The beginning of this brewery dates way back to 1650, making it the second oldest brewery in Nagano prefecture. Located in Kiso village at an elevation of 3,068 feet, the brewery was a popular stop for travelers trekking through the mountain pass that connected Kyoto and Edo. Who wouldn’t enjoy some delicious sake after such a journey? These days, the brewers have developed processes for creating sake in the extreme cold that blankets the region in winter, which can reach -1 degrees Fahrenheit. Their sake is made with water from the Kiso River and the tremendous heart of the brewers.