Mashike Town was the setting for the movie "Station" starring Ken Takakura. Are you familiar with Kunimare Brewery, Japan's northernmost sake brewery, located in the heart of the town? You might know it, but wonder what kind of brewery it is, or what they recommend? Many questions may arise.

A regular in the top three sake breweries in Hokkaido, this time we'll take a closer look at Kunimare Sake Brewery, whose sake has been refined by the climate and natural environment of Mashike Town.

From its history to its most popular varieties, after reading this page, you might just find yourself completely hooked, just like when you've had a good drink of Hokkai Onikoroshi, a popular sake from Kunimare Brewery.

<Table of Contents>
1. About Kunimare Sake Brewery
2. Kunimare Sake Brewery Tour Guide
3. A must-buy item from Kunimare Sake Brewery
Final thoughts

Photo by Flickr: Mashike/Go Ikeda

Regardless of whether it's in the East or West, sake is made by people, refined, and nurtured by the climate and environment of the land. Kunimare Sake Brewery is no exception.

It is located in Mashike Town, a historic town in Hokkaido. It has been a port town since the Edo period. In the Meiji era, it was the most bustling town in northern Hokkaido due to herring fishing.

Kunimare Sake Brewery was founded in this town in 19. The abundant and pure water from the Shokanbetsu mountain range, combined with the skills of Nanbu Toji (master brewers), creates sake that balances the invigorating coolness of Mashike with the mellowness of summer sea mist.

This marks the beginning of the Kunimare, a rice variety renowned both within and outside Hokkaido. It is said that General Nogi Maresuke, a prominent figure of the Meiji era, was involved in its naming.

In Hokkaido, where winters are freezing, sake is essential to warm the body. Even more so for fishermen who risk their lives working on the harsh, cold seas; sake is a necessity of life. Supported by the abundance of herring fishing, the brewery expanded to its current location, leading to its present state. Even in its slightly sweet taste, you can feel the breath of its history.

The interior of Kunimare Sake Brewery is divided into several areas.

2-1 Shop

The first thing you see when you enter the brewery is this shop. Besides the sake they produce, they also sell a variety of products related to sake brewing, such as delicacies and steamed buns made with sake lees. They sell not only food but also traditional Japanese accessories, which are popular with women.

The interior retains the atmosphere of the Meiji and early Showa periods, with slightly dimmed lighting. The air is cool and humid, even in summer. Dryness and temperature fluctuations are major enemies of producing high-quality, uniform sake, so the imposing stone construction clearly conveys the commitment to quality that Kokunamare Sake Brewery has maintained since its founding.

2-2 Sake Tasting Corner

This sake tasting corner always has a long line of drinkers. You can sample all 16 types of sake. It's incredibly generous that it's all free. It's a fitting place for a lively fishing town.

Photo by Flickr: Kunimare/by iyoupapa

Among the various types of sake available, there are limited-edition, locally exclusive sakes that are difficult to find online, and there's also the advantage of being able to drink new sake earlier than anywhere else.

As you sip your sake and listen to explanations, imagining what food would pair well with it, this is a space that sake lovers will find hard to leave. Enjoying delicious sake is one of the great pleasures of visiting a sake brewery. By the time you've tried everything, your body and soul may feel warm and satisfied.

During the winter months, they also offer a warm amazake (sweet rice drink) made from sake lees, which are left over after the sake has been pressed. In Hokkaido, amazake is made by dissolving sake lees in hot water and adding sugar. It's not common to make it from rice. This Hokkaido-style amazake is sure to warm you up on a cold day chilled by the winds from the Sea of ​​Japan. Of course, it goes without saying that sake tasting is strictly prohibited for drivers.

2-3 Reference room

The product warehouse, which tells the story of the company's prosperity since the Meiji era, was converted into a historical archives room in the Heisei era. Inside the stone warehouse, which exudes a sense of historical weight, an intoxicating aroma fills the air, creating an atmosphere that makes visitors feel as if they are seeing the place 100 years ago. Perhaps it is because of the rows of old sake bottles with their labels still attached that line the walls.

The location is just before the factory. In the center of the three-story building stands a massive central pillar made from a fir tree over 100 years old, which runs through the entire storehouse. It has an impressive thickness and character.

The area is surrounded by displays of tools, sake vessels, and old labels used in sake brewing, giving it considerable historical value. It's definitely worth seeing.

Photo by Wikipedia:Inside the museum/100yen

2-4 Sengoku Warehouse

The Sengoku Warehouse was formerly used as a storage facility for fishing gear at Mashike Port. During the port's expansion in the Taisho era, it was located in Mashike Port and used to store fishing equipment. It was moved next to Kunimare Sake Brewery during the port widening project in the Taisho era. It is estimated that the building is over 100 years old.

The museum exhibits materials that tell the story of the golden legend of herring fishing on the Japanese side of Hokkaido, and it is a must-see. The most impressive exhibit is the herring boat. It is one of the newer herring boats built after the war. It is a boat with a unique structure called "Daruma-hagi" developed in the Mashike region, and the exhibit shows that it was mainly used for storing herring meal. It is said that it was used only a few times after it was built, and the vivid colors of the decorative panels evoke the past. It is very rare to find a boat that has retained its original form and is in such good condition, so it is well worth seeing as a historical document for that reason alone.

In addition to displaying fishing gear and photographs, it is also used as a free rest area during peak season. Admission is free, but it is closed during the winter months.

3-1 Kunimare Karakuchi Onikoroshi

When it comes to local sake from Hokkaido, the overwhelmingly popular choice is Onikoroshi from Kunimare Brewery. Local sake from the central Hokkaido region tends to be on the sweeter side, with many breweries producing mild sakes that bring out the sweetness of the rice, but from northern to eastern Hokkaido, there seems to be a greater emphasis on dry sake.

For those who prefer a dry sake, Onikoroshi is the perfect choice. It has very little off-flavor, and its transparent taste might make you think for a moment that it's too light. However, the rich, full-bodied flavor of sake then spreads throughout your mouth.

This sake is a bestseller, even among women who don't usually like dry sake, and has a strong following. This is probably because it has less of the harshness and off-flavors often found in certain types of sake. It's also reasonably priced.

Image provided by: Kunimare Sake Brewery

March 2nd, cool moon

Among the many dry sakes in Kunimare's lineup, this one is considered a sweeter sake that appeals to women. It's a regionally limited edition Junmai Ginjo Genshu Tsuki Suzushi (720ml).

This sake uses "Ginpu" rice from Hokkaido. With a high milling ratio of 50%, it uses rice that has been polished to perfection. Brewed with the pure water of the Shokanbetsu mountain range, this is a masterpiece that has been refined in every sense of the word.

The aroma is fruity, reminiscent of wine. It has a light sweetness and a refreshing taste that spreads pleasantly in the mouth. The finish is smooth and gliding down the throat, leaving a deep, lingering richness. This is a masterpiece in which the Nanbu Toji (master brewer) has poured all his skill and intuition into this sake. The alcohol content is slightly high. Let the unique flavor of this undiluted sake stimulate all your senses.

Image provided by: Kunimare Sake Brewery

3-3 Special pure rice sake

This special junmai sake is a cost-effective drink that will impress sake lovers across Japan. Upon tasting, the sweetness derived from the rice spreads throughout your mouth. Then, because of that initial sweetness, a refreshing dryness stands out—a captivating duo. Its clean taste and flavor that you won't tire of will make it approachable even for those who usually drink sweeter sake.

The rice used is Gohyakumangoku, a variety widely used for sake brewing throughout Japan. Furthermore, the rice is polished to 55%, using only the most delicious core portion, enhancing both the taste and premium feel. Combined with its affordable price, we recommend purchasing this as an introduction to the capabilities of Kunimare Sake Brewery.

Image provided by: Kunimare Sake Brewery

3-4 Pickled Mountain and Sea Vegetables

Another product that Kunimare Sake Brewery is famous for in Hokkaido is sake lees. The sake lees left over after pressing ginjo sake have a wonderful aroma and are packed with various nutrients. They have a wide range of uses, from amazake (sweet sake) to pickled fish and other pickles.

This Yamakai-zuke from Kunimare Sake Brewery uses plenty of sake lees and combines them with wasabi, herring roe, daikon radish, and cucumber. It's reasonably priced at around 300 yen and is very popular as it's perfect as a snack with sake or as a side dish with rice.

Sake is a gift that requires careful consideration, as some people drink it and others don't. Also, the glass bottles add weight. In contrast, this pickled seafood dish doesn't require much consideration of age or taste, so it's not uncommon for people to buy four or five bottles at once—one for neighbors and one for themselves.

The flavor is excellent, using plenty of herring roe from the Pacific Ocean and a good amount of wasabi. It has a similar feel to Shizuoka's famous pickled wasabi, but sake lees are the main ingredient here. The powerful flavor of the sake lees, which is strong enough to take center stage, makes it very flavorful.

Final thoughts

Brewery tours are completely free. Tastings are free. Visiting the Sengoku Brewery is also free. It becomes more appealing with each visit. Kunimare Sake Brewery is that kind of sake brewery.

From its ambiance to its service, this northernmost brewery offers a warm and comforting atmosphere, much like the sunny spring sunshine over the Sea of ​​Japan.

I highly recommend visiting before the railway line from Rumoi to Mashike is discontinued. It's sure to warm both your heart and body.

[Check these out too]
・Mashike, a port town steeped in history: sightseeing spots and gourmet food!
• [Sightseeing in Rumoi] Sunsets and seafood! We'll show you how to enjoy the port town of Rumoi♪
・Ororon Line | A scenic drive along the coastline all the way to Wakkanai!

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