TERROIR HUB SAKE

EST. 1890

古川酒造

宗花

Since 1890 — 草津市, Shiga

Believed to be the last sake house standing in a former Tokaido post town, still pressing every batch by hand with the traditional sase press.

宗花

The Story of 古川酒造

Furukawa Shuzo, founded in 1890 in Kusatsu — once a bustling post town on the Tokaido highway — is thought to be the only sake brewery remaining from that era. Wartime record loss means some early history is uncertain, but Meiji-era production ledgers and an 1900 commendation still survive at the kura. The brewery presses every batch using the traditional wooden sase method, entirely by hand, without modern machinery.

136
years of history
Founded in 1890.

Characteristics of 古川酒造

Feature 1
Believed to be the last surviving kura from Kusatsu's Tokaido post-town era
Feature 2
Traditional sase wooden-tub pressing, done entirely by hand
Feature 3
Meiji-era ledgers and an 1900 award certificate survive on-site

Signature Brands

Tenjogawa (天井川)

Tenjogawa (天井川)

Junmai — brewed with pesticide-free, chemical-fertilizer-free rice grown in Kusatsu

Soka (宗花)

Soka (宗花)

The house's original label since its founding

Other sake breweries in Shiga

Biwa浅茅生Biwa Cho琵琶の長寿Biwako DistilleryBIWAKO DISTILLERY'SChikubu Sakura竹生嶋Daijirou大治郎Emishiki笑四季
See all sake breweries in Shiga →

Basic Information

📍
Location
〒525-0053滋賀県草津市矢倉1-3-33
🌐
🚉
Nearest station (straight-line)
JR琵琶湖線 草津 (approx. 1,120 m)
🍶
Tasting
Available
Source:Official website (Last verified: 2026-07-19)
See more breweries you can visit →
📍
古川酒造
Shiga, Japan

Source: http://furukawashuzo.com/

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