I had the incredible opportunity of receiving a private tour with two artisan sake-producers, Komatsu and Sachihime, in Saga of southern Kyushu area last weekend.
These breweries share a philosophy of sticking to a handmade process and the ambition to retail outside of Japan. Currently both ship to Australia, China, and France, with other potential countries under consideration.
In contrast to Komatsu, Sachihime was visually very sleek and polished. The brewery itself is divided into two sections: store-front and back-house, a layout apparently similar to many others in Japan. So one needs to pass through the store selling their sake and other local gourmet goods in order to access the actual factory. Sachihime was slightly larger in scale, housing more machines, including the ‘Yabuta Automatic Filtration Press’ to make sake from rice: which can cost more than a ferrari! We literally had our hand at helping mix the fermented rice with the mixing rod kaibo, climbing up to the tanks and balancing on top of a wooden stilt-built stage.
But it seemed like I wasn’t the first non-Japanese guest here, as most signs outlining the fundamentals of sake production were translated into English. Sachihime is actually an active community contributor, participating in festivals and showcasing local sweets/goods in their store. According to Mr. Sachihime himself, the idea of shipping outside of Japan arose after several American military men from Sasebo visited and praised the taste of RISE. Sequentially it has grown to become their international best-seller. Personally, though, I preferred the hearty flavours of Egushi, one of his unpasteurized sake, or more commonly known as nama-zake. Its name literally translates to ‘laughing sake’, which is definitely captured in its bold, spicy tang. Another line of namazake ‘DEAR MY PRINCESS’ contrasts strongly with its delicate, sweet notes. The most eye-catching products, though, were their sake skin-care products and ice-cream (kid-safe with no actual alcohol contained, only.
Reaching 40 years, only a quarter of Komatsu’s legacy, Sachihime is still budding as a name in the sake industry but doesn’t comprise in taste. After touring their distillery we were invited to taste some of the many varieties of sake, namazake and umeshu on display. Sachihime hopes to branch out with new labels, adjusting to recent trends and public preferences. In a way Sachihime seems quite similar to Komatsu, but rocks more of a chic image. For those hoping to get a glimpse of how sake is made in an intimate setting, Sachihime will gladly open its doors to step you through!
