Nambu Sake Master Brewer Museum

A toji is an essential master brewer, passed down in Japan for many years. A toji is the person (or group) responsible for bringing together the craftsmen who work at a sake brewery and deciding the flavor. In particular, toji in Iwate Prefecture are called “Nambu Toji,” and have long been famous nationwide for their refined, high-level skills.

This is the facility that preserves and passes on the achievements and traditional culture of the “Nambu Toji.” Inside this earthen storehouse-style museum—rebuilt after a historic sake brewery was once dismantled—you’ll find a lineup of valuable sake-brewing tools that are rarely seen up close, including a 2-meter-diameter vat used for preparing sake. There’s also a large screen showing the film “Nambu Toji” four times a day, featuring a recreation of traditional sake-making.

After taking your time exploring and deepening your knowledge of sake brewing still alive in Iwate Prefecture, enjoy a tasting. The self-serve tasting station works with a paid coin system—insert a coin and pour into your cup—with around six signature sakes crafted by the “Nambu Toji” always ready to sample.