{"id":63533,"date":"2020-04-14T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=63533"},"modified":"2020-07-22T23:35:44","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T14:35:44","slug":"famous-sake-nambu-toji-iwate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/famous-sake-nambu-toji-iwate\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuing the Famous Sake of the Nambu Toji of Iwate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31162535\/Photo-3-2-20-10-08-20-am-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63557\" class=\"wp-image-63557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31162535\/Photo-3-2-20-10-08-20-am-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31162535\/Photo-3-2-20-10-08-20-am-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31162535\/Photo-3-2-20-10-08-20-am-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31162535\/Photo-3-2-20-10-08-20-am.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture in Winter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A little over 2 hours from Tokyo lies Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.&nbsp; Home to vibrant nature, historical and cultural sites, mouthwatering food and delicious <em>sake<\/em>, it is a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are four distinct areas of Iwate; the <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hanami-morioka-castle\/\">urban capital of <strong>Morioka<\/strong><\/a> in the northwest and the picturesque coastline of <strong>Miyako<\/strong> City in the northeast. In southeastern Iwate, you can find <strong>Tono<\/strong>, famed for the \u2018City of Folklore\u2019 and in the southwest is <strong>Hanamaki<\/strong>, with its many historical and cultural sites, <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/iwate-hanamaki-osawa-onsen\/\">a plethora of steaming <em>onsen<\/em><\/a> and various <em>sake<\/em> breweries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was in Hanamaki where I was fortunate to spend a weekend experiencing the culture, the <em>onsen<\/em>, the beautiful nature, participating in a <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/azumaya-restaurant-soba\/\"><em>wanko soba<\/em> experience<\/a> and learning about <em>sake<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hanamaki Onsen Area<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163342\/Photo-2-2-20-10-45-06-pm-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63572\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63572\" class=\"wp-image-63572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163342\/Photo-2-2-20-10-45-06-pm-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163342\/Photo-2-2-20-10-45-06-pm-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163342\/Photo-2-2-20-10-45-06-pm-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163342\/Photo-2-2-20-10-45-06-pm.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Open-air Bath<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163404\/Photo-2-2-20-10-52-24-pm-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63573\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63573\" class=\"wp-image-63573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163404\/Photo-2-2-20-10-52-24-pm-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163404\/Photo-2-2-20-10-52-24-pm-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163404\/Photo-2-2-20-10-52-24-pm-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163404\/Photo-2-2-20-10-52-24-pm.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Indoor Onsen Bath<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/06165007\/iwateyuukaen.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"64000\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/06165007\/iwateyuukaen.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=64000\" class=\"wp-image-64000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/06165007\/iwateyuukaen.jpg 720w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/06165007\/iwateyuukaen-375x500.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Lobby of Yuukaen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Hanamaki is famed for its various <strong>alkaline <em>onsen<\/em> hot springs<\/strong>. An<em> onsen<\/em> that has alkaline waters is silky smooth to the skin and is generally odourless. Japanese women prefer not to rinse away alkaline waters after relaxing in the <em>onsen<\/em>, as it is believed that <strong>the water helps with exfoliating the skin and removing spots<\/strong>. Alkaline water, is often called <em>\u201cBijin-no-yu (onsen of beautiful ladies)\u201d<\/em> for this reason.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Hanamaki, I stayed at perhaps what may be the most beautifully crafted <em>ryokan<\/em> I have ever stayed at in Japan. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yuukaen.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\">Yamanogami Onsen Yuukaen<\/a> is a historical <em>onsen ryokan<\/em> located in the centre of the Hanamaki <em>onsen<\/em> area, by the Toyosawa river. It has <strong>one of the largest open-air alkaline baths<\/strong>. However, what makes Yuukaen really distinct compared to other ryokan in Japan, is its architecture. The buildings are crafted in the ancient <em>kingumi <\/em>style of Japanese carpenters. <strong><em>Kingumi<\/em> is the style of architecture used to build Japanese temples and samurai buildings<\/strong>, in which no nails or bolts are used. The pieces of wood are cut to fit perfectly together like a puzzle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Fulfilling Meal of Wanko Soba<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63565\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63565\" class=\"wp-image-63565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3-400x500.jpg 400w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163004\/Photo-3-2-20-12-13-54-pm-3.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Trays upon trays of Wanko Soba.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63566\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63566\" class=\"wp-image-63566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163014\/Photo-3-2-20-12-44-56-pm-3.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">I consumed 40 bowls of it.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Every city in Japan has a dish or two that they are renowned for, and in Hanamaki one of them is<strong> <em>wanko soba<\/em><\/strong>. <em>Wanko soba<\/em> is the serving of multiple small bowls of <em>soba<\/em> paired with seasonal pickles. In this <em>soba<\/em> experience, you consume your noodles at constant pace. As soon as you finish one bowl, another is instantly placed in front of you to eat. There is no pause or rest between bowls. Presently in Japan, you will probably see <em>wanko soba<\/em> being used in speed-eating competitions on Japanese variety game shows. Historically, it holds a more honourable meaning than an eating competition. Legend has it that <em>wanko soba<\/em> was served to visiting <em>daimyo<\/em> (feudal lords), and that to not offend, small bowls were constantly given until the <em>daimyo<\/em> himself decided he had eaten enough. This would be indicated when the <em>daimyo<\/em> replaced the lid on the soba bowl.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Touch of Sake Lore<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve always loved sake, however, I\u2019ve always been blissfully ignorant of the nuances, history, and craftsmanship of the liquor. Though there are many <em>sake<\/em> producing regions, also known as <strong>Toji Guilds<\/strong>, the three most famous are the Tanba Toji of Hyogo Prefecture, the Echigo Toji of Niigata Prefecture and the Nambu Toji of Iwate Prefecture. In total there are currently over 30 Toji Guilds in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Travelling Toji Masters of the Nambu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63574\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63574\" class=\"wp-image-63574\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am-400x500.jpg 400w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163500\/Photo-2-2-20-11-11-48-am.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63575\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63575\" class=\"wp-image-63575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163517\/Photo-2-2-20-11-38-46-am.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Transforming into a Toji Master and donning their traditional clothes.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The title of <em>toji<\/em> refers to the Master Brewer<\/strong> of a <em>sake<\/em> brewery. The <em>toji<\/em> is the individual responsible for every aspect of the brewing process, starting with determining what type of <em>sake<\/em> rice is purchased and on through every step thereafter. In a <em>sake<\/em> brewery, there is only ever one <em>toji<\/em>. Historically, the <em>toji<\/em> and <em>kuramoto<\/em> (Brewery Owner) were always two separate individuals; however, over time those lines have been blurred depending on the brewery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first learned about the <em>toji<\/em>, an image of travelling journeymen from the olden days formed in my mind. Traditionally, <em>sake<\/em> is only brewed in the colder months, so during Summer and Autumn, the <em>toji<\/em> would work elsewhere on farms, only returning to the breweries to check on progress and storage conditions. <em>Toji<\/em> would also help establish new breweries and teach brewing methods by travelling around the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Nambu Toji<\/strong> has roughly 400 <em>toji<\/em> under them and is one of the largest Toji Guilds in Japan. Whilst in Hanamaki, I visited the <strong>Nambu Toji Museum<\/strong> and was astounded to realise how widely dispersed their <em>toji <\/em>are. They are responsible for the creation of many delicious <em>sake<\/em> from all over the country. It was very interesting to realise that so many <em>sake<\/em> breweries in Japan have roots in the brewing techniques of the Nambu.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Nambu Toji Museum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163816\/Photo-2-2-20-11-08-22-am-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63576\" class=\"wp-image-63576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163816\/Photo-2-2-20-11-08-22-am-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163816\/Photo-2-2-20-11-08-22-am-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163816\/Photo-2-2-20-11-08-22-am-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163816\/Photo-2-2-20-11-08-22-am.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\"> The Sugidama. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Located a short drive from <strong>JR Ishidoriya Station<\/strong>, the <strong>Nambu Toji Museum<\/strong> is the perfect starting point to train your palate on the intrinsic flavours of <em>sake<\/em> and learn about its history. The museum itself is a perfect showcase for the <em>sake<\/em> brewing process as well as containing installations showcasing various historical items. At the interior entrance of the museum, is a <em>sugidama<\/em>, a large ball comprised of balled up cedar branches. Originally green when made, when the <em>sugidama<\/em> turns fully brown, it means that the good <em>sake<\/em> is nearly ready! They are traditionally hung from the outdoor awnings of breweries. Inside the museum, you can do a bit of cosplay and don the traditional garb of the <em>sake<\/em> workers. For me, my favourite aspect of the museum was viewing all the various <em>sake<\/em> barrels decorated in their beautiful artwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63579\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63579\" class=\"wp-image-63579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164600\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-26-am.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">A snapshot of the various Sake labels that have been brewed across Japan by members of the Nambu Toji<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63580\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63580\" class=\"wp-image-63580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164617\/Photo-2-2-20-11-09-39-am-1.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">The artwork of the Sake barrels<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63583\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63583\" class=\"wp-image-63583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164829\/Photo-2-2-20-11-44-18-am-1.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Many of the Sake barrels feature famous flora, fauna or landscape motifs of the areas in which they were brewed<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63584\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63584\" class=\"wp-image-63584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31164844\/Photo-2-2-20-11-46-57-am-1.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Momiji Leaves<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Adjacent to the museum is a souvenir shop that sells various local delicacies of sweets, savoury and most importantly, <em>sake<\/em>! There is a restaurant next door where you can fill your belly with some heartwarming <em>hatto-jiru<\/em> soup (hand-torn flat noodles &#8211; can also be called <em>suiton<\/em>, <em>tsumeri <\/em>or<em> hittsumi <\/em>depending on the area) which is a traditional food of the Tohoku region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163149\/86304614_10156594338761607_5501388416484376576_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63569\" class=\"wp-image-63569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163149\/86304614_10156594338761607_5501388416484376576_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31163149\/86304614_10156594338761607_5501388416484376576_n-500x375.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">My hearty Hatto (torn noodle) soup for lunch<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The shop also allows <em>sake<\/em> tasting, with various bottles open and available to be tried and tried again, sipped at your own pace and delight, whilst a member of the staff teaches you about the origin and characteristics of each <em>sake<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 4 Popular Types of Sake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously when I have had <em>sake <\/em>to drink, I had only used the characteristics of sweet vs. dry to make my choice. I had no idea that there were so many types of <em>sake<\/em>, and the 4 most popular categories are <strong>Junmai, Honjozo, Ginjo and Daiginjo<\/strong>. The difference between the types is the percentage (ratio) of the rice grain remaining after being polished during the process, and how much alcohol (if any) has been added. This is known as the polishing ratio. The rice polishing ratio is an important component of making <em>sake<\/em> as it\u2019s a critical factor in how <em>sake<\/em> is categorised and priced. The process involves polishing away the outer layers of the rice grain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Daiginjos<\/strong> are considered the highest quality of <em>sake<\/em> with a minimum 50% polishing ratio and a small amount of distilled alcohol, followed by <strong>Ginjo<\/strong> which are polished at minimum 40%. These two are fairly similar to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Honjozo<\/strong> are polished to a minimum of 70% and hold a light, mildly fragrant taste. They also have a small amount of distilled alcohol added to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Junmai<\/strong> is the only type of<em> sake<\/em> with no minimum polishing ration and no alcohol has been introduced. If you ever have a <em>sake <\/em>that is considered a <strong>Daiginjo-junmai<\/strong> or <strong>Ginjo-junmai<\/strong>, that means no alcohol has been added to these combinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Sake Outlaw of Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The story that really inspired me during the entire trip was the story of Naotaka Kawamura. Told to me by a local guide, translator, lover of <em>sake<\/em> and his friend <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCk6dFlJNNJMljNg2-56piUw\" target=\"_blank\">Quinlan Faris<\/a>, Kawamura-san is the <em>kuramoto<\/em> and <em>toji<\/em> of the last sake brewery of Ishidoriya; <strong>Kawamura Shuzo<\/strong> (founded 1922). Ishidoriya city was formally merged into the city of Hanamaki in 2006.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"64032\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=64032\" class=\"wp-image-64032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan-250x250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/08122739\/quinlan.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\"><em>My guide, Quinlan Faris.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A self proclaimed \u201c<em>sake<\/em> outlaw\u201d, Kawamura-san embarked on a <em>sake <\/em>pilgrimage over 20 years ago, travelling extensively throughout Japan visiting other breweries and <em>toji<\/em>, learning their stories and what inspired them. When he returned, <strong>Yoemon<\/strong> was created, a new brand of <em>sake<\/em> named after his grandfather, the founder of Kawamura Shuzo. The brand Yoemon and it\u2019s other sister brands, are revered amongst those who are true <em>sake<\/em> connoisseurs. It was a realisation that was further reinforced a couple weeks later in Shizuoka one night at a tiny <em>soba<\/em> restaurant, where the chef (a lover of <em>sake<\/em>) was duly impressed and awed all at once that this Australian girl had heard about Yoemon and Kawamura Shuzo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Planning a Return to Iwate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-10 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63587\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?attachment_id=63587\" class=\"wp-image-63587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/31170228\/Photo-31-3-20-4-54-10-pm.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">My purchase of Yoemon sake of Kawamura Shuzo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The stories, culture and history of Iwate are so rich and compelling, that honestly a weekend in Iwate is not nearly enough to experience all this beautiful prefecture has to offer. <strong>Iwate has over 20 <em>sake<\/em> breweries which vary in taste in accordance with their location. <\/strong>Those along the coast produce <em>sake<\/em> that mainly complement seafood, whilst others that are inland produce a variety to match a range of cuisines. Many of the <em>sake<\/em> produced by these breweries can only be purchased in Iwate itself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yoemon and the other <em>sake<\/em> of Kawamura Shuzo are no exception, with <strong>purchases only being allowed from their own brewery<\/strong> and a single liquor shop on the outskirts of town. A few select restaurants in Japan stock them as well, but this is entirely dependent if Kawamura-san himself feels a kinship with those establishments. The rarity of its availability had me asking Quinlan to see if we could fit in a lightning-quick trip to the brewery on my last day in Hanamaki. Alas, the brewery was closed and instead we made a mad dash to the one liquor store that was allowed to stock them. I was only able to bring back one bottle of Yoemon (Quinlan\u2019s favourite) to try, which only served to further whet my appetite for a future trip to Iwate to visit the brewery, hopefully drink with Kawamura-san, and of course stock up on more of his rare bottles of sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>note: Kawamura Shuzo has no website or any type of social media presence<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting to Hanamaki, Iwate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>From Tokyo to Hanamaki:<\/strong>  <br>You can reach Hanamaki by taking the Akita and\/or Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen.  The journey will take just over 2 hours if you are able to catch the fastest Shinkansen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>From Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka &amp; Fukuoka to Hanamaki:<\/strong> <br>Domestic flights are available which land at Iwate &#8211; Hanamaki Airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting to Yamanogami Onsen Yuukaen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>                     <\/td><td> Yamanogami Onsen Yuukaen<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Address<\/td><td>53-1, Nakano, Shimo-shizawa, Hanamaki-shi, Iwate 025-0253, <br>\u3012025-0253\u3000\u5ca9\u624b\u770c\u82b1\u5dfb\u5e02\u4e0b\u30b7\u6ca2\u5b57\u4e2d\u91ce53\u756a\u57301<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Check In<br>Check Out<\/td><td>15:00<br>10:00<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Access<\/td><td>From Hanamaki Station: a taxi is roughly a 35mins journey<br>A free shuttle bus is also available from Hanamaki Station East Exit at 15:25, 16:25, 17:25.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Website<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yuukaen.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.yuukaen.jp\/<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting to the Nambu Toji Museum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td>Nambu Toji Museum<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Address<\/td><td><br>7-17-2 Nakaterabayashi, Ishidoriya-cho, Hanamaki City<br>028-3171 \u5ca9\u624b\u770c\u82b1\u5dfb\u5e02\u77f3\u9ce5\u8c37\u753a\u4e2d\u5bfa\u67977-17-2<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hours<\/td><td><br>08:30-16:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fixed Holidays<\/td><td>12\/29 &#8211; 01\/01<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cost<\/td><td>adults 400 yen; high school and college students 250 yen; elementary and junior high school students 200 yenGroup admission ( 20 or more ) 50 yen off<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Access<\/td><td>Taxi About 3 min. from JR Ishidoriya Station | Car About 15 min. from Hanamaki IC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/5\/embed?mid=1BFaLwkO2cpkIaAWs-u-irpzZBqaEjExS&amp;hl=en\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A little over 2 hours from Tokyo lies Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.&nbsp; Home to vibrant nature,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":153,"featured_media":63555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,1407],"tags":[1237,1712,1367],"class_list":{"0":"post-63533","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-food","8":"category-tohoku","9":"tag-iwate","10":"tag-local-specialities","11":"tag-sake"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pursuing the Famous Sake of the Nambu Toji of Iwate<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In Japan, there are sake breweries so esteemed, other brewers seek after their products. 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