“Nihonshu” Now: Sustainable Grower-Brewer Izumibashi Shuzō

Hashiba Yūichi, sixth-generation owner of Izumibashi Shuzō brewery. Hashiba, who graduated from Keiō University and worked at a securities firm before taking over the family business at age 27, spends much of his time with his employees in the fields and the brewery.

Harvesting premium Kame no O sake rice in the paddy adjacent to the brewery.

(Left to right) Izumibashi Shuzō’s “Megumi” junmai ginjō, made from Yamadanishiki rice; “Natsuyago” junmai nama genshu (unpasteurized, undiluted sake); “Kurotonbo” kimoto junmai; “Tonbo Sparkling” junmai nigori-zake (milky sparkling sake); and “Rakufūmai” junmai ginjō, made from Rakufūmai rice. The yago of “Natsuyago” (depicted on the label of this summer sake), is the nymph of the dragonfly.

Left: Moto-suri involves manually mixing kōji (steamed rice on which a special mold has been cultured) with rice and water to make the yeast starter (moto or shubo). Nowadays most breweries dispense with this labor-intensive process. Right: An Izumibashi brewery worker stirs the kōji rice to adjust the dampness and temperature, a step referred to as nakashigoto. Hashiba has hired a staff of full-time employees (average age 35) for his vertically integrated operation instead of engaging seasonal workers to brew sake each winter, as is customary.

The high-tech milling machine