Kametaya Shuzoten (株式会社亀田屋酒造店)

What kind of brewery is Kametaya Shuzoten?

The brewery traces its start to 1869 (Meiji 2), when the first toji began brewing here. The second generation built the main house in 1885 and sold under the brand Kamenami. In 1918 the fourth toji named the Alps Masamune brand after the Japanese Alps, and in 1954 the fifth toji named Kamenoyo. A direct-sales shop opened in 1995, and in 2018 the seventh toji, Murase Daiichiro, succeeded, with the business changing from a partnership to a joint-stock company.

Water

Uses underground water from the Japanese Alps for everything from rice washing to mashing.

Ingredients

All rice used for brewing is grown in Nagano Prefecture.

Master brewer

Sake is made by hand, without more machinery than needed.

Style

Follows the cold-season brewing method developed in Matsumoto.

Can you visit Kametaya Shuzoten?

• Tours

  Tours are by advance reservation and cover the Meiji-era main house. Brewery tours are not offered during the brewing season from October to March. Group tours of seven or more include tasting for 880 yen per person.

• Shop

  The on-site shop is open 9:30 to 16:30, closed on Wednesdays, year-end and New Year, Golden Week, Obon, and the last day of each month.

Hours and booking rules change, so check before you go. Official website

Other brewery tours in Nagano

Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: kametaya.co.jp