Noguchi Naohiko - God of Sake

Recently, we were watching NHK World and saw this special episode on Noguchi Naohiko, a 93 year old sake brewer. Any time we hear of people who are older than we are and still working, we are inspired! Even at 93, Noguchi is still involved in sake making. I found this photo of him on the online publication, Imbibe, where the title of the article was "75 Person to Watch".¹

Noguchi has been making sake since 1949. He became a Master Toji (sake brewmaster) at the age of 28 and is credited with reviving the Yamahai style of sake brewing. Yamahai along with Kimoto describe historical methods of brewing sake using natural lactic acid bacteria in order to begin the sake making process. The difference between the Kimoto and the Yamahai historical sake brewing process is that the Kimoto has a step called yama-oroshi which entails the grinding of steamed rice and koji rice with a paddle called a kai before insertion into a tank to develop into yeast starter. It’s hard work that requires stirring the rice every two to three hours for an entire day. The Yamahai process omits the yama-oroshi step yet still produces a deep, rich flavor.
Noguchi is known as the "god of sake". The Noguchi Naohiki Sake Institute was founded in 2017 with the goal of training a new generation of sake masters.
The episode about Noguchi inspired us to look into purchasing some of the sake he made. My husband was able to purchase this 2023 Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute. The back label explained that this sake is a Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu meaning that it is unfiltered, unpasteurised, and undiluted. The rice, water and yeast are all local. We paired the sake with a salmon dish. I tasted a lot of umami in this sake which made it a little different from the typical light, fruity sakes that we have with sushi. Indeed, the recommendation is to have this sake with oily fish and big, rich dishes. The alcohol content of this sake was a surprising 17%. As the sake warmed it became mellower, releasing more of the floral aromatics. I felt privileged to have tasted a sake made by Noguchi Naohiko, God of Sake!
References:
1. Imbibe, Imbibe 75 Person to Watch: Noguchi Naohiko, January 2, 2026.
2. SakeTimes, SAKE 101: Kimoto and Yamahai, May 27, 2021.
3. Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute.