We had the pleasure of meeting a fascinating character last March during a trip to Yamaguchi. Mie Abe is Toji at the Hatsumomidi brewery. Being a woman toji is so rare in the conservative world of sake that it's well worth a closer look. In any case, Mie's story piqued our curiosity!

We asked her about her career and her daily life, and here are her words in the hope that you will be seduced and want to discover her achievements!

A few words about the brewery
Hatsumomidi is located on the shores of the Seto Sea, in the town of Shunan. We are at the southern tip of Honshu, in Yamaguchi, a prefecture nicknamed the ‘Kyoto of the West’ because the traditions of the past continue to inspire everyday life.
The Harada family has owned this brewery for 12 generations. It's a small unit whose business, local for the most part, went through some very difficult times until 2003, when Yasuhiro Harada decided to take things in hand.

He came up with the (quite brilliant...) idea of transforming the small Hatsumomidi into a ‘four seasons brewery’. His challenge was to produce throughout the year, offering his customers fresh, new sake for each season.

The gamble paid off, as their reputation has spread nationwide and they're starting to make a name for themselves abroad. We are very proud to be able to offer you their sakes in France.


The story of Mie Abe, by Mie Abe
"Before coming to the brewery, I worked in the restaurant business, but when my first child was born, it became impossible to reconcile my family life with the restrictive working hours. So I quit my job. But after four months, my desire to work was stronger and I found out that there was an opening for a kurabito at the Hatsumomidi brasserie. I applied, fully aware of the difficulty of this job, which is generally reserved for men. To my great surprise, Mr Harada, the president of Hatsumomidi, agreed to let me join the team.

I had no experience in this field and I must admit that I didn't know much about sake. It was all the more intimidating because Mr Harada is a very well-known figure, having won numerous national awards in tasting competitions. On the other hand, I was very motivated by the idea of taking part in something creative and above all directly linked to Japanese culture and ancestral traditions."

It was finally during the welcome drink, when I was hired, that I discovered what real Japanese sake produced by passionate people was all about. I was overwhelmed by the taste and the quality!

At that time, Mr Harada was the Toji, assisted by three kurabito. I became the fourth. And from the very first day, I was introduced to the production process, going into every technical detail. At the same time, I studied the methods a lot, both on paper and by taking part in a number of work placements in other breweries. After four years as Kurabito, I was promoted to ‘second Toji’.

Two years later, M Harada asked me to become Toji in his place! At the time, I refused because I didn't feel ready. But the following year, I was so disappointed and saddened by the fact that our brewery didn't win any awards at the Yamaguchi sake competition that I accepted the job to get even more involved. So, since April 2022, I've been the Toji of Hatsumomidi.

It's a job that requires a lot of energy because we brew all year round, but I'm really motivated and full of energy at the thought of seeing the smiles on the faces of the people who taste our sakes!

Being a Toji woman is an advantage. At least, that's how I see it. Making sake is a bit like bringing up a child: you have to remember that living micro-organisms are the basis of everything. If you give them love, if you pay attention to their needs, the result will be magnificent!

(Note that 70% of Hatsumomidi employees are women)

Sakes
A quick aside: if you're lucky enough to visit Yamaguchi, you'll be able to discover the brewery's production on the spot, as there's a tasting room within the brewery itself.

Through the Harada series, Mie Abe has magnificently interpreted the know-how of 12 generations of brewers. We have three references to present to you.

Sakés Harada Gengetsu - Junmaï Ginjo Muroka Genshu and- Junmaï Daïginjo Muroka Genshu

The word ‘Gengetsu’ means crescent moon, a poetic image that is beautifully stylised on the labels. As for the other terms, Muroka and Genshu, the emphasis is on power.

No carbon microfiltration, no water reduction. It's all about taste and the pure, powerful expression of ginjo aromas!

Harada Seiryu Sake

This is a sake that corresponds to the 13% reduced form of Gengetsu Junmaï Ginjo. The idea is to offer a sake with less alcohol than the average without extinguishing the aromatic expression of the original product.
The result is a smooth Ginjo that's easy to drink and, above all, easy to share. Perfect for introducing your friends to the pleasures of tasting!