Nakano Shuzo

Nakano Shuzo, founded in 1864, is a historic and tiny brewery located in Monzen-machi, Wajima City—the town surrounding Sojiji, the head temple of the Soto Zen sect. In this spiritual environment, the brewery has crafted sake for over 150 years within earshot of the temple bells.
The brewery's most defining characteristic is its extremely small production of just 50 koku (roughly 5,000 bottles) per year. As most of the sake is consumed within the local town and rarely reaches outside markets, it is often referred to as a 'phantom local sake.' They use pure spring water connected to 'Kowa-shusui,' one of Japan's Top 100 Famous Waters. While their brewing is currently outsourced, the historic main building—a cultural asset in its own right—has been revitalized as 'Noto Hiyori,' a restaurant serving seasonal local specialties. This brewery embodies the warmth and spiritual heritage of Monzen-machi.