OKAYA, Japan — As the first light of day breaks, Mie Takahashi, a brewer of sake at her family’s long-standing brewery Koten, inspects the temperature of a fermenting mixture. Situated in the picturesque foothills of the Japanese Alps, the brewery boasts a history that spans 150 years. Standing on a narrow wooden platform above a substantial tank that holds over 3,000 liters (about 800 gallons) of fermenting rice, water, and koji, a rice mold essential for the brewing process, she diligently stirs the mixture with a long paddle.
“The early hours are vital to the sake-making process,” Takahashi, 43, explains. Her brewery is based in Nagano Prefecture, which is renowned for its sake production. Takahashi belongs to a small number of female toji, or master brewers, with only 33 women registered within the Toji Guild Association across more than a thousand sake breweries in Japan. This number is a marked increase compared to previous decades when women were predominantly barred from participating in sake production until after World War II.
Sake brewing, which has origins extending over a millennium, has deep connections to Japan’s Shinto traditions. However, with the mass production of sake that began during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868, an informal prohibition against women working in breweries emerged. Although the exact reasons for this ban remain somewhat unclear, one prevalent theory suggests that women were deemed impure due to menstrual cycles and were subsequently excluded from sacred spaces. Yasuyuki Kishi, the vice director of the Sakeology Center at Niigata University, states, “Another theory holds that as sake became mass-produced, the heavy labor and hazardous tasks associated with brewing were perceived as unsuitable for women.”
Despite these historical gender barriers, a shift is underway. The decline in Japan’s workforce stems from the rapidly aging population, allowing women to enter the sake-making field more widely. “While the industry is still primarily male-dominated, the emphasis has shifted to a person’s passion for brewing rather than their gender,” says Takahashi. She notes that advancements in mechanization are also instrumental in bridging the gender divide. At Koten, modern cranes lift heavy batches of steamed rice to cooling conveyors, whereas previously, these tasks were performed manually. “With the assistance of machines, more responsibilities can be undertaken by women,” she adds.
Sake, known as nihonshu, is produced by fermenting steamed rice along with koji, which converts starches in the rice to sugar. This ancient method was recently acknowledged by UNESCO as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage.
As a child, Takahashi was forbidden from entering the family brewery until she turned 15. That first tour allowed her to witness the enchanting fermentation process, where she observed bubbling mixtures driven by unseen microorganisms. “I remember being struck by the aroma and the realization that something so delightful could emerge from merely rice and water,” she recalls. Intrigued, she pursued a degree in fermentation science at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and returned home to train for a decade under her predecessor before becoming a toji herself at 34.
As the brewery gears up for the bustling winter season, Takahashi manages a team of seasonal workers, ensuring productivity surges. This phase demands substantial labor—lifting and mixing large quantities of steamed rice and brew. Master brewers must possess the expertise to nurture the growth of koji, requiring vigilant, around-the-clock attention. Despite the physical demands, Takahashi promotes a spirit of collaboration among her team, fostering a sense of community as they work together to hand-mix koji rice in a warm, humid environment.
Takahashi shares, “My training taught me the significance of team harmony. There’s a saying that if the atmosphere in the brewery is tense, the sake will turn out harsh, but a positive environment yields smooth sake.” Women’s participation in the brewery becomes increasingly vital for the Japanese sake industry, which has been facing a steady decline since its pinnacle in the 1970s. Reports indicate that today’s sake production volume is merely a quarter of what it was five decades ago, with many smaller breweries struggling to identify new master brewers amidst dwindling domestic alcoholic consumption.
To maintain competitiveness, Koten is proactively seeking to expand its market both in Japan and internationally. “Our signature product has always been a dry sake, consistently enjoyed by locals,” shares Isao Takahashi, Mie’s older brother overseeing business operations. “We are currently exploring methods to create higher-value sake.” He supports Mie’s creative endeavors, including her limited-edition series, Mie Special, which aims to diversify their offerings beyond traditional dry sake. “My sister is eager to experiment with lower alcohol content and new yeast varieties; her innovations are welcomed,” he says, expressing his commitment to helping her succeed in the market.