Music is one of the unique techniques being applied at the only sake brewery located in the heart of Japan’s capital.
The gentle, melodic sounds fill a cramped building in Tokyo, where a fermentation tank of sake is bubbling away.
The microorganisms in the 670-liter tank take over two weeks to transform rice and water into Japan’s traditional alcoholic beverage.
But these microorganisms are not just thriving; they are also “listening to music.” Brewer Yoshimi Terasawa states that the type of music played from the speaker beneath the tank will determine the flavor of the sake.
The type of music played from the speaker beneath the tank will determine the flavor of the sake.
The 63-year-old production director of Tokyo Port Brewing mentions: “The microorganisms inside are stimulated by vibrations, and the flavors change.”
Music is one of the innovative techniques that Terasawa is employing at the only sake brewery in central Tokyo.
Operating in a narrow four-story building, these new methods promise to help the alcoholic beverage industry combat the effects of climate change.
They utilize improved machinery and processes that consume less energy and labor compared to traditional rural breweries.
With 45 years of experience in the industry, Terasawa explains: “Producing sake on a smaller scale makes it easier to maintain a stable production environment.”
The company produces about 30,000 liters of sake each year, enough to fill nearly 42,000 720 ml bottles.
However, changing consumer tastes and Japan’s aging population have impacted demand. The government reports that the number of sake breweries has decreased by two-thirds since the peak in the 1970s. There are now just over 1,100 breweries, with more than half operating under challenging conditions.
Other challenges include a labor shortage, rising raw material and fuel costs, and disruptions in rice supply due to global warming. Terasawa believes that his compact brewery presents a model that can address these challenges.
The production process begins on the fourth-floor balcony. He and one staff member will cook rice for 70 minutes. The rice is then transferred down through conduits in the ceiling and floor to ferment and ultimately be packaged on the ground floor.
Terasawa adds: “In the future, small breweries like this will be very useful.”
