Yomiuri Covers Shichiken’s Own Sake Rice Fields

Yomiuri Shimbun examines how sake breweries are growing their own rice to express the character of their local land and water. The article opens in Hokuto, Yamanashi, where Shichiken producer Yamanashi Meijo began cultivating Yumesansui rice in 2026. Water from Mount Kaikoma is used in both the rice fields and the brewery.

On its second page, the report describes Nagayama Honke Shuzo in Yamaguchi, which has grown Yamada Nishiki for its Domaine Taka sake since 2019. It also explains how rice farming and brewing were traditionally divided between different producers.

The third page places these efforts against the wider sake market: overall domestic shipments have fallen substantially from their peak, while shipments of certain premium categories have increased. The feature was published on October 25, 2026.

Read the original Japanese article on Yomiuri Shimbun: Page 1 · Page 2 · Page 3.