Sake Nation “Noto Peninsula Earthquake and Sake Breweries ④”
By Kosuke Kuji
The Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred in the “Noto Peninsula,” home to one of the three most renowned Toji (Master sake brewers) representative of Japan, and many Noto Toji (Master sake brewers of the Noto Toji Guild) to date.
The Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred on January 1, 2024. Breweries preparing to brew sake since September or October customarily take the New Year Day off and send their Toji home for the holiday. Toji take only the New Year Day off and return to their breweries to continue brewing sake until March or April. Many Toji were home this year to celebrate the New Year day.
Then, the earthquake struck. The damage was so extensive that every Noto Toji was hurt and couldn’t return to their breweries to continue brewing sake.
The disaster left some sake breweries that sustained no damage without their Toji who could not return. Therefore, their scheduled sake production took a drastic hit in production value or was halted altogether.
Although the earthquake was unfortunate, sake breweries in the Hokuriku region that sustained light damage did not hesitate to take on the added hardship of providing support to other major breweries that sustained significant damages. The road to recovery stretches far ahead.
To our customers in North America, please continue to enjoy sake brewed in the Hokuriku region. Sake in the Noto region is not completed yet, but please enjoy large volumes of sake brewed in other Hokuriku regions and Niigata prefecture. The best way to provide the strongest support to the afflicted sake breweries is to enjoy their sake.
Thank you very much in advance for your much-needed support.
酒豪大陸「能登半島沖地震と酒蔵④」
能登半島沖地震の発生した「能登」という地は、日本三大杜氏の1つである「能登杜氏」の発祥の地で、さらには今現在も多くの能登杜氏が暮らす場所です。
今回の発災は1月1日。9月、10月から仕込みをしている蔵は、正月お休みにして杜氏さんを地元に帰す風習があります。正月だけ休んで、また蔵に戻り、3月、4月まで酒造りが続くのです。今回はこの正月の里帰りで多くの能登杜氏が能登に戻っていました。
そこで発災。当然能登杜氏で被災していない人はいないほどの被害。そうなると、もう酒蔵に戻って酒造りは出来ません。
今回の災害で、蔵には被害は無くても、杜氏さんが帰ってこれなくて予定していた酒造りが出来なくなった、または大幅減産した、という蔵も多いです。
これは仕方のない事なのですが、そんな苦労を微塵もみせずに、北陸の被害の軽かった蔵は、被害の大きい蔵の支援を今でも続けています。まだまだ長く続く復興への道。
是非アメリカの皆さんも北陸の酒を飲んで支援してください。能登の酒はまだですが、他の北陸の酒と新潟の酒をたくさん飲んで支援してください。それが一番の酒蔵への支援になります。どうかよろしくお願いします。