Hokkaido

Sake in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is the northernmost region of Japan. The Hokkaido Sake Brewers Association has 17 members, and its members run 17 sake breweries (as of July 2026). To expand sales of Hokkaido-made sake in Japan and abroad, Hokkaido is promoting the production of rice varieties suited to sake brewing (shuzo kotekimai) and building a brand for Hokkaido-made sake.

In Hokkaido, planting of the shuzo kotekimai “Hatsushizuku” began in 1998. As of September 2026, three shuzo kotekimai varieties are grown in various parts of Hokkaido: “Ginpu,” “Suisei” and “Kitashizuku.” Ginpu was crossed in 1990 at the Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station and became a recommended variety of Hokkaido in March 2000. It was Hokkaido's first shuzo kotekimai with “shinpaku,” the white, opaque part at the center of the rice grain.

Kitashizuku was crossed in 2002 at the Hokkaido Donan Agricultural Experiment Station and became a superior variety of Hokkaido in February 2014. It is more resistant to cold damage than Ginpu. In February 2026, an event where toji (master brewers) and sake rice growers met and talked, “Hokkaido no Sakamai o Katarou in Akarenga” (Let's Talk About Hokkaido Sake Rice at Akarenga), was held by Hokkaido at the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (Akarenga) in Sapporo.

Brewery map

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