"No moon, no blossom. Just me drinking sake, totally alone." This melancholy haiku was penned by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho in 1689, shortly before he set off on a 1,200-mile journey through Tohoku, Japan's vast northeast that reaches up to Hokkaido.
The Tohoku region (東北北地⽅方, Tōhoku-chihō) is the top third of the main island of Japan to the north, consisting of six of Japanʼs 47 prefectures (Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata). It is also home to Matsushima Bay, one of the three best views in Japan.
The style by many of the brewers in this region is described as bright, fine-grained, light, aromatic and approachable. Sakes in the region turn out this way is due to its climate! Tohoku have always had cooler weather, so they ferment, produce and store at lower temperature which gives the sake their elegant flavour profile compared to the rest of Japan. Whilst Fukushima is its most famous prefecture for Sake, the other 5, Akita, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata all has their distinct character for you to explore!
