This past February, I had the pleasure of visiting Koedokagamiyama Brewery with my family in Saitama prefecture, Japan. I was born there in 1980, and was eager to take my daughter and husband for the first time. Growing up, I would visit Saitama during the hot summers, and always just thought it was a boring, mosquito-filled wasteland. More recently I’ve explored the area and am learning that it is rich in history, delicious regional foods and drinks, and lush landscapes.
One of 35 sake makers in Saitama, Koedokagamiyama is a pint-sized brewery in the heart of Kawagoe, where owner Akihiro Igarashi makes sake with regional Sakemusashi rice and water from the Chichibu mountains. A short 45 minute train ride from Ikebukuro station in Tokyo, Kawagoe is a charming town known for its preserved Edo-era buildings and culinary specialties including unagi and sweet potato.
Originally founded in 1875, Igarashi-san revived this brewery in 2007, after it had been closed and without successorship since 2001. Igarashi-san himself hails from a sake-brewing family that his brother runs in the neighboring town of Hanno; when the opportunity arose to take over Koedokagamiyama, he went for it!
Igarashi-san with rice getting ready to be put into the steamer
Igarashi-san brews sake by hand with only a few team members from September to June, then spends the rest of the summer passionately promoting his bottles all over the world. The president of the Philippines loves Kagamiyama! He also proudly has a collaboration lineup with the Jpop girl group Momoiro Clover Z (below; photo courtesy of Yusuke Konno).
Igarashi-san will be at our shop for a special Pre-Sake Day Party on September 25–save the date!
Kanpai,
Kayoko
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Koedokagamiyama Brewery Tour
Koedokagamiyama sake barrels proudly displayed above the temperature-controlled koji-making room
Koji-making room
The pint-sized brewery with Toji Kojima-san, Production Manager Okamoto-san and Yusuke Konno of Suzuki Marketing (left to right), importer of Koedokagamiyama sakes.
Local Sakemusashi rice
Momori
We go up a narrow flight of stairs to get to the second floor where the tanks live
Igarashi-san opening lid to tank of sake at the brewery
The juice!
Igarashi-san introduced my daughter to mega popular Momoiro Clover Z– he is in the fan club and goes to a show every year. He also released a collaboration sake with the band.
A glass of Koedokagamiyama Nigori
Toji Kojima-san, Production Manager Okamoto-san
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Around the Town: Kawagoe Recs by Igarashi-san
Eats: Ogakiku for unagi
Taste: Koedo Kurari for local sake tasting (inside the original Kagamiyama Brewery building from 1875!) or the Kawagoe Liquor Store to try different Koedokagamiyama sakes.
Taste sakes by 35 breweries in Saitama at Koedo Kurari tasting room
The Kawagoe Liquor Store is located on the main drag of Kawagoe and carries all their sakes as well as local foods and drinks.
A Koedokagamiyama sake tasting dispenser at the Kawagoe Liquor Shop
See: The famous bell tower on Kurazukuri Street and walk + munch on dango and sweet potato treats
The historical bell tower was built in 1894 and rings four times a day
Delicious dango
Sweet potato and anko manju
A very cool western-style building that was formerly a bank, on the main street of Kawagoe
Stay: Taishokaku in Hanno for a gorgeous ryokan experience in the forest
View from the room
Reserve the private family onsen for an hour
Get the special meal with locally-caught boar
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Gumi Sake Selections: Spotlight on Koedokagamiyama Brewery
SILVER + GOLD
Kagamiyama Junmai
Koedokagamiyama Shuzo (Saitama)
Seimaibuai 60% Sakemusashi
SMV: 0, Acidity: 1.8, Yeast: #901
Locally cultivated, Sakemusashi rice is known for its large shinpaku and its sakes tend to have a delicate aroma and slight acidity. I love this sake for its versatility with food–it pairs so well with any weeknight meal! Enjoy the pillowy soft palate and savory banana profile with dry ending. Delicious room temperature with shrimp doria and oyako-don. You won’t be sorry if you bring this bottle to your local yakitori joint, like Ippuku in Berkeley.
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GOLD
Kagamiyama Tokubetsu Junmai Muroka Genshu Omachi
Koedokagamiyama Shuzo (Saitama)
Seimaibuai: 60% Omachi, SMV: -8,
Acidity: 1.8, Yeast: #1801
When Igarashi-san opened the lid to the tank of this sake, strong wafts of strawberry fruit punch filled the air. This sake is fermented for longer than usual– one month–and the fruit basket aromas are ever present, thanks to the ginjo yeast. This is one of the more aromatic sakes I’ve had made with prized Omachi rice. Get ripe peach on the palate and a rich texture. Can stand up to bolder dishes like pork chops and grilled unagi, but also lovely with summer vegetables like fresh corn on the cob.
Thank you Igarashi-san for letting us visit your brewery and for showing us around your charming town. We look forward to seeing you for Sake Day!
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