Nanbu Toji (Nanbu master brewer guild)

Nanbu Toji is one of Japan's leading groups of toji (master brewers, the craftsmen who oversee sake production), active mainly in Iwate Prefecture. Known as one of the Three Great Toji Guilds of Japan, it is ranked alongside the Echigo Toji (Niigata Prefecture) and the Tajima Toji (Hyogo Prefecture). At its peak in the 1965-1974 period (the Showa 40s), about 3,200 toji belonged to the group, and their techniques and distinctive, locally rooted style of sake brewing spread widely. Nanbu Toji originated in Ishidoriya Town (石鳥谷町) in Iwate Prefecture, an outstanding rice-growing region, and sake that makes use of the area's abundant water and high-quality rice is highly regarded. Nanbu Toji brewing values a balance between tradition and innovation, and the techniques for producing sake with a delicate yet rich flavor have been passed down through generations.