Gensaka

Motosaka Shuzo, located in Odai Town, Mie Prefecture, was founded in 1805 and is now led by the sixth-generation head, Mr. Arata Motosaka. Its flagship label, Sakaya Hachibei, is brewed under the concept of “an evening’s comfort rather than a single glass of surprise,” focusing on balanced sake designed to complement food. Centered on junmai brewing that highlights the natural flavors of rice, the brewery also employs the traditional yamahai method to cultivate resilient yeast and achieve depth with a clean finish. Motosaka Shuzo is especially known for reviving Ise Nishiki, Japan’s oldest sake rice variety once thought to be extinct, which is cultivated in its own terraced fields along the clear-flowing Miyagawa River. This unique approach, deeply tied to the natural environment and history of Mie, gained international attention when its Ise Nishiki Yamahai Junmai was served at the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit.