Situated in the charming city of Tendo, Mitobe Shuzo is one of the most renowned representatives of the famous Yamagata Sake. A household name that is collecting awards year after year, appreciated all over the world for its excellent products made with prestigious rice from Yamagata prefecture. This brewery in particular has recently gained a significant following in Japan and in other regions of the world, quickly becoming a staple for many. It is no coincidence that Yamagata Masamune Torotoro umeshu has been crowned as the people’s favourite at the Hyper Japan 2024 Sake Street and as the best umeshu in Japan in 2015.
Today, I will take you on a journey through the history and the characteristics of this exceptional brewery to uncover the secrets behind its distinctive flavours. Join me on this adventure!
The location:
Tendo is a leafy suburban town, known for its excellent agriculture, nature and its many traditions. Despite its proximity to central cities of the region, Yamagata and Sendai, it is a place where visitors can unwind and reconnect with nature.
The first thing that catches visitors’ eyes the moment they leave the station is the presence of numerous Shogi pieces that are lying around the city. Why are these here, you ask? Tendo is the biggest producer of Shogi, a traditional Japanese game (also known as Japanese chess), that gained popularity around 400 years ago, and is still played all over the country. For those who can’t get enough of it, at Tendo there is even an event dedicated to it! It is held during the cherry blossom season, and it is called Ningen Shogi (People Shogi). Here people act as shogi pieces and play under thousands of cherry blossom trees. Definitely a unique and unmissable event for those who want to an out-of-the-ordinary and fun experience!
The next thing that visitors notice upon arrival is the presence of several beautiful Onsen (hot springs). That is right! Tendo, together with the city of Zao which is a fifty-minute drive away, are famous for their charming hot springs. With their traditional architectural styles and décor, they are a must-try for those who are looking to fully immerse themselves in the Japanese culture and to reconnect with nature.
Finally, 20 minutes by car from Mitobe Shuzo, is what is perhaps one of the most breathtaking sceneries in Japan: Yamadera. This traditional temple’s most surprising characteristic is its location, right on the edge of a mountain, from which the magnificent surroundings can be observed each season. During the winter season, a heavy blanket of snow; in spring a mantle of flowers and in autumn a symphony of brightly coloured leaves can all be observed from this spot, making it a must-see for anyone who comes to Tendo.
It is in this charming region of Japan that Mitobe Shuzo is located, influenced by the rich culture and natural landscapes that surround it, that allow the brewery to create unforgettable flavours celebrated all over the world.
The sake:
Mitobe’s sake brand name, Yamagata Masamune, describes perfectly their characteristically crisp and sharp sake, that resembles the famous Japanese Masamune sword. This has even led it in the past to be nicknamed Otoko-zake (man’s sake). The secret behind this finish lies in the water that is used by the brewery to create its products. It is a very hard and mineral-rich subsoil water that comes from the Ou mountains, where the famous Yamadera Temple is located. The mineral levels in this local water are more than double the amount of the average Japanese water, being the former around 120 mg/L, while the second 50 mg/L! The hardness of the water is what gives Yamagata Masamune’s sake its strong and rich flavour, that has allowed it to distinguish itself for its mouthfeel and taste from the other sake brands.
A further distinctive feature of Mitobe lies in the importance of rice and koji.
The brewery uses only high-quality rice grains from brands like Yamadanishiki from Hyogo and Omachi from Okayama, which are accompanied by excellent brands from the region of Yamagata, where Mitobe is located, well known for the quality of its rice. In order to enhance the umami and the flavours of these spectacular ingredients, the brewery only uses water, koji and rice in its production, allowing it to create Junmai Sake in which the rich and expressive umami of the rice can be felt in every sip. 
The Koji used for the rice, moreover, is produced in the brewery itself through a process that takes up to fifty hours, to guarantee the production of the perfect essence for each sake. This koji is made in a special room made of a type of natural wood from Yamagata known as Kaneyama Cedar. The advantage of using this natural wood lies in the fact that this material can control the humidity of the room while adapting to the surroundings to create an environment where the Koji can grow easily. And let me tell you, the result of this can be felt in the elegantly finished products!
These excellent and exquisite ingredients are then turned into sake using traditional methods that have changed little since 1898, when the brewery opened.
The rice is, following ancient methods, pressed in the Fune, a traditional pressing machine that literally means “ship” in English. This device which has been used for a long time in sake making, is a “bath” where bags filled with unfiltered sake are lined up and softly pressed to remove unwanted flavours and impurities. The peculiarity of Mitobe’s Fune lies in its shape, which enables the brewers to create easy-to-drink, soft-on-the-palate sake out of extremely hard water!
The product is then brought to the fermentation room, perhaps the most fascinating place in the brewery, due to its majestic architecture. This is one of the central facilities at Mitobe Shuzo and has been in use for more than 100 years, although it has undergone renovations in 2015, that have transformed it into a space that perfectly balances Japan’s traditional architectural style and modern technologies and visions.
The reason why methods have not changed, and the highest-quality sake can be produced here, is fascinating. This is linked to the Second World War, a period of rice shortage, where the brewery was forced to close and reopened only 8 years later. While the breweries that were operating during the war changed their methods to accommodate an audience that was looking for “quantity over quality”, Mitobe chose to close and only reopen later maintaining a more traditional “quality over quantity” approach of the pre-world period. This philosophy has carried on until now, allowing the brewery to produce some of the most popular sakes.
The pairings:
It is now time for use to drink the delicious, finished sake. Let me introduce you to the exceptional products of this brewery!
Mitobe produces a variety of sake using different techniques. This makes it an extremely flexible brewery capable of making products that can excellently complement any kind of dish. Having said so, Mitobe’s sake, due to their crisp and sharp finish are perfect to be paired with meat and western food.
Yamagata Masamune Malola: a one-of-a-kind product, this is a type of sake that can only be found at Mitobe Shuzo. It is the result of the brewery’s strong desire to create a drink that can become the perfect accompaniment for Italian Parma Ham. It is the only sake to be made for this purpose and, the first and only sake to use the wine making “malolactic” technique. This product pairs perfectly with fresh and summery dishes like ham and mozzarella and pan-fried scallops. A perfect pairing indeed for a summer dinner! Recommended also to be tried warmed up, to enhance its flavours and to balance the fattiness of ham and other type of meats. The heat will slowly and delicately melt the fat, creating a symphony of flavours and textures in your mouth!
Torotoro umeshu: this viciously thick umeshu is spectacularly popular among sake-lovers and has been crowned the people favourite at Hyper Japan in London 2024! Its unusual thickness is what makes it so unique and versatile to mix. This is the secret behind its popularity around the world. This is a dessert sake and it is best enjoyed with some ice or mixed with soda or sparkling sake for a refreshing and sweet addition to your evening!
Yamagata Masamune Karakuchi Junmai: this sake is a true representation of the incredible skills of Mitobe brewery when it comes to sake-making. Despite being a karakuchi sake, it has a fresh and vibrant and mellow taste that allows the umami of the rice to stimulate your senses. It is an amazing sake to be paired with fatty fish or a creamy pasta but, its greatly flexible taste and sharp dry finish makes it a perfect combination for any type of food. Let this sake surprise you!
Yamagata Masamune Kurenai: This is the first of the “colours of Japan” series sake, made to represent the beauty of Japan’s culture and landscapes. Here, the red design is a homage to the famous benibana flowers that grow in the region of Yamagata, and release a characteristically red prigment. This sake uses Dewasansan rice and traditional kimoto sake-making techniques to ensure elegance and precision and highest quality in every batch. Its fruity notes mixed with the umami typical of Japanese rice make this sake a perfect combination for fatty but delicate dishes. Try it out with some Otoro (fatty tuna), caviar or wagyu for an unprecedented experience!
