Asamadake

Looking down on the clear Chikuma River and up at majestic Mt. Asama to the north — the castle town of Komoro. In this town, where many travelers passed through as a post station on the Hokkoku Kaido and as Komoro Castle's castle town, Ootsuka Shuzo was founded in the late Edo period. The brewery, built 5 minutes' walk from Komoro Station, still preserves traces of that era together with the old shops and townhouses around it.

Ootsuka Shuzo's sake has also been loved as a cup that soothes the fatigue of travelers. The nigori sake mentioned in "Chikuma-gawa Ryojo no Uta" by Komoro-connected poet Toson Shimazaki is said to be the nigori sake of this brewery. "Asamadake" has been loved as a sake rooted in the land, in a town fragrant with history and literature.

The famous sake "Asamadake" is brewed with Shinshu sake rice and Mt. Asama's subterranean water. The mineral-rich hard water — boasting the highest hardness in Nagano Prefecture — gives the flavor definition and crisp finish, but on its own can become harsh. Ootsuka Shuzo leverages this character while adding restrained aroma, fresh richness, and a never-tiring drinkability — aiming for a sake that grows together with the meal. From the first pour to the last, its expression changes day by day — sometimes rough, sometimes mellow. The brewery hopes you'll enjoy this changing nature of "Asamadake" together with time at the dining table.

The only sake brewery in Shinshu Komoro — founded in the late Edo period

Founded in the late Edo period. A long-established brewery that has brewed sake for about 180 years in the castle town of Komoro. Just 5 minutes' walk from Komoro Station, in a town where old breweries and shops remain, the brewery continues to make "Asamadake" — a sake loved by travelers and locals alike.

Mt. Asama subterranean water — sake brewed with Nagano's hardest water

The "Asamadake" brand is brewed with subterranean water (hard water) filtered through Mt. Asama's soil over long years, and Shinshu sake rice. While Shinshu mostly has soft water, Komoro's water is the hardest in the prefecture. That mineral-rich hard water shapes the sharp crispness and well-defined character of the sake.

Restrained aroma, fresh richness, and never-tiring drinkability

Built on the sharpness of hard-water brewing, the aroma is intentionally kept restrained, pursuing fresh richness and a balanced drinkability that never tires. Rather than ice-cold, the sake shows its true form from "slightly chilled" to room temperature and warm — and the way its expression changes day by day is part of the enjoyment.

Sake raised together with the 8th-generation brewer-toji and local Komoro farmers

The 8th-generation brewer, Mr. Hakumi Ootsuka, studied animal behavior before returning to the brewery and mastered sake making under the previous toji and at the National Research Institute of Brewing. Since 2015 he has taken charge of brewing as toji, and works on sake using Komoro-grown sake rice in cooperation with local farmers, as well as joint brewing at "Saku Wakaba-kai," an organization of younger brewers from 13 breweries in the Saku region.