Traditional Japanese saké brewing methods, which have resulted in many types of saké, was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2024.
Gifu’s brewers have been making Japan’s most famous saké for centuries, and today the region is home to roughly 50 small- to mid-sized breweries who between them have won a slew of domestic and international saké awards. Not bad for a regional industry that prides itself first and foremost on making saké for local tastes, and not trying to reinvent the wheel to suit trends elsewhere.
Ask a local brewer what makes the region’s saké special, and they will be too modest to mention the brewing skills that have been handed down through generations. What they will focus on is Gifu’s pristine water, which runs off the mountains into the region’s network of clear rivers, and the quality of the locally grown rice. All three are crucial to producing a great saké.
As for the saké they craft, it tends to be smooth and easy-to-drink, and it complements Japanese food well. Pair it with ayu sweetfish, hoba miso or the local Hida beef, and you’re in for a real treat. No two Gifu saké are the same—Gifu’s breweries each have their own characteristics, making Gifu the perfect place to explore the many intricacies of the classic Japanese drink.
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