Discover Your Sake Palate: A Private Brewing Journey with the Kuramoto (Brewery Owner)

Step into a quiet corner of Fussa, and visit one of Tokyo's oldest breweries, founded in 1822, where centuries of sake craftsmanship thrive. The kuramoto (brewery owner) of Tamura Shuzojo will guide you to the West Room, where you will enjoy a cup of fragrant tea and a seasonal sweet. The historic brewery, visited by the previous Emperor of Japan, provides a perfect setting for this exclusive experience. Walk through the estate, surrounded by polished wood, gentle humidity, and the scent of fermenting rice. Wearing a traditional happi coat, you’ll discover sake rice varieties like Yamada Nishiki and Gin Gin Ga, feel their textures, and take home a wooden box of polished rice as a keepsake. The Kuramoto lifts the lid of a koji tray, releasing a warm, sweet aroma. Then, your sake sommelier guide explains how koji and yeast starters work, as well as the differences between pressing methods, such as Yabuta and fukuro-zuri. You may taste freshly made rice koji, if the timing is right. Next comes a highly interactive tasting session, where you’ll enjoy an interesting session comparing sake by alcohol level and rice polishing ratio, noticing the differences in aroma, texture, and body. Brewing water (shikomimizu) refreshes your palate between sips while your guide explains how different yeast types shape the flavor. Then, design your own sake labels for your personalized bottles. Lunch is served in a private tatami room surrounded by a beautiful Japanese garden, part of the brewery's private residence, which is not open to the public. Savor a menu curated by the Michelin-starred chef of Sushi Udatsu, paired with limited edition sake. The Kuramoto shares stories, connecting each bite and sip to centuries of tradition. Finally, take a group photo with the kuramoto in front of the cedar ball (sugidama) symbolic of sake breweries, and bring home two personalized bottles as a keepsake from a day of tasting, learning, and discovering your palate for Japan’s national drink.