Tokushima

Sake in Tokushima

Tokushima Prefecture lies in Shikoku. In the prefecture are the water systems of the Yoshino River and the river 那賀川, which run east to west, as well as many rivers that flow east from the Shikoku Mountains into the Pacific Ocean. All of these rivers flow fast, and the plains at the mouths of the Yoshino River and the 那賀川 face the Kii Channel. In the one year from July 2024 to June 2025, sake was made at 11 places in the prefecture.

The sake of the prefecture is supported by the soft, mineral-containing water of the Yoshino River and by rice grown in terraced fields at the foot of the mountains. The terraced fields get plenty of sunshine and good airflow, in places where the difference between day and night temperatures is large. Yamada Nishiki grown in Tokushima Prefecture is called “Awa Yamada Nishiki.” Miyoshikiku Shuzo in Ikeda, Miyoshi City, uses spring water from the river 松尾川, which is underground water of the Yoshino River, for brewing.

The Tokushima Sake Brewers Association certifies junmai-shu (sake made only from rice, rice koji and water) brewed at breweries in the prefecture using only sake rice from Tokushima Prefecture and water taken in the prefecture as “阿波十割” after a review of its taste and aroma. The Tokushima Prefectural Industrial Technology Center spent about 2 years improving yeast (the microorganism that carries out fermentation) using special LEDs that emit ultraviolet light. From more than 2,000 experiments, it chose a yeast with fruity aromas and strong fermenting power and named it “LED夢酵母” (LED Dream Yeast). As of October 2026, 7 breweries in the prefecture offer sake made with this yeast.

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• Miyoshikiku Shuzo 三芳菊酒造Miyoshikiku 三芳菊MiyoshiRead the article