Nanatsu Ume (Seven Plums)

Three popular brands of sake dominated the market during the Edo period (1603-1868): Otokoyama, Kenbishi, and Nanatsu Ume. Their popularity is highlighted by the works of the renowned ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro, who immortalized them in the series natorizake rokkasen (Aristocrats of Sake Compared to Courtesans of Six Selected Houses). As the title suggests, these prints depict famous courtesans of the time alongside popular brands of sake. This led to the saying, "Sake means Kenbishi, Otokoyama, and Nanatsu Ume."

All of these brands were brewed in Itami, Hyogo, once Japan's largest brewing region but now sadly a shadow of its former self. That mantle has long shifted to Nada, which sits just southwest of Itami next to Osaka Bay. Some aspects of Itami’s history were adopted by Nada, which thankfully preserves them to this day. While Otokoyama moved to Hokkaido, Kenbishi famously relocated to Nada in 1928. Today, both remain among Japan’s best-known brands.

Nanatsu Ume, the least well-known of the three, has had a much more scattered history. The name, meaning ‘Seven Plums,’ is said to have been inspired by the scent of plum blossoms at their most pronounced, 7 o’clock in former times (currently around 4 am). Momenya, the original brewery that produced it, closed down during Itami’s decline. The brand rights were then handed down to a brewery in Saitama, near Tokyo. But after more than 300 years, Hamafukutsuru in Nada has inherited the brand and has brought it home to its true home in Hyogo. 

The modern iteration of Nanatsu Ume is imbued with its history. It's made using the kimoto method, developed during the Edo period, which typically produces a richer style of sake that pairs naturally with food. The label features artwork by the famous novelist Saneatsu Mushanokoji, who was said to be an admirer and mentions Nanatsu Ume in one of his poems. It's also made from Yamada Nishiki rice, cultivated in fields just across the mountains that dominate the Nada landscape. Yamada typically produces a mellow, billowing flavor that improves with age, a perfect match for kimoto.

Visitors to Nada can now enjoy this sake at the brewery. I often visit Hamafukutsuru during my tour, where guests can see inside the brewery, where Nanatsu Ume and all of their other wonderful brews are made. If you are lucky, you might even be served by their beloved veteran master brewer, who spent over 65 years making sake before transitioning into an ambassadorial role and guide.  To discover this and many other treasures of sake history, get in touch and book a tour today. 

https://www.originsaketours.com/book-online