Tsunan Sake Brewery Launches “Sake Rice Terrace Owner System” in Collaboration with Regional Revitalization NPO

ith the NPO Regional Revitalization (Head Office: Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture; Representative Director: Tomohiro Tada; hereinafter “NPO Regional Revitalization”), it will launch the “Sake Rice Terrace Owner System” starting in September 2025.

This project aims to preserve local resources and expand exchange between urban and rural areas through a participatory system centered on the terraced rice fields in the Iketani district of Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, an area once labeled a “marginal village” following the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake.

From Terraced Rice Fields to a Cup of Sake
The terraced rice fields of Iketani and Iriyama produce “Yamashimizu Rice,” a premium Uonuma Koshihikari variety nurtured by the sharp temperature differences between day and night and the pristine snowmelt water.

Tsunan Sake Brewery will brew sake using this Yamashimizu Rice and local water, creating a product that connects urban residents and rural communities while telling a new story. The finished sake will be delivered to the owners, strengthening bonds through family gatherings, toasts, and gifts.

About the “Yamashimizu Rice Everyone’s Terraced Fields” Owner System
The NPO Regional Revitalization’s existing “Yamashimizu Rice Everyone’s Terraced Fields” owner system allows participants to engage directly in farming activities such as rice planting, weeding, and harvesting (participation optional) rather than simply assigning a rice field area to each owner. Traditionally, the NPO cultivated the rice and distributed the harvest based on the assigned area.

Now, a new Sake Owner System is being introduced, requiring owners to collectively meet the minimum brewing lot size of 360 liters. The project is currently recruiting owners to help bring this initiative to life.

Iketani–Iriyama Terraced Rice Fields: A “Heritage of Connection”
The Iketani–Iriyama area in Tokamachi City, famous for Uonuma Koshihikari rice, experiences over three meters of snowfall each winter. When the snow melts in spring, mineral-rich water seeps into the terraced fields, supporting a rich ecosystem of frogs, loaches, and aquatic insects. Fireflies dance over the fields in early summer, while the mountain climate enhances the rice’s sweetness.

In 2021, the area was selected as one of Japan’s “Heritage of Connection: Passing on Our Hometown Pride to the Future” sites (formerly the “Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields”).

After the Chuetsu Earthquake, many terraced field embankments collapsed, and some fields took up to three years to restore. Farmers continued rice cultivation despite these hardships because preserving agriculture was vital for sustaining the community.

The NPO named the rice “Yamashimizu Rice” and began selling it directly to consumers, reducing pesticide and chemical fertilizer use to less than half of conventional levels. It is certified as “Specially Cultivated Rice” by Niigata Prefecture, and the NPO is also pursuing completely pesticide- and chemical-free cultivation.

About NPO Regional Revitalization
Founded after the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake, the NPO works in the Iketani–Iriyama area to preserve terraced rice fields, increase income, and promote urban–rural exchange. As a result, the area has transformed from a “marginal village” to a vibrant community welcoming new residents and families.

Its mission is to create a new model of community development combining the strengths of urban and rural areas while revitalizing depopulated regions and building a sustainable society.

Organization Information:
Name: NPO Regional Revitalization
Established: March 2005 (incorporated as an NPO in April 2012)
Address: 939-2 Nakajo-Kanoe, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 949-8613, Japan
Representative Director: Tomohiro Tada
Website: http://www.iketani.org/

About Tsunan Sake Brewery
Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. is a sake brewery based in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Located in one of Japan’s heaviest snowfall areas, the brewery uses natural spring water from mountains over 2,000 meters high and locally grown rice varieties such as “Gohyakumangoku” and “Uonuma Koshihikari.”
Blending tradition with innovation, Tsunan Sake Brewery promotes the concept “Brew for Future – Brewing a Coexistent Future”. In 2025, the brewery won the Governor of Niigata Award (1st place) at the Echigo-Style Sake Brewing Technology Competition.
Website: https://tsunan-sake.com/