Aihara Brewery building in Hiroshima

Aihara Brewery

相原酒造

Kure, Hiroshima

Founded in 1875 in Nigata-cho, Kamo-gun (present-day Kure City), which flourished as a military port in the Meiji era and is known as the birthplace of Hiroshima sake. The company pioneered the industry's shift to the production of premium sake in the 1980s, and in 1999 installed large refrigerators to ensure that all sake is kept cold.

Brands Ugo No Tsuki
Founded 1875
Website Aihara Brewery

History

Ugo No Tsuki sake bottles

Surrounded by mountains on three sides and by the Seto Inland Sea, Nigata is a small town located to the east of Kure City in Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known for the underground water of Mt. Noro, which is considered among the best water sources in Japan. Also the Nigata Harbor flourished as a key point on sea transport routes. Blessed with the advantages of geography and fertile soils, during the Meiji Era (1868 – 1912) the town was home to rows of nine saké breweries and 10 soy sauce breweries.

Cooling down steamed sake rice at Aihara Brewery

Founded in 1875, the brewery pioneered the industry’s shift to high-quality premium sake when Junichiro Aihara became president in 1988. The company was transformed into a brewery that produced high-quality ginjo sake and in 1990 installed large refrigerators to ensure the quality of the sake. Usually Hiroshima Sake is characterized by a more rich, umami-laden flavor profile, but “Ugo No Tsuki” has established itself by aiming for a more refreshing, elegant, and light sake quality.

Visit

Kure Maritime Museum

Kure Maritime Museum (呉市海事歴史科学館)

Museum Access from Brewery: 10 min. by car

Museum showing the long history of Kura as a naval port and shipbuilding city.

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Mitarai old harbor village in the Seto Inland Sea

Mitarai (御手洗)

Historic Site Access from Brewery: 40 min. by car

Small village built around a port on the east coast of Osaki Shimojima Island in the Seto Inland Sea

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