Five Noto Breweries Hit the Road — 1,000 Bottles Across Nine Department Stores
KAMPAI Editorial
Five sake breweries in the Noto Peninsula, devastated by the 2024 earthquake, are bringing their bottles to nine Daimaru and Matsuzakaya department stores across Japan. The campaign, running from April 1 through May 31, is part of the "Don't Stop Noto's Sake!" project, with roughly 1,000 bottles available — 200 from each brewery.
The five participating breweries are Kazuma Shuzo, Tsuruno Shuzoten, Hakuto Shuzoten, Hiyoshi Shuzoten, and Matsunami Shuzo, all based in Noto Town or Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture.
When your brewery is gone, you borrow someone else's
Some of these breweries lost their facilities in the earthquake and can no longer brew on their own. Their solution: collaborative brewing at partner breweries.
Tsuruno Shuzoten and Hiyoshi Shuzoten brewed at Yoshida Shuzoten in Hakusan City, Ishikawa — the brewery behind Tedorigawa. Matsunami Shuzo partnered with Maruishi Jozo in Okazaki, Aichi, known for their Nito brand. The labels carry both brewery names, making each bottle's story visible at a glance.
Kazuma Shuzo and Hakuto Shuzoten, meanwhile, have resumed brewing at their own facilities. Kazuma brings a junmai ginjo genshu made with locally grown rice under their Chikuha label, while Hakuto offers a kijoshu — a style where sake replaces some of the brewing water — from the 2025 brewing year.
Five breweries, five bottles
- Kazuma Shuzo (Noto Town): Chikuha Junmai Ginjo Genshu, 720ml, ¥2,090
- Tsuruno Shuzoten (Noto Town): Taniizumi × Tedorigawa Yamahai Kijoshu Nama Genshu, 720ml, ¥2,695
- Hakuto Shuzoten (Wajima): Okunoto no Shiragiku Kijoshu 2025BY, 500ml, ¥3,520
- Hiyoshi Shuzoten (Wajima): Kinpyo Hakku × Tedorigawa Nama, 720ml, ¥2,200
- Matsunami Shuzo (Noto Town): Oeyama × Nito Namazake, 720ml, ¥3,300
All three collaborative brews are released unpasteurized — fresh and vivid, the kind of thing that works when you have department store distribution keeping the cold chain tight. Note that product availability varies by store.
The brewers themselves will be there
What makes this campaign stand out is that the brewers and master brewers will be at the counters in person, pouring samples and sharing their stories of recovery.
| Dates | Store | Brewer visit | Visiting brewery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1–21 | Daimaru Tokyo | Apr 1–5 | Tsuruno Shuzoten |
| Apr 15–19 | Matsunami Shuzo | ||
| Apr 8–14 | Daimaru Kobe | Apr 8–12 | Hiyoshi Shuzoten |
| Apr 15–21 | Daimaru Kyoto | Apr 15–19 | Kazuma Shuzo |
| Apr 22–28 | Matsuzakaya Ueno | Apr 22–26 | Tsuruno Shuzoten |
| Apr 29–May 8 | Daimaru Shinsaibashi | Apr 29–May 3 | Matsunami Shuzo |
| May 6–12 | Daimaru Sapporo | May 6–10 | Hiyoshi Shuzoten |
| May 13–19 | Matsuzakaya Nagoya | May 13–17 | Matsunami Shuzo |
| May 20–26 | Matsuzakaya Shizuoka | May 20–24 | Hakuto Shuzoten |
| May 27–Jun 2 | Daimaru Fukuoka Tenjin | May 27–31 | Hakuto Shuzoten |
Schedules are subject to change, as the brewers are juggling reconstruction work alongside these appearances.
"If we can't brew, it's over. If we can't sell, there's no next time." The project's words are stark. But looking at these five bottles lined up at a department store counter, it's clear that none of these breweries have stopped. If the tour comes to a store near you, pick one up.
The "Don't Stop Noto's Sake!" project is supported by the Noto Public-Private Partnership Reconstruction Center through its Noto Reconstruction Support Program and the Noto Reconstruction Fund.