more outstanding.
3 | Fermentation innovation spun by Date Shichizo – DATE SEVEN
“DATE SEVEN” is a limited edition sake that is jointly brewed by seven representative breweries in Miyagi (Urakasumi, Hakurakusei, Katsuyama, Hidakami, and others) only every summer. In Season 2 of 2025, Urakasumi & Hakurakusei will be the leader breweries, and each brewery will prepare the same specs and release them simultaneously on July 5th, and the bottles will be opened all at once on July 7th at 7:00 pm. While sharing the latest technologies such as Kyokai No. 12 yeast derived from Urakasumi, centrifugal separation, and thermal tanks, the fact that they compete on the uniqueness of flavor is a testament to the innovation of Sendai and Miyagi’s sake culture.
We are currently launching a tourist destination x sake site.This is a site where you can get the information you want that you didn’t have before.We will be adding more information in the future, so please bookmark it.
2. “Recommended sake breweries” around Sendai
The soft water of the Hirose River that waters the City of Forests and the blessings of Mt. Izumigatake and Matsushima Bay resonate together – a tour of breweries in Miyagi and Sendai
The subterranean water of the Hirose River is medium-soft and has a soft texture, while the ultra-soft water with a hardness of about 35 polished underground at Mt. Izumigatake produces a silky sharpness. Coupled with the low-temperature, long-term fermentation brought about by the cold Tohoku winters, unique breweries are dotted within a 40km radius from the city center to the coast. Sendai is also unique in its ease of access, allowing you to visit Gozo just by “subway + JR + walking”.
1. Sendai Izawaya Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. | World quality brewed by the Date family brewery
Source: https://sakefinder.com/kura/65
Founded in the first year of Genroku (1688), Shinzo Kura has a history of over 320 years as a purveyor of the Date family. We pump underground water from Mt. Izumigatake from deep wells and use centrifugal squeezing and low-temperature aging to brew “Ken” and “Akatsuki.” The quality that has consecutively won IWC and Kura Master World No. 1 awards is the result of the silky texture of ultra-soft water with a hardness of 35 and precise temperature control. A tour of the brewery is only available on a private tour with sake pairing guided by the brewery (2 people or more, 2 hours 50 minutes, 30,000 yen per person).
| item | Content |
|---|---|
| Official name | Sendai Izawaya Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. |
| Founding year | 1688 (Genroku 1) |
| Main brands | Katsuyama Ken, Akatsuki, Den, Sensho Masamune |
| Direct sales office | Online shop only/No in-store sales |
| access | Sendai Station → 4 minutes walk from Kawasaki Iriguchi bus stop on the city bus / 35 minutes by car |
2. Moritami Sake Brewery Headquarters | The only brewery + amazake cafe in the city “Moritami Sabo”
Exhibitor:https://moritami.jp
Founded in 1849. With the mission of being “Japan’s most accessible sake brewery,” we offer small-brew products such as “Moritami Junmai,” which is brewed using underground water and Hirose River water. The brewery tour lasts 60-90 minutes and comes in three plans (starting from 2 people/2,090 yen), and the popular plan includes tasting and Basque cheesecake. You can also enjoy amazake lattes and seasonal sweets at the attached cafe, Moritami Sabo, and it is attracting attention as a rare urban brewery where you can stop by during your city sightseeing.
| item | Content |
|---|---|
| Official name | Moritami Sake Brewery Honke Limited Partnership Company |
| Founding year | 1849 (Kaei 2) |
| Main brands | Moritami Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, Junmai Daiginjo |
| visit | ○ 60-90 minutes / 3 plans (from 2 people / from 2,090 yen) |
| Tasting | ○ Each plan includes a tasting + souvenir sake plan |
| Direct sales office | Moritami Sabo (53 Aramachi, Wakabayashi-ku) |
| access | 17 minutes walk from JR Sendai Station / 6 minutes walk from Gotsubashi Subway Station |
3. Saura Co., Ltd. (Urakasumi Brewery) | Association No. 12 yeast and 300-year-old establishment
Exhibitor:https://www.urakasumi.com
Founded in 1724, this prestigious company has been a purveyor of sacred sake to Shiogama Shrine. “Urakasumi Zen” and “No. 12,” made with Kyokai No. 12 yeast, have a gentle ginjo aroma and a harmony of rice flavor. Normally, the focus is on an exterior guide + sake gallery tasting (300 yen with choko), but starting in 2025, the 300th anniversary of the company’s founding, the brewery will be open to the public for a special time, including a mini brewery tour + sake tasting course and the “Kura Matsuri” held in April.
| item | Content |
|---|---|
| Official name | Saura Co., Ltd. |
| Founding year | 1724 (Kyoho 9) |
| Main brands | Urakasumi Zen Junmai Sake No.12 Special Junmai |
| visit | △ Exterior guide (twice a day) / Open to the public only during the Kura Festival |
| Tasting | ○ Choke + 2 coins at the sake gallery 300 yen |
| Direct sales office | Urakasumi Sake Gallery (2-19 Honmachi, Shiogama City) |
| access | 7 minutes walk from Honshiogama Station on the JR Senseki Line |
4. Abe Kan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. | A brewery in a port town that is responsible for the sacred sake of Shiogama Shrine
Exhibitor:https://www.abekan.com
Founded in 1716. This is a long-established shop in a port town that has been brewing the sacred sake of Shiogama Shrine for over 300 years, and its “Abe Kan Junmai Karakuchi” and “Shiki no Matsushima” are popular among locals. Generally, we do not offer brewery tours or in-store tastings, but we do offer paid tastings (800 yen/choke included) during the spring “Shiogama Sake Brewery Tour” and limited events. Kura goods such as sake lees and aprons are also popular, and many fans stop by while strolling along the approach to the shrine.
| item | Content |
|---|---|
| Official name | Abekan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. |
| Founding year | 1716 (Kyoho 1) |
| Main brands | Abe Kan Junmai Spicy/Four Seasons of Matsushima/Omotaka Otokoyama |
| visit | × General tours not available |
| Tasting | △ Paid tasting only at events (starting from 800 yen) |
| Direct sales office | Kura Store (Weekdays 10:00-17:00) |
| access | 10 minutes walk from JR Honshiogama Station |
5. Ichinokura Co., Ltd. | Eco-brewing joint brewery that created “Suzune”
Exhibitor:https://ichinokura.co.jp
It was established in 1973 through the merger of four breweries. Using the abundant groundwater of Matsuyama, Osaki City, and contracted rice grown through environmentally friendly agriculture, we have pioneered a new frontier in Japanese sake with the low-alcohol low-malt beer “Suzune” and the fruity “Himezen.” At the main brewery, free tours (60 minutes, from early October to early June), which require reservations, have resumed, and you can enjoy tastings of four types of sake after viewing the preparation room through the window. A free shuttle bus runs from JR Matsuyamacho Station on the opening day of the brewery.
| item | Content |
|---|---|
| Official name | Ichinokura Co., Ltd. |
| Founding year | 1973 (Showa 48)〈Shizogodo〉 |
| Main brands | Ichinokura Uninspected/Himezen/Suzune |
| visit | ○ Free 60 minutes (reservation required/early October to early June) |
| Tasting | ○ 4 types of tasting after the tour |
| Direct sales office | Local Sake Ya Hana no Kura (inside Matsuyama Sake Museum) |
| access | JR Matsuyamacho Station → 10 minutes by taxi / Sendai Station → Matsuyamacho Station approximately 40 minutes |
