This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
Located in the northwestern part of Tokyo, Okutama is within 40-60 kilometers of the city center and can be reached in about 2 hours by train from Tokyo Station. Alighting at Sawai Station on the JR Ome Line, visitors are immediately greeted by a breathtaking panorama of forests stretching as far as the eye can see, and where the air is noticeably cooler and breezy.
A short downhill walk from the station, past huge cylindrical tanks on one side and retaining walls on the other, visitors arrive at Ozawa Shuzo, the renowned sake brewery that makes one of Japan's most beloved sake brands: Sawanoi. Located on the slopes of a valley brimming with natural beauty, you can hear the gentle murmuring of the Tama River flowing lazily just below the brewery if you listen closely.
Believed to have been founded in 1702 during the Edo period, the brewery has a history dating back over 300 years. Tours of the brewery's interior are available by reservation. For this particular visit, Yoshizaki Shinnosuke from the brewery's Planning and Design Section was our guide.
"One of our kura (storehouses) is believed to have been built at the time of the brewery's founding," explains Yoshizaki. "Built in the earthen kura style with a remarkably high ceiling, it allows heat to escape upwards and blocks out external light, creating ideal conditions for brewing sake, though this building currently serves as a cellar for finished sake."
The building, Genroku-gura, is named after the era in which the brewery was founded. It now stands alongside two other kura: Meiji-gura, built during the Meiji era (1868-1912) as an extension to Genroku-gura, and Heisei-gura, constructed during the Heisei era (1989-2019). The actual sake-making process—including milling and steaming the rice, making koji mold, cultivating yeast, fermenting, and pressing—is carried out at Heisei-gura. Visitors can observe part of this process through glass windows. The entire brewery maintains a surprising coolness, as if air-conditioned, making it hard to believe it is mid-summer.
"Sake was originally made for offerings at shrines. In the past, there were over 4,000 sake breweries across Japan, but that number has gradually dwindled to 1,400, less than half the original total. Ozawa Shuzo has been able to continue brewing here thanks to the delicious water that flows endlessly from its springs."
Right next to the brewery lies the Chichibu Paleozoic formation (Chichibu zone), bedrock dating back over 100 million years. A 140-meter tunnel is drilled into this hard rock, and the clean water gushing from it is used for sake brewing. This water is exceptionally low in impurities like iron and manganese, making it ideal for sake production. Visitors can walk more than a dozen meters into the tunnel. Inside, it is even cooler than the kura, offering a comfortable escape.
Nature of Okutama as seen from the Sawai Station overpass.
The overpass at Sawai Station has a distinctive roof reminiscent of the nearby Kanzanji Temple.
Sawai Station is unstaffed but used by many tourists.
Genroku-gura has a very high ceiling. The blue tanks store sake.
Part of the sake brewing process can be observed through glass windows in Heisei-gura.
Entrance to the tunnel where the spring water used in sake production is sourced.
The spring water from the mountain behind the brewery is moderately hard water with a high mineral content.
The Kaede Bridge over the Tama River.
The Kanzanji Temple can be seen on the other side of the Kaede Bridge.
The Sawanoien garden offers sake and light meals made by Sawanoi.
Soba noodles (center) with a dish made of soybeans called "meat of the field" (bottom left), silken tofu curds (top left), and a cup of amazake (top right).
Summer-only amazake shaved ice. Photo courtesy of Ozawa Shuzo.
The restaurant Mamagotoya offers tofu and yuba kaiseki courses.
Cafe Shizuku serves coffee and sweets made with the same water Sawanoi uses for sake brewing.
Visitors can try a variety of Sawanoi's sakes in the tasting room.
Unlike regular sake, aged "Kuramori" sake has a faint amber color.
Along the Tama River just below the brewery, lies the Sawanoien garden, where visitors can enjoy sake and light meals. Among the offerings, the strawberry shaved ice and amazake (a sweet drink made from fermented rice) shaved ice, available exclusively in summer, are superb. Amazake is gaining popularity as a "drinkable IV drip" due to its potential benefits in preventing and combating summer fatigue.
The garden also features a sake tasting room, offering around 10 varieties of Sawanoi sake. Surrounded by lush nature and the calming sounds of the river, visitors will find themselves refreshed both physically and mentally.
Many international visitors were in the garden at the time of our visit. Visitors can rest at the shady pavilion by the river, while children play in the water.
After crossing the Kaede Bridge that spans the river, Kanzanji Temple is found nestled among the trees. It is often visited by Chinese worshippers as it enshrines a statue of the Buddha from an ancient temple in Suzhou, China.
Looking upstream from the Kaede Bridge, the Mitake Valley can be seen descending from Mitake Station, which is next to Sawai Station. A four-kilometer walking trail extends along both sides of the river from Mitake Station to Sawanoien and further downstream, allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful nature along this clear river, designated by the government as one of the "Selected 100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters."
Yoshizaki of Sawanoi is proud of what the valley offers. "Visitors can rent a bicycle at Mitake Station, enjoy cycling along the river on the promenade, and drop it off near Sawanoien. While there have always been many international visitors, it seems their numbers have increased recently. The attraction of Okutama, I believe, lies in experiencing such wonderful nature not too far from the city center."
In the Mitake Valley, visitors can also rent single-person rubber kayaks or multi-person rubber boats to enjoy rafting in the river. Instructors and bilingual guides are on hand, ensuring an enjoyable experience for both beginners and international visitors. It is truly a perfect place to visit during the hot summer.
