Yano Shuzo (矢野酒造株式会社)
Yano Shuzo is a sake brewery in Kashima, Saga Prefecture, along the Nagasaki Kaido road, founded in 1796. It centres on junmai sake under the brands Hizen Kuragokoro and Takenosono.
What kind of brewery is Yano Shuzo?
The brewery has made sake in Kashima since its founding in 1796. During the era of the fifth generation, Takenosono was named to mark an imperial accession. The eighth-generation head, Yoshinori, shifted the brewery toward quality and in 2003 declared junmai sake its main focus. The ninth-generation Motohide joined the brewery in 2008 and has been toji since 2018, the year the traditional-method Takenosono Kaeru line began.
- Water
- Its junmai daiginjo uses water from the Taradake mountains and Yamada Nishiki grown by local farmers.
- Master brewer
- The toji is the ninth-generation Motohide Yano.
- Ingredients
- It uses a wide range of sake rice varieties selected from around Japan.
Can you visit Yano Shuzo?
- Tours
Tours are limited to the adjacent Tatsumi no Kura.
- Shop
Direct sales are available, and tastings need advance booking, with no large groups. Open 9:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00, closed Sundays (Saturdays and holidays irregular).
Hours and booking rules change, so check before you go. Official website
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: yanoshuzou.jp
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.