Brewing in Harmony with Dogo: Minakuchi Shuzo

2026.03.09

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#Sake Brewing

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#History

The Nakamine Sanshin Shop: Crafting the Sanshin's "Measurable" Tone and a Sustainable Future

With over 130 years of history, Minakuchi Shuzo has been brewing sake in the heart of Dogo Onsen, one of Japan's most famous tourist destinations. Hot springs and sake, tourism and craft, tradition and innovation. The brewery's uniqueness lies in its ability to seamlessly weave these seemingly separate elements into a single, cohesive philosophy.

Viewing sake as 'a medium for experiencing local culture,' Minakuchi Shuzo's craft transcends the realm of taste, giving form to the very relationship between the land and its people.

PROFILE

Kosuke Minakuchi

Born in July 1987, now 38.
After graduating from university, he worked on system development for the Tokaido and Chuo Shinkansen bullet trains before returning to Matsuyama in November 2019.
He became the sixth-generation head of the brewery in October 2024.

A Shared Timeline: Dogo Onsen and the Sake Brewery

Minakuchi Shuzo was founded in 1895, the year after the Dogo Onsen Main Building was rebuilt into its current form. This temporal proximity is more than mere coincidence.

The Dogo area has always been a place centered around its hot springs, built on the premise that 'people gather, enjoy themselves, and then return home.' The brewery was naturally integrated into this flow.

At the time, plans were underway in Dogo to transform the hot springs from a simple therapeutic retreat into a 'place for cultural experiences.' Minakuchi Shuzo has always valued keeping in step with this philosophy.

Sake isn't something that stands alone; it gains meaning only when connected with the time spent traveling and the memories of a place. This idea is encapsulated in the phrase 'Dogo Monogatari' (The Tale of Dogo).

Having a brewery in the heart of a tourist spot means that the artisans work in a constantly open environment. They don't brew in a closed-off workshop, but in a daily space where people come and go. This sense of tension and public presence has shaped the very attitude of their sake-making.