AIZU01（Aizu-Bange Town）： A Heartwarming Sake Brewery - Akebono Brewery No. 1(Hama, Naka, Aizu!)
The Akebono Brewery is located in Aizu-bangemachi, in the western part of the Aizu Basin.
It’s a 40 min bus/train ride from Aizuwakamatsu, home of Tsuruga-castle, which was famous as the stage of the Boshin war. Aizu-bangemachi , blessed with rich natural water resources, has a population of 16,000. Snow is piled high on both sides of the National Highway, and the surface of the back streets is frozen, both are victims of the cold-wave that struck over the 3-day weekend. After wandering through town, we were welcomed by the pleasant aroma of Japanese Sake. Following our noses, we managed to find our way safely to our destination, ‘Akebono Brewery’ The small Brewery started business in 1897, and hires family members along with locals, and uses locally produced rice in the brewing process. Their leading product is a high quality (dai-ginjo) type of sake called ‘Tenmei’(lit. heaven’s light), which is representative of the name of the brewery ‘Akebono’ which means ‘dawn’ in Japanese. It has received a high rating in the National Sake Awards Ceremonies. According to sales manager Suzuki Takanori, who led us on a tour of the brewery’s facilities, Tenmei is distributed nation-wide, however under a special system only particular stores can buy it. Under this system, those who wish to sell Tenmei visit the brewery, and the brewery will in return visit the seller’s store, forming a kind of pre contract. This is understandable as most brewers have poured their heart and souls into making sake, and consider their products to be children of their own, thus they want to make sure that their sake finds a good home.
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