Nakazen Shuzoten (株式会社中善酒造店)
Nakazen Shuzoten is a brewery, founded in 1865. A small sake brewery in Kisofukushima, Kiso Town, Nagano, hand-making sake under brands such as Nakanorisan.
- Makes
- Sake
- Japan Sake Awards
- 2 golds
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
The brewery began in Kisofukushima, a former Nakasendo post town, when Nakazawa Zenkichi started brewing in the Keio era. Brewing was discontinued in 1885 and the business became a retail shop only, but in 1924 the sake was named Nakanorisan. Equipment was updated over time, from wooden barrels to enamel tanks and an automatic moromi press. From 2008 it began growing sake rice in neighbouring Agematsu, and it now works with Nagano-grown rice.
What makes it distinct
- Ingredients
- Sake rice is grown in neighbouring Agematsu, including the Nagano-original variety Sankeinishiki, which the brewery grows and brews with itself.
- Water
- The rice fields use abundant water springing from Mount Komagatake in the Central Alps.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: nakanorisan.com
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 5 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 2.
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.