TOPPAGE – 山の壽酒造株式会社

Good Times

with

Yamanokotobuki

The flow of the river is ceaseless and its water is never the same.
The bubbles that float in the pools,
now vanishing, now forming, are not of long duration:
so in the world are man and his dwellings.
(from the Hojoki, written in 1212 by “Japanese Thoreau” Kamo no Chomei; trans. Donald Keene)

Here and There: The mountain father. Towering long before humans made their mark on these lands, the Mino Mountains have been watching over us, protecting us. The waters that gush from these hills bring forth both prosperity and destruction.

The river mother. The Chikugo River has flowed through these plains for thousands of years, but can also change into violent rapids overnight.

For the Japanese people, gods and spirits (kami) reside within the elements of nature themselves. They are with us everywhere, bringing both happiness and challenges into our lives.

Established in 1818: All of life is in constant flux.
What disappears will come back once again, just like floating bubbles.
In this ever-transient world, the founder of Yamanokotobuki wanted to create “a new industry that reflects the uniqueness of these lands.”
Though these beginnings have eroded with the passage of time, the brewery has continued into its eighth generation, all with the support of the local community.

In Japanese, there is a saying that goes along the lines of “when you drink water, think of its source” — a reminder not to forget the origins of one’s happiness.

Good Times with Yamanokotobuki
At Yamanokotobuki, we receive gifts from nature and people, refining them every day with shared gratitude, happiness, and celebration. We want to be there for these fleeting moments of joy, moments like bubbles that come and go.

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A Gentle but Unwavering Partner: Good sake and good food.
Whether it’s when you want to be with someone,
or when you want to face yourself,
they form a pair that is there when you notice, there when it matters.
Life is like the flow of a river: at times serene, at times fierce.
We hope to be there with you through all its ebbs and flows.

Photographs: Il Fait Soif / Takigawa

BREWING

Yamanokotobuki’s Sake Brewing Philosophy: In Japan, there is a concept called shin-gyo-so. Rikyu, who developed the principles of Japanese tea ceremony, said: “If one knows and reaches shin (lit. “truth”), the most formal practice, even when performing the semi-formal (gyo) and informal (so) styles, the true nature remains the same, no matter how much process and form are torn down.” A philosophy that can be applied to a wide variety of arts, shin-gyo-so continues to be influential today in many fields of art and performance.

There is also shin in sake brewing. We devote ourselves to learning this shin, challenging ourselves to create an original sake that reflects the uniqueness of Yamanokotobuki. By giving thanks to nature and sharing happiness with others, we strive to create a humble and balanced sake.

Made with the “Good Times” of Each Person in Mind: Our sake is made with not only the thoughts and vision of the brewery owner, but each and every person working at Yamanokotobuki. Together, we cultivate our skills and never stop taking on new challenges through repeated trial and error — the sake we make, a reflection of the smiling faces of those who drink it.

“Good Times with Yamanokotobuki”

It is with these words in mind that we brew sake, through a free-thinking approach rooted in the philosophy of shin-gyo-so. We aim to create “good times” not just with customers in mind, but also those working at liquor shops and restaurants, rice farmers, and everyone whose lives are touched by Yamanokotobuki.

Made with the “Good Times” of Each Person in Mind

The Utakata Fermentation Process: The word utakata refers both to the bubbles floating at the surface of a liquid, as well as more generally, the ephemera of this world.

Like its name suggests, this sake is characterized by CO2 gas that comes from its moromi rice mash before it is refined, which while quick to disappear, can still be felt through the drink. Beautiful bubbles form when the sake is poured into a glass. These fizzle and twirl to create a unique mouthfeel — beautifully delicate utakata gently lifting even one’s spirits.; ※This sake does not contain any gas other than that which comes naturally from moromi.

HISTORY

Sake Brewing: A New Regional Industry: Yamanokotobuki Shuzo Co.,Ltd. was founded in 1818. The brewery began in Kitano Town, Mii County (present-day Kurume City), a region which was part of the Kurume feudal domain centuries ago.
Though the Kurume domain had plentiful rice resources, they lacked money and the region’s farmers were not well-off.

Under these circumstances, the founder of Yamanokotobuki decided to create a new industry, making sake from local rice and the subterranean waters of the Chikugo River.

This river has a deep relationship to the Mino Mountains, one historically personified into one of mother and father. The Chikugo River was formed by the Mino fault line, a process that also created a region rich in fertile soil.

While the region is abundant in water, its granite-filled geology creates an environment where it is difficult for the ground to absorb excess water. As a result, the region is prone to flooding during heavy rains.

Waters That Bear Both Prosperity and Destruction: Kurume City has a population of 300,000, the third largest city in the prefecture after Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu. Looking at its population alone, the city may seem like a story of only prosperity, but since ancient times, the region has also been plagued by repeated flooding of the Chikugo River during heavy rains.

The Chikugo River has seen countless cycles of growth and destruction. In addition to supplying rich natural resources, the river has also acted as an important logistical vein, bringing trade and wealth to the region.

On the other hand, this is also a region where houses were toppled and fields laid to ruin after repeated flooding disasters. From the 17th century to the modern era, flood control infrastructure has been constructed in the region, an endeavour that continues to this day.

Waters That Bear Both Prosperity and Destruction

To Love and Live Alongside This Land: Like many others in this area, Yamanokotobuki has also suffered the bitterness of loss. The entire brewery was destroyed in 1991 due to Typhoon No. 19. Even in the face of such hardship, there are still people who love these lands, not leaving but continuing to live alongside it. Yamanokotobuki has been here for over 200 years.

It is with this same dedication and vigor that we brew sake. And we will continue to brew sake here, with people filled with dreams and love for this land.

COMPANY

Company Name: Yamanokotobuki Shuzo Co.,Ltd.
Director: Ikuyo Katayama [8th Generation]
Founded: 1818
Address: 1-2 Otomaru, Kitano-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan 〒830-1125
Transportation: 2 min walk from Oki Station on the Nishitetsu Amagi Line
TEL: 0942-78-3025
FAX: 0942-78-4673

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