Toyama Sake

Snowflakes in the glass

Located on Japan’s west coast, Toyama Prefecture lies between sea and mountains. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Toyama boasts 19 kura (sake breweries), 78% of whose production is consumed locally: it’s worth noting that the regional cuisine is also remarkably diverse. Let’s delve deeper into the unique characteristics of Toyama and discover some of its sake gems together!

Overlooking the Sea of Japan, Toyama Bay reaches depths of over 1,000 meters. Its warm and cold currents attract a plethora of fish, such as the yellow fish tail, and seafood like Japanese grass shrimp! You may have even seen photos of that bioluminescent beach that takes on a surreal blue hue? That’s Toyama, and it’s thanks to their famous firefly squid! Furthermore, the Northern Alps cross the prefecture, with peaks reaching 3,000 meters in altitude. It’s the “roof of Japan”. So, there’s a lot of snow in winter… and the famous Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Road is known for its snow corridor, some over 20 meters snow high!

Thanks to its diverse landscape, nestled between sea and mountains, its cold winters, and its abundance of fresh water, Toyama produces delightful and highly gastronomic sakes! The breweries on the coast offer fresh, crisp nihonshu with clean finishes that complement the iodine; while those located in the mountains or plains create powerful sakes with umami and good acidity, perfect with game. Traditionally dry, Toyama sakes are a must-try!

Taizo Yamada, owner of the Takaoka Yamadasaketen store and online boutique, is my direct contact in Toyama. His grandfather established the shop in 1959 and he is now the 3rd generation: he is a perfect ambassador for Toyama sake and thanks to him, I discovered this breathtaking variety of nihonshu.

Here are a few gems he recommended, which I’m now sharing with you:

– Masuda Brewery offers terroir-driven sakes which blend tradition and modernity. They also have internationally acclaimed premium sakes, such as the exceptional Masuizumi Henri Giraud 2019, which was aged in champagne barrels for several months.

– Wakatsuru Brewery has also been producing whisky since the 1950s. Their Itonami 2025 sake, a Kimoto junmai, perfectly embodies the contemporary era in which they operate while preserving their ancestral know-how.

– Hayashi Brewery was founded 400 years ago. Thanks to its young and dynamic toji (master brewer), Hideki Hayashi, it has evolved over the centuries to offer gastronomic and balanced sakes, such as the Hayashi Gohyakumangoku, which is superb in its dry style (tanrei karakuchi).

And finally, here’s a sake you absolutely must discover. It is from the Sanshoraku Brewery located in Gokayama, a village listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site:

– Sanshoraku – Junmai Yamahai (65% polishing ratio) – 16% alcohol

Thank you again to Taizo Yamada, Hidehiro Yamazaki from Sanshoraku Shuzo and Hisao Hayashi from Toyama Prefectural Government.