Kura History Our brewery began in 1868, four years after the Meiji Restoration. We have now been brewing sake for four generations, here in Shizuoka near the ruins of Takatenjin Castle, where many a battle was fought. The founder, Yasuichi Doi, was the village leader, and with all the changes that arose during this time, he knew he had to choose a new path, and he chose sake brewing. His will has traversed time and generations as we continue his work today The Sake Our sake is fragrant and lively, layered and complex. The melting qualities of our wonderful mysterious water and the essence of the fine rice that we use combine to create a sake that suffuses the palate and dances with complexity and flavor, with a fragrance that is prominent and alive. Also contributing to this is our own Yamada Nishiki rice, grown here in Daito. Making sake is hard work. In particular, making ginjo sake can be grueling. But that is precisely why making great ginjo can be such a source of happiness. The People (Photo: Doi President Kiyoaki Doi) Our current kuramoto (president), Kiyoaki Doi, is the fourth-generation leader. Upon taking the reigns from his father, he was told, "You can brew more sake than we do now if you like, or you can brew less. Do whatever you want. But whatever you do, never let the quality of your sake fall." Our current kuramoto has indeed taken these words to heart. Size and Special Characteristics Our kura's production is very small, being perhaps 800 "koku" a year. As one koku (the traditional measure of sake in Japan) is 180 liters, about 150 kiloliters is brewed here each year, in the traditional brewing season which runs from late October to early April. Although we could certainly sell more if we chose to make it, we like to keep our output at a level where we can control the results, and continue to brew our naturally wonderful sake. Notable Quotes Water is the life of sake. No water, no sake. Although many kura use water from wells inside the kura, we bring ours here from a spring nearby, close to Kotenjin Castle, an old battleground about two kilometers to the south. It is very mysterious water. Why? Because it is soft water, which gives the sake a melting, absorbing quality to it. However, soft water usually means a slow, sluggish ferment. But this particular water results in a lively, vigorous fermentation period. On top of that, it is so pure it needs no filtering, no additives to chemically adjust it. Nor is charcoal filtering of the final sake needed. It yields a natural moromi and a wonderful flavor and fragrance. The Toji (Master Brewer) (Photo: Toji Shokichi Hase) Our former toji, Shokichi Hase, passed away in 2010. Our special Junmai Daiginjo -- Soul of the Sensei -- was brewed in his memory by our new master brewer Shinba Minori. Incidentally, Toji Hase worked tirelessly at Doi Brewery for over 40 years. He was also one of the four famous toji known as the "Four Guardians of Heaven" of the prestigious Noto Toji Guild. (Toji guilds are small groups of notable toji whose main objectives are to educate and train successors, to refine skills, and to uphold and improve the reputation of the sake from their region). Toji Shinba continues in the same fine brewing tradition as Hase, allowing us to create precisely the sake we try to brew -- a clean, dry and rich sake that is one of Japan's most highly regarded. Contact Info 633 Onuki, Kakegawa City, Shizuoka 437-1407 Tel 81-537-74-2006 Fax 81-537-74-4077 -- 81 is Japan country code; within Japan, dial 0537-74-2006 -- Web: www.kaiunsake.com Contact: