ILAKA Japanese Sake Atelier has inherited the legacy of a historic brewery founded in 1665 (Kanbun 5) and is dedicated to creating “happy moments” through sake. While preserving tradition, we are committed to crafting new value in the world of sake. To pursue this ideal, we built a new brewery in Matsukawa Village, Azumino, seeking the perfect environment for our vision. Blessed with rich natural surroundings and an exceptional climate, this village allows us to brew sake and create new stories using the finest quality rice and water, sharing the culture of Japan with the world.

Matsukawa Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture, is a region surrounded by the majestic Northern Alps, home to peaks rising over 3,000 meters. Known as “the last village preserving the original landscape of Azumino,” it offers a vast and beautiful natural environment. The area is characterized by significant temperature variations between day and night, as well as between seasons, with particularly harsh winters.

The western part of the Northern Alps features rugged terrain based on Paleozoic sedimentary rock formed around 300 million years ago, with towering peaks reaching heights of approximately 2,800 meters. The central lowlands of the village are shaped by the merging of alluvial fans formed by rivers like the Ashimagawa, making it a historically agricultural hub.

Water for agriculture comes from underground sources and rivers such as the Takasegawa and Ashimagawa, which flow from the Northern Alps. This cool water plays an essential role in mitigating heat damage to sake rice, a problem that has become more prevalent in recent years. Matsukawa Village maintains the high quality of its sake rice and boasts an exceptionally high proportion of top-grade rice compared to other areas in Japan. The village’s rice is highly valued, with many breweries across Nagano Prefecture directly contracting with local farmers.