SAKE MAP
Hokkaido & Tohoku / Types: Sake
Six drinks from Hokkaido, each with a snack that suits it and a short story behind the bottle.
Otokoyama
A venerable Asahikawa brewery whose name means "man's sake." It is said to have once been presented to Edo-era shoguns and lords. Yet one sip reveals a surprisingly clean, refined taste, polished by snowmelt from the Daisetsuzan mountains — gently betraying its rugged name. A pure, clear cup only this frozen land could produce.
Pairs with：Ishikari-nabe (salmon & vegetable hotpot) / Ruibe (frozen salmon sashimi)
Kunimare
Known as the northernmost sake brewery in Japan, in the port town of Mashike. In the days the town roared with herring fishing, the men are said to have downed this by the bucketful after hauling in their catch. The "mare" in its name carries a wish to be a sake without equal. Drink it with the scent of the sea — a cup mirroring the memory of a northern fishing town.
Pairs with：Hokke (grilled atka mackerel) / Tako-no-shiokara (salted octopus)
Chitosezuru
A rare veteran brewery still making sake in the heart of the big city, Sapporo. Rooted here since the pioneer era, it is said to have quenched the thirst of the frontier settlers. Its clear taste, drawn from underground spring water, is hard to believe comes from amid the office towers. Behind the city's bustle, it hints at a quiet memory of water.
Pairs with：Jingisukan (grilled mutton) / Zangi (Hokkaido-style fried chicken)
Kamikawataisetsu
A brewery newly founded in recent years at the foot of sacred Mt. Daisetsu. Vowing to brew "with only local rice and water," this young talent won acclaim almost overnight. Its brewing water is pure snowmelt, and the taste stays clean and light. New, yet somehow nostalgic, it conjures a mountain-village landscape.
Pairs with：Kegani (horsehair crab) / Gyoja-ninniku (wild victory-onion)
Kitanonishiki
A historic Kuriyama brewery dating to the Meiji era, whose red-brick hall and adjoining museum have become a town symbol. Once celebrated as one of Hokkaido's flagship sake. Its charm is a rich flavor that patiently draws out the umami of the rice. A deep, generous cup that pours the weight of history straight into its taste.
Pairs with：Matsumae-zuke (kelp & squid marinade) / Jingisukan (grilled mutton)
Fukutsukasa
The one and only brewery still making sake in the misty port town of Kushiro. A true "local sake" that has stood by the harsh seafaring life and been loved at local tables for generations. Its light body and clean finish are said to be crafted with rich, oily seafood in mind. Savor it at the end of your journey, with the damp sea breeze.
Pairs with：Shishamo (grilled smelt) / Sanma (Pacific saury)