Ozawa Sake Brewery

In short

Ozawa Sake Brewery is a sake brewery located in Sawai, Ome City, that produces the renowned sake "Sawanoi." Historical documents dating back to 1702 (Genroku 15) reveal that it was already operating a brewing business around that time. Situated along the walking trail of the Mitake Valley on the banks of the Tama River, it offers brewery tours by reservation, during which visitors are guided through the facilities.

• ​Brewing Water Gushing from a Cave​​: Behind the brewery is a cave (horizontal well) dug into the bedrock, where brewing water still wells up today.
• ​Brewery Building from the Genroku Era​​: A storehouse from the Genroku era remains, which can be seen during the brewery tour.
• ​Riverside Sawanoi-en​​: A garden overlooking the clear waters of the Tama River, featuring a sake tasting area on the grounds.

History and Highlights

Ozawa Sake Brewery is a brewery that produces the renowned sake "Sawanoi." It stands along the Tama River at the foot of the Takamizu Sanzan mountains. Documents from 1702 (Genroku 15) indicate that brewing was already taking place around that period. Because no documents prior to this date or following it have survived, this year is considered the year of its founding.

The name of the sake, "Sawanoi," originates from the fact that this area was formerly called "Sawai Village." The place name "Sawai" comes from the abundant, high-quality water flowing as mountain streams (sawa).

The brewing water used in sake production emerges from deep within a cave carved into the bedrock of the Chichibu Paleozoic strata. This water is not underflow water from the Tama River, but pure spring water naturally filtered through the bedrock of Mt. Takamizu. The cave has existed since around the time of the brewery's founding and was dug further in the Meiji period. Today, it has a depth of more than 100 meters.

A story handed down in the Ozawa family, the brewery owners, says that their roots trace back to the Takeda clan, although it is considered to remain within the realm of legend. The horizontally excavated well in the bedrock was dug in the style of mine excavation rather than a standard well for drawing water, which is seen as a trace of this history.

Highlights for Viewing and Experiences

• ​Brewery Tour​​: Started in 1966, this brewery tour requires advance reservations. Visitors are guided through the brewery while learning about the sake-making process and stories about the facility. The storehouse from the Genroku era remains preserved, and visitors can also see the brewing water gushing from the cave.
• ​Seiryu Garden Sawanoi-en​​: Opened in 1967, this garden spreads along the banks of the Tama River. There are gazebos along the river where visitors can eat items purchased from the shop while looking down at the clear stream. It is also popular as a place to take a break during walks or hikes in the Mitake Valley.
• ​Sake Tasting Area​​: Located on the grounds of Sawanoi-en, this is a sake tasting spot directly managed by Sawanoi. Visitors can enjoy encountering a variety of sakes while checking their color, aroma, and taste. Sake tasting is refused to anyone driving a car or other vehicle.

Walking Tips

It is about a 5-minute walk from Sawai Station on the JR Ome Line. A pointed spire (sorin) stands on the roof of Sawai Station's building. This was modeled after the nearby Kanzan-ji Temple. Kanzan-ji Temple is a hall named after the Hanshan Temple in Suzhou, China, and was built in 1930 (Showa 5). Ozawa Sake Brewery is located along the Mitake Valley walking trail, and visitors can also walk along the trail to visit the Gyokudo Art Museum. The Gyokudo Art Museum is located about 1 kilometer to the southwest and is an affiliated facility of Ozawa Sake Brewery.