Nakatani Shuzo (中谷酒造株式会社)
Nakatani Shuzo is a brewery in Yamatokoriyama, Nara, founded in 1853 in Banjo. It makes sake under the Banjo and Yamatokoriyama Nakatani names and runs a small brewery and sake bar in the castle town.
- Makes
- Sake
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
The Nakatani family were rural merchants who started as rice dealers after the sword hunt of the 16th century, then moved into grain and cotton trading. Sake brewing at Banjo, Yamatokoriyama, dates from 1853. A Tianjin affiliate was set up in 1995 to make and sell sake. As sake demand fell, brewing was paused in 2020, and since 2022 the company has focused on a small brewery and sake bar in the Yanagimachi area of the castle town.
What makes it distinct
- Style
- The brewery keeps to traditional steamed-rice brewing and values pure rice sake.
- Also
- It brews in small fermentation vessels holding under 100 litres at the Yanagimachi brewery.
Visiting
- Tasting & food
The Yanagimachi brewery serves sake on site. Sake brewing experiences are booked through the online shop, with a half-day course at 9,000 yen including tax. Bookings close two days before the session.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: sake-asaka.co.jp