
Naeba Shuzo is located in Tsunan Town, one of the heaviest snowfall zones in Japan's Niigata Prefecture, where over three meters of snow accumulate each winter and slowly release into an abundant supply of naturally soft, pure meltwater ideal for delicate ginjo fermentation. The brewery's predecessor, Takizawa Sake Brewery, was established in 1907 before being revived under the Naeba name in 2014, renamed for Mount Naeba, one of Japan's most celebrated peaks and the dominant landmark of the Tsunan landscape. The young head brewer Takeda Shota, appointed to the role in his twenties, has pursued innovative one-stage brewing methods while honoring the region's clean, restrained ginjo tradition. Naebasan Junmai Ginjo embodies the snow-country ethos: crystalline, precise, and shaped by the particular silence of winter.
Jan 22, 2023, 11:12 PM