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Nagai Honke

A Sake Brewery Dedicated to the Esteemed Winter Blend and Handmade Taste of Rice, Water and Clean Air in Nature.

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Founded in 1895. This countryside brewery makes sake from its home at the foot of the sacred Mt. Kasho, in the northern mountains of Gunma Prefecture. The sake here is set apart for its taste, made with high-quality rice, pure snowmelt waters from Mt. Hotaka in the Tanigawa mountain range, and crisp, natural mountain air from the Jonshinetsu mountain pass. Striving for the utmost in fla-vor, this brewery spends painstaking time and effort to preserve the generations of tradition and expertise of the chief brewer to make its authentic sake.

Made from the prized Yamada Nishiki brand rice, the sake boasts a hefty taste with aromatic bouquet and buoyant, round finish. Their famed brand sake, “Tone Nishiki” offers a refined taste experience you cannot go without. Brewery tours are available on request, allowing you to view the esteemed sake making process upheld by brewery owner, Hiroyuki Nagai, for yourself. For tastings, there is even a full line of the Tone Nishiki brand to taste and compare, including the Junmai and pure sake varieties. You can even enjoy a sampling of freshly distilled sake. Why not drop by for a visit of their winter-distilled sake?

Highlights

  • A sake brewery with a penchant for the handmade taste derived from good rice, water and natural air.
  • Free brewery tours are available (approx. 30 minutes in duration).
  • Taste and compare the famed Tone Nishiki brand sake, in both Junmai and pure sake varieties
  • Brewery tours available upon advanced phone reservation (at least 2 days prior).

Photos

  • Hiroyuki Nagai, Brewery Owner

    Hiroyuki Nagai, Brewery Owner

  • A talk detailing the traditional sake brewing method

    A talk detailing the traditional sake brewing method

  • Newly pressed sake ready to be heated (a heated vat that removes bacteria), be-fore being stored.

    Newly pressed sake ready to be heated (a heated vat that removes bacteria), be-fore being stored.

  •  (from left) Junmai Ginjo “Aki Akari”, main brand “Tone Nishiki”, Junmai Ginjo “Four Seasons of Tone Nishiki”.

    (from left) Junmai Ginjo “Aki Akari”, main brand “Tone Nishiki”, Junmai Ginjo “Four Seasons of Tone Nishiki”.

  • Fruit wines made with fruits from the brewery’s neighboring orchards.

    Fruit wines made with fruits from the brewery’s neighboring orchards.

Reviews

Details

Name in Japanese
永井本家
Postal Code
378-0074
Address
703 Shimohotchimachi, Numata City, Gunma
Telephone
0278-23-9118
Access
(1) Approx. 20 min. drive from Jomo-Kogen Station on the JR Joetsu Line
(2) Approx. 10 min. Drie from the Tsukiyono IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway
Official Website
Official Website (Japanese)