Tosa Brewing Company: Spreading the Spirit of Sake Globally　

By Kanako

The bubbles rise to the surface of transparent, beautiful sake in the small testing cup. Sake has nothing to do with bubbles and fizz. But strangely and surprisingly, this sake makes a fizzy sound of the bubbles popping in this quiet sake shop located next to the brewery in Kochi. Here, a lot of bottles of sake on the shelf are shining. Some certificates are on the wall. Everything in this room captures the eye. At the same time as the bubble sounds, a refreshing scent spreads. The bottle of this sake standing next to the cup has a large label that says “John.” A man with a kind face is watching over happily.  

“It’s very clean tasting, isn’t it?” Muneki Matsumoto, a president of Tosa Brewing Company, says with a smile.  

Tosa Brewing Company, which is in Kochi prefecture, creates this sake, “Keigetsu Sparkling Sake John.” This got the trophy in the sake department of International Wine Challenge 2023, the world’s largest alcohol competition which has the greatest number of sakes judged. 

It was 1877 when the first president established Tosa Brewing Company. When Muneki Matsumoto took over this company as the sixth president in 2015, it was facing difficulties. At that time, he did not have enough money, tools, knowledge, or employees. He was completely struggling. However, he noticed that there were a lot of people who were looking forward to his sake and supporting him. 

“They inspired me. I wanted to rebuild my company for them. I wanted to make them and their community brighter,” he said. “In the past, Japan was not as rich as it is today. But now, we can lead great lives. It is because people in the past tried hard to make the situation better. So, Japan is now rich because of them. Even now, we can try like them.” 

Then he looked at what he had. He had few employees, but there were still five. The sales were decreasing, but not zero. He had the factory, even though it was beat up. Many people helped him. Finally, he successfully managed to rebuild the company. 

Tosa brewing company is 146 years old this year. Now, he has about 30 employees, and sells about 15 kinds of sake in both Japan and overseas. 

After his becoming the president, as mentioned first, he succeeded in making one of his sakes “Keigetsu Sparkling Sake John” get the trophy in sake competition in 2023. Surprisingly, it is not the first time that “John” got the prize. In fact, the first time was in 2016. He decided to create this sake after meeting a certain man. The name of that man is John. Muneki Matsumoto has an importer friend who helped the first overseas export to Taiwan. One day, she brought the man, John, to him. She thought the man was interesting and wanted to introduce him. Then, Muneki Matsumoto went to a French restaurant to meet him for the first time. At that time, the restaurant served sake in champagne glass by accident. John saw this and said to him that sparkling sake would be delicious. Muneki Matsumoto liked this idea. Then he promised that he would make sparkling sake and give it a name “John.” He wanted John to be happy. 

“But making such sake was extremely hard.” Muneki Matsumoto said.  

He had to make sake sparkled and keep sake taste simultaneously. It was difficult. However, he never gave up. He invested in and changed the equipment. Afterwards, he used all his knowledges and finally, he could create sparkling sake named “John.” After starting to sell “John,” he found a sake competition  and decided to put up this sake. Surprisingly, this sake won the first prize.  

He recalled that day, “I was happy because it won the prize. But more than that, I was glad thinking that John would be delighted.”  

He always cherishes the relationship with people and thinks of making them happy with his sake.  

“Sometimes, relationship helps us make sake,” he said. “I always create sake not for money, but for them. Our sake is made for friendship and made by friendship.” 

“Keigetsu Sparkling Sake John” has gotten some prizes since 2016. Then in 2023, this sake got the trophy. Not only “John,” but also other sake created by Tosa Brewing Company got the medals in International Wine Challenge 2023. Every sake they make has its own wonderful story.  

A lot of people love drinking sake, but the sales of sake in Japan has been decreasing year by year. This happens because people came to drink various kinds of alcohol, for example, beer, wine and so on. Few decades ago, the most consumed alcohol in Japan was sake. There was a time when all the alcohol that Japanese drank was sake. Nevertheless, now, the percentage of sake in alcoholic beverages in Japan is only a few percent. The difference is obvious. However, Muneki Matsumoto does not take this situation pessimistically.  

“It is quite natural that consumption has been decreasing. It is not bad because people just found other kinds of alcohol to drink. Currently, people have more choices. Rather, it is wonderful,” he said. “It is true that Japanese people less consume sake than before. The percentage is too low, but that is why we can increase it a lot in the future.” 

 Besides, according to him, there are many restaurants overseas which serve Japanese food. People in other countries are coming to recognize Japanese food. He thinks this is an opportunity to make sake famous in the world.  

“As many kinds of alcohol came to Japan from overseas, I am trying to export sake to other countries.”  

He tries to spread sake in other countries and make it one of people’s choices.  

He exported his sake to Taiwan in 2015. It was the first time for him to sell his products in the overseas market. And now, he sells sake in 43 countries all around the world.  

People not only in Japan but also in other countries love the sake of Tosa Brewing Company. While making sake in Japan as usual, he flies around the world to sell his products. He is also looking ahead to the distant future. 

 “I am just keeping this sake brewery to make it better in the next generation. We want to be the company that people become happy to have in 30, 50, also 100 years. And we are working to make this company be the member of the local community, if possible, the member of Japan.”  

He never forgets the mind that he wanted to create sake for the first time, and he enjoys working for this company.  

“I am not sure whether I am suited for this job or not. But regardless, I really love this work. I am having fun.” 

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