On Tuesday August 14th, I took the train to Susono City to pay a visit to Mr. Koji Emori, a gentleman who has relentlessly fought for the promotion of local sake in the Prefecture for the last 15 years.
On the way to his liquor shop, Mishimaya, I had plenty of time to notice the great clear water flowing directly from nearby Mount Fuji, a rare treat on another scalding hot day.
I kept wondering why this region did not boast so many breweries with all that pure water on hand. I found out later that this particular area’s economy was based on agricultural products and soy sauce producing before WWII, which explains things.
Mishimaya is a very busy liquor shop with a wine annex run bt the whole family of two brothers and two sisters and parents. In spite of the lack of space I was offered a very warm welcome and talk started right away as if we had known each other for ages.
Mononofu no Sato was first brewed with the help of Fujinishiki Brewery (Shibakawa Cho) and put on sale on October 1st, 1996.
Then Susono was brewed and sold on November 23rd, 1997 with the help of Hana no Mai Brewery (Hamamatsu City).
Both sake come in various brews, shiboritate, junmai, etc.
Both sake are predominantly made from Goyakumangoku rice grown around Susono City, making it a truly local sake, if not brewed by a non-existent local Brewery.
Mr. Emori and his friends also contributed to the creation and promotion of local Strawberry Wine and Sakura Wine.
Another Tour de force was their role into creating a local shochu exclusively made with local rice and green tea called Fuji San Susono 3776 on July 14th, 2007 with the help of Fujinishiki Brewery (Shibakawa Cho)!
Since I acquired a sample of each of the three Susono creations, expect a tasting report soon!
Mishimaya Liquor Shop also sells sake by Masu-Ichi (Shizuoka-City), Sugii (Fujieda City), Fuji-takasago (Fujinomiya City), Fujinishiki (Shibakawa Cho), Doi (Kakegawa City) and Hana No Mai (Hamamatsu City) Breweries.
That shop is about 10 minutes from my house!
Well, well, a small world, isn’t it!