Isokura Shuzo (磯蔵酒造有限会社)
Isokura Shuzo is a sake brewery in Inada, Kasama, Ibaraki, founded in 1868. It brews the sake Inasato from local water and rice, aiming for a rice-forward taste and aroma.
- Makes
- Sake
- Japan Sake Awards
- 2 golds
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
Inada has long been a rice-growing area. The first head, Iso Ryoemon, began brewing in the late Edo period, drawn by the good water and rice. In the Meiji era the business opened as Iso Shuzoten with the name Inasato for its sake, and became known by the trade name Isokura, after the brewery and rice storehouses on the grounds. Today the fifth-generation owner leads the brewery, which brews by hand with granite-filtered groundwater called Sekito-sui and rice grown with local farmers.
What makes it distinct
- Water
- Brewing water is the granite-filtered groundwater called Sekito-sui, used unfiltered and unadjusted.
- Ingredients
- Sake rice is grown together with local farmers in a face-to-face relationship.
- Yeast
- Cultured yeasts are used, chosen from the brewery's own yeast, Ogawa yeast and others.
- Style
- All rice is new-crop and brewing is a winter-to-spring cold-season method, with no brewing from mid-April to early October.
Visiting
- Tours
- Shop
- Tasting & food
Brewery tours are by reservation: a standard tour (about 60 minutes, 1,500 yen, free for minors) and a premium tour (about 90 minutes, 3,000 yen, no minors). Open Thursday to Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:00 to 18:00. The on-site shop offers tastings and sales, and there is a cafe bar and a tasting bar.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: isokura.jp
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 7 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 2.
- Gold prize稲里PDF
- Prize (nyusho)稲里PDF
- Prize (nyusho)稲里PDF
- Prize (nyusho)稲里PDF
- Prize (nyusho)稲里PDF
- Gold prize稲里PDF
- Prize (nyusho)稲里PDF
Source: the prize lists of the Japan Sake Awards (National Research Institute of Brewing and Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association). Brewing year 2019 had no final judging, so no gold prizes.