Sake and shochu from Ehime

What are Ehime's water and climate like?

Ehime has the Shikoku mountain range running east to west, headed by Mount Ishizuchi at 1,982 metres, the highest peak in western Japan. Although this is the south, snow settles on the mountains and cold winds blow in winter, which suits brewing. Abundant groundwater from the mountains, including the famous "Uchinuki" spring water, is used for brewing.

Which rice and yeast does Ehime use?

Matsuyama Mitsui, a local variety, has large grains that resist breaking when heavily polished, and it suits a crisp, dry, light style. Shizukuhime, the first sake rice the prefecture bred itself, was released in 2009 and gives soft sake with umami. In 1998 the prefecture developed its own yeast, EK-1. A project since 2022 also uses the "Ehime Sakurahime yeast", isolated from Sakurahime, a flower variety bred by the prefecture.

What does Ehime sake taste like?

The brewers' association says the sake has umami and a smooth feel to suit a mild food culture built around white fish. The prefecture splits into Toyo, Chuyo and Nanyo. Toyo is light and clean, Chuyo is light with umami, and Nanyo has a fuller, more substantial taste.

A short history of Ehime sake

Brewing goes back to the late Sengoku period, and there is a record that by 1611 "Dogo sake" of Iyo had made its name. Later the Ochi-gun toji and Ikata toji, among other skilled brewers, emerged from the region.

Where are the breweries?

The association has 35 members: 34 sake breweries, one pot-still shochu maker and one mirin maker. Most breweries are small, producing 180 kilolitres a year or less. There are breweries in Toyo, Chuyo and Nanyo, and the sake differs a little by area.

Visiting and what to eat with it

The association is based in Dogo, Matsuyama, and runs an antenna shop called Kuramotoya. Whether you can tour depends on the brewery, so check the official sites. For food, white fish from the Seto Inland Sea and the Uwa Sea goes well with a smooth, savoury sake.