Toyonoume Brewery Takagi san

Toyonoume Brewery

This small, traditional brewery was founded over 130 years ago. It’s located about 30 minutes east of Kōchi city in the historic town of Akaoka.

The master brewer, or tōji, is from the local Tosa guild of brewers, and the sake is brewed by hand by a small team. The brewery is proud of its character as a local Kochi brewery, making sake with Kochi’s own Gin no Yume brewing rice, using local yeasts developed by the Kōchi Prefectural Industrial Technology Centre.

Akaoka has two popular festivals, and Toyonoume sake features prominently in one. At the infamous Dorome Festival, men compete to down 1.8 l of sake at a go, while women down 720 ml. This festival symbolises the enthusiasm of Kōchi people for unbridled drinking. Sake is also enjoyed at the Ekin Festival, which celebrates the life of local artist Ekin, a large man who drank heavily as he painted scenes of gruesome mayhem. His dramatic works are shown in the atmospheric streets of the town by candlelight.

Visitors are welcome, and the owner Takagi-san will show you around in English.

  • Toyonoume Brewery Takagi san
  • Toyonoume Brewery rice steamer
  • Toyonoume Brewery lineup
  • Toyonoume Brewery breweryman at work

Information

Name in Japanese: 豊能梅
Pronunciation: toy-yo no oomei
Address: 443 Akaokacho, Konan, Kochi 781-5310

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