Kaba Shuzo　|　Hida Jizake Gura

Kaba Shuzo(Hida City)

History

Sake bearing the name “Hida”

Kama Shuzo, the brewer of the famous sake “Shiromayumi”, has been producing sake in Hida for many years since its founding in 1704. The name of the sake, “Shira Mayumi,” comes from the pillow word “Shira Mayumi” that is attached to “Hida (Hida)” in the world of waka poetry. As there is a poem in the Manyoshu that goes, “Shiramayumi, the bird of the Hosoe of Hida…”, the name was chosen with the hope that “Shiramayumi” would be associated with Hida, and that Hida would be associated with “Shiramayumi.” This sake is carefully brewed using high-quality water that springs from the Hida Mountains, rice grown in the lush greenery of Hida, and the bitterly cold winter weather, and its flavor lives up to the name “Shiromayumi.”

tradition

Preserving tradition while brewing for a new era

Dentō to wa,-me ni mieru monodeattari,-me ni wa mienai shūkan ya gijutsu, seishin-tekina monodattari shimasu. 45 / 5,000 Traditions can be visible things, or invisible customs, techniques, or spiritual things. At Kama Shuzo, our family motto is “Tradition is not something lofty, but something that is passed down within a single craftsman,” and we have preserved our traditions for over 300 years. Led by the master brewers, Kama Sake Brewery has continued to brew sake beloved in Hida while protecting tradition, refining flavor, and challenging itself to brew sake suited to the new era. Since the company’s founding, the company has been particular about brewing new sake that is full-bodied yet has a clean aftertaste and a rich flavor. This is surely one of the traditional styles of Shiramayumi, which is still loved by the people of Hida today.

Toji

What we’re looking for is tasty, flavorful sake.

Kaba shuzō touji Fujii Fujio-shi wa, kaori dake no sake o kirai,-mi no aru sake o, umai sake o, to no omoi de nihonshu no honrai no aji o taisetsu ni kodawari no sakedzukuri ni hagende orimasu. Mata, dentō o mamorinagara atarashī sakedzukuri ni mo chōsen suru toujidesu. 99 / 5,000 The head brewer at Kama Shuzo, Fujio Fujii, dislikes sake that only has a strong aroma, and strives to create sake that has flavor and is delicious, cherishing the original taste of sake. He is also a head brewer who protects tradition while also taking on new challenges in sake brewing. Mr. Fujii is from Niigata Prefecture, the birthplace of Echigo Toji brewers. After graduating from a local junior high school, he went to work at Hakkaisan Brewery, the brewery behind the famous sake “Hakkaisan,” where he trained in the basics of sake brewing, such as polishing rice and making yeast starter, and became a Toji brewer at the young age of 26. After that, he worked as a master brewer at a brewery in Gifu Prefecture, before joining Kama Shuzo in 1991. At a brewery with 300 years of tradition, he brews delicious sake that conveys the traditions and passion of the brewery and the commitment of the master brewer.

challenge

Preserving and cultivating sake

It’s not easy to continue preserving the traditions of a brewery that’s been around for over 300 years. Just like in a marathon, you have to keep a moderate pace, not rush too hard or do anything flashy, but instead seek out the immediate needs of customers and take on new challenges. This is one answer the brewery owner thinks. We intend to pursue and develop new ways of making sake through sake brewed through new challenges, such as “Kojimaya Choemon,” a delicious sake that can be said to be the origin of sake, “Natsukuradashi,” a strong, dry, flavorful, very dry sake, and “Jousui Sanhyakuden,” a pure rice sake brewed in the only remaining wooden barrels in Gifu Prefecture.