Akita Meijo (秋田銘釀株式会社)
The brewery Akita Meijo in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture has made the sake Bishu Ranman since 1922, brewed by a toji in the Yamauchi tradition using long, cold fermentation.
- Makes
- Sake
- Japan Sake Awards
- 4 golds
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
Akita Meijo was established in Yuzawa in 1922 as a joint-stock company, then a rare form, by 88 sake makers, business people and other supporters from across the prefecture. They wanted to send smooth, deep Akita sake nationwide. The name Ranman was chosen by public call. The plant was built from the start with modern equipment for 10,000 koku. It later ran two breweries of different character and grew to a 100,000 koku output. Recently it has also begun growing sake rice in its own fields.
What makes it distinct
- Style
- Brewed with a long, cold fermentation that makes use of Akita's snowy climate.
- Master brewer
- The toji follows the Yamauchi toji tradition of Akita, leading the brewers.
- Ingredients
- All rice is polished at the brewery's own rice-polishing facility.
- Also
- The yeast starter is still made by traditional methods, without relying on machines.
Visiting
- Tours
- Shop
Tours are by advance reservation: a standard course (about 60 minutes, 1,000 yen) and a brewer-led course (about 90 minutes, 1,800 yen, weekdays only), both with tasting. The shop is open after the tour.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: ranman.co.jp
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 6 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 4.
Source: the prize lists of the Japan Sake Awards (National Research Institute of Brewing and Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association).