The 8th Series of Enjoying Miyagi's Sake to the Fullest - Recommendations for Sake, the Pride of Miyagi, a Rice-producing Prefecture - 【Matsushima/Shiogama Course

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Urakasumi No.12 (photo courtesy of Urakasumi Brewer Saura Co., Ltd.)
There are many regions throughout Japan that produce delicious sake, but did you know that Miyagi Prefecture is also home to many delicious and unique sake products?
Sake from Miyagi has a deep connection to the famous warlords of the Warring States period, and the sake brewed by each sake brewery in this land of rich nature is exquisite!
In this issue, we will introduce a total of nine such Miyagi-style sake breweries.
We hope you will visit the breweries and enjoy the environment where Miyagi-style sake is brewed, the marriage of Miyagi-style sake with local products, and meet the people who make it their profession. You will be captivated by Miyagi sake.

Sake Brewing in Miyagi

The roots of Miyagi's sake brewing

Miyagi sake is said to have been first brewed in 1604 by Takeda Genzaemon, a sake brewer in Watari, an area in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture, who started brewing sake as a merchant.
A few years later, in 1608, the Sendai clan's official sake brewery was established by Date Masamune, the founder of the Sendai clan, who was a gourmand and a great lover of sake.
Through the mediation of Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori, Masamune granted Mataemon, a resident of Kayanomori in Yamato (Nara), the family name "Kayanomori Mataemon", a ten-man support grant, and ten ryo of cut rice, and gave him a brewery and residence south of the San no Maru of Aoba Castle to start his own sake brewery. The sake brewery was built by Lord Masamune. The brewery is said to have been built by Lord Masamune himself.
Along with the development of the domain's sake breweries, town sake breweries also appeared in the Sendai castle area, and as they competed with each other in brewing techniques, Miyagi's sake brewing was refined.

90% of the sake is high quality sake

Miyagi sake is one of the highest quality in Japan. Since the "Declaration of Miyagi as a Prefecture of Junmai Sake" in November 1986, we have increased the percentage of high-quality "Tokutei Meishu" sake produced, which meets the requirements for rice polishing ratio and ingredients. Currently, 90% of Miyagi's sake is tokutei meishu, which is higher than the national average of approximately 40% and the average of approximately 70% in the Tohoku region.

The 8th in the Miyagi Sake Enjoyment Series [Matsushima/Shiogama Course].

In this eighth installment of our series on fully enjoying Miyagi's sake, we introduce Mutoya and Saura, Miyagi's sake specialty stores, from the Matsushima and Shiogama areas of Miyagi Prefecture! We also introduce "Hirakou Sake Brewery" in Ishinomaki City and "Yamawa Sake Brewery" in Kami Town from nearby areas!
Matsushima and Shiogama area is located on the Pacific Ocean side in the central part of Miyagi Prefecture and is home to Matsushima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. Shiogama is a historic port town with Shiogama Port, one of the largest fishing ports in Japan, and attracts many tourists as a town with a long history and vibrant people, with the Shiogama Shrine, which is said to have been built before the Nara Period, and other buildings built in the Edo and Meiji Periods still existing.
And then there is Ishinomaki City, the second largest city in Miyagi in Michinoku. Ishinomaki City is a treasure trove of food and rich in nature, with the bountiful land of the Kitakami River and the offshore waters of Kinkasan, one of the world's three largest fishing grounds. Kami Town in the northern area of the prefecture is a beautiful town of greenery and water, symbolized by the majestic Yakurai Mountain and the clear waters of the Naruse River.

Mutoya - Great sake made by a sake brewery in Miyagi Prefecture.

Founded in 1946. Mutoya has a store in Matsushima, a famous sightseeing spot. The blue signboard and brick on the warehouse building are landmarks. They have a wide selection of sake from various breweries in Miyagi Prefecture, including Mutoya's limited edition sake and seasonal sake.
Mutoya Exterior (image) photo courtesy of Mutoya Co.
The interior of the store is spacious and modern. In addition to sake, Mutoya also offers a wide selection of Tohoku wines and sake containers. This is a great place to choose a souvenir!
This tour will be followed by lunch and a sake tasting and lecture by the president himself at the Danrokan on the second floor. It is a secret place that is not usually open to the public. It is exciting!
Inside Mutoya (image) photo courtesy of Mutoya Co.
Mutoya HP

Hirakou Sake Brewery - If you're going to do it with fish, do it with hidakami! ～Sake brewery

Hirakou Sake Brewery was founded in 1861 in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, which is home to one of the world's three largest fishing grounds, "Kinkasan-oki, Sanriku" and abundant seasonal fish and seafood. The main brand name "Hidakami" is brewed under the theme of "If you're going to do it with fish, do it with Hidakami! is the theme of the brewery's main brand, Hidakami. The soft, clear, and crisp aftertaste has a reputation for being an excellent partner for seafood.
Sake from Hirakou Sake Brewery (image) photo courtesy of Miyagi Sake Brewers Association

Collaboration with sushi from Ishinomaki to support reconstruction from the sake brewery

While the Great East Japan Earthquake caused significant damage from the tsunami, the company released a sake that was damaged by the disaster as "Earthquake Recovery Sake: Hikari of Hope," attracting nationwide attention. During the two and a half years since the earthquake, the koji room, the mother brewer's room, and the fermentation room were all renovated to be fully stainless steel-lined. The temperature and sanitation were thoroughly controlled, creating an environment for further quality improvement. In addition, upon the retirement of the long-serving Toshiji Nanbu, the brewery passed the baton to young brewers, mostly in their thirties, and welcomed two new local young men into the brewery. This decision was made with the strong desire to realize "true local sake" by having local brewers take over the traditional role of the Nanbu Touji. We are currently working on a collaboration with sushi. By proposing this sake with this item, the local sushi will be highlighted along with the sake. This could be called reconstruction support from a sake brewery. says President Hirai.
Exterior view of the Hirakou Sake Brewery (image)
Inside of Hirakou Sake Brewery (image)
Hirakou Sake Brewery HP

Yamawa Sake Brewery - We want to introduce new sake that preserves tradition and betrays expectations in a good way.

Founded in 1896, the company is located on the border of Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. The town of Kami, located on the border between Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, has a view of the Funagata Mountains to the west and the fertile Osaki Plain, the birthplace of Sasanishiki, to the east, with the Naruse River flowing through this magnificent landscape. More than 120 years ago, Ihei Ito, the founder of the company, chose this rich soil as the site for sake brewing, and the brewery has been widely known as the home of "Washigakuni" sake. It is the main product of Yamawa Sake Brewery, which offers a lineup from regular sake to ginjo-shu, and boasts strong popularity in the prefecture, especially among local residents. The brand name is derived from the opening lines of a folk song from the Sendai domain era in praise of Tanikaze, the fourth yokozuna from the Sendai domain: "What I want to show you with my country is Mukasha Tanikaze, now Date pattern. In recent years, the brewery has also launched a new brand "Yamawa" as a limited distribution sake that is more than just junmai (pure rice) sake, and it has been attracting a lot of attention.
Sake from Yamawa Sake Brewery (image)Photo courtesy of Miyagi Sake Brewers Association

The concept is "Simple is best

The Yamawa Sake Brewery is committed to "simple sake quality. In order to produce sake that will be loved for a long time without being influenced by fads and fashions, the brewery pays close attention to every detail of the process and ingredients, while cherishing the basics and adding its own unique twist and sensibility to the brewing process. President Ito spares no pains to create quality sake that is more than "new" but rather has mastered the "basics". He says that when it comes down to it, that too is individuality, and that this desire is "unique to the Yamawa Sake Brewery.
Yamawa Sake Brewery Exterior (image)
Inside of Yamawa Brewery (image)
Yamawa Sake Brewery HP

In Shiogama, we also recommend "Saura" introduced in Part 5!

Miyagi Sake & Seasonal Kaiseki Cuisine

Now that you have learned more about sake, you may be wondering how to marry it with food.
Let's pair the sake from the breweries introduced so far with Matsushima Taikanso's kaiseki cuisine. Each dish is made with Miyagi's seasonal ingredients, and the sake from each brewery's distinctive character will surely bring a smile of delight at the new discoveries you will make.
The tour will offer a variety of sake from leading Miyagi sake breweries as well as "Hirakou Sake Brewery" and "Yamawa Sake Brewery" that go well with the seafood and mountain delicacies unique to Matsushima.
Please enjoy the seasonal delicacies made from carefully selected ingredients and Miyagi's local sake.
Kaiseki cuisine (image)Photo courtesy of Hotel Matsushima Taikanso
Hotel Matsushima Taikanso HP

Shiogama's representative brewery x Raw tuna rice bowl x Sasakama

If you come to Shiogama, how about tuna and sasakamaboko? ♪ Takeda's Sasakamaboko, introduced here, is a facility with a factory in Shiogama City. Takeda's Sasa-kamaboko was selected as one of the 100 best sightseeing, dining, and souvenir facilities in 2025 by professionals. The menu offers a wide variety of meals, including raw tuna rice bowl, raw oysters, Sendai beef steak, yasukiyaki-style hot pot, all-you-can-eat tuna, and all-you-can-eat oysters.
On this tour, you will enjoy raw tuna rice bowl, steamed oysters, and Sasakama Ahijo, a popular souvenir.
You will be able to enjoy the delicious food of Shiogama with representative Shiogama sake from "Abekan" and "Saura".
Raw tuna rice bowl, raw oysters, crab soup (image)Photo courtesy of Takeda's Sasa-kamaboko
Takeda's Sasa-kamaboko HP

Let's combine your favorite train and lodging to save money!

You can make your own original trip!

The " JR East View Dynamic Rail Package " is a variable-price individual travel product sold exclusively through the Internet that allows you to freely select a train and accommodations and make a reservation at once. Depending on the timing and conditions of your reservation, you may be able to save even on the day of departure at the earliest! We also offer one-day trip plans! Enjoy your own unique trip according to your schedule and purpose.

Click here for details

For train + accommodation "Miyagi area" reservations, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
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