Sawada Shuzo (澤田酒造株式会社)
Sawada Shuzo is a sake brewery in Tokoname, Aichi, that makes the Hakuro brand using spring water from the Chita Peninsula hills and rice grown under contract in Aichi. KIKI lists one of its bottles.
- Bottles listed
- 1
- Makes
- Sake
- Japan Sake Awards
- 1 gold
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
Sawada Shuzo traces its founding to 1848 (Kaei 1), when the first head, Sawada Gihei, began brewing in Tokoname, a place with good water. Sake was shipped by sea to Nagoya, Shizuoka and Tokyo. In the late Meiji period, the third head invited a technician from outside and developed a yeast starter method that prevented spoilage, which became a basis of the modern quick-brewing starter method. The brewery still uses wooden steamers and koji trays from earlier times.
What makes it distinct
- Water
- Water comes from a spring in the hills about 2 km from the brewery, carried by a private water line. The soft water is used to aim for a mellow style.
- Ingredients
- Uses sake rice including Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo, Gohyakumangoku, Hattan-nishiki and Senbon-nishiki, plus Wakamizu and Muginka grown under contract in Aichi.
- Master brewer
- Koji is made in small batches in koji trays, letting the mold penetrate deep into the rice.
- Yeast
- The yeast starter has been made by the quick-brewing method since the Meiji period.
- Style
- Moromi is kept at low temperature over a long period and brewed with fine control.
- Also
- Rice is steamed in a wooden steamer, adjusted to the character of each rice.
Visiting
- Tours
- Shop
The brewery's direct sales shop is at the brewery, open 10:00 to 16:30 (closed Sundays, public holidays and the year-end and New Year holidays). Brewery tours need advance booking through the tour form.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: hakurou.com
Bottles from this brewery
The app finds 22 bottles from this maker by their label (1 on this site).
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 3 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 1.
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.