Tsunan Sake Brewery’s Representative Director Suzuki Paid a Courtesy Visit to BRIN Bandung
On September 26, 2025, Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Representative Director: Kengo Suzuki, hereinafter “Tsunan Sake Brewery”), headquartered in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, paid a courtesy visit to the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Bandung KST Samaun Samadikun. This visit was conducted as part of our initiative to explore new possibilities of combining our fermentation technology with regional resources in Southeast Asia.
At BRIN, we were guided through the research facilities by Dr. Nur Akmalia Hidayati, who is engaged in research on fermented foods. Dr. Nur introduced her work on “Green Tempe,” a fermented soy product enhanced with microalgae such as Spirulina and Euglena, which she has been studying in Indonesia. She explained the high nutritional value and functionality of algae, and how these properties can be applied to fermented foods. Research in this area has also shown in Japan that adding algae to fermented foods such as rice koji, tempeh, and yogurt can enhance their antioxidant capacity and functionality.
From Tsunan Sake Brewery, we presented our initiatives utilizing rice fermentation that makes full use of the “terroir” of Tsunan Town, one of Japan’s most prominent heavy snowfall regions. We also discussed with Dr. Nur the potential of microbial fermentation using local fruits such as durian and longan, exchanging ideas on a new vision for the future of fermentation.
Through this exchange, we were once again reminded of the global reach of fermentation technology and the possibilities of new food development by utilizing cutting-edge science. Moving forward, Tsunan Sake Brewery will continue to pursue the creation of a sustainable food culture by fusing tradition rooted in regional resources with advanced science.
About Tsunan Sake Brewery
Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. is a sake brewery headquartered in Tsunan Town, Nakauonuma District, Niigata Prefecture. Located in one of Japan’s most renowned heavy snowfall areas, the brewery uses natural spring water sourced from 2,000-meter-class mountains as its brewing water. Its sake brewing is characterized by the use of locally grown sake rice such as “Gohyakumangoku” and “Uonuma Koshihikari.”
In 2025, the company received the Governor of Niigata Prize (First Place) at the Echigo-style Sake Brewing Technology Championship, a competition recognizing excellence in brewing technology.
Official website of Tsunan Sake Brewery: https://tsunan-sake.com/
