How to Become a Master Sake Brewer, Part II

Back in July, I wrote a post on how the process of becoming a toji, or sake master brewer, has evolved in recent years. The old style was one of “watch, but don’t ask questions,” while today’s is more of a “teach and tell” method. Though the post was inspired by a blog entry I’d seen on the Fukumitsuya Brewery Japanese website, I was unable to reach master brewer Kazuhiko Itaya in time for my piece.

After I posted it, Itaya reached out to me to offer his thoughts on the topic, which I will share with you here. The brewery, located in Ishikawa Prefecture, is nearly 400 years old, so has a lot of toji history to draw from as it shapes its brewer-education program to fit the modern age.

There is no requirement that entering kurabito, or brewery workers, hold a government-issued brewing technician certification, Itaya says, but they  should possess a basic knowledge of physics, chemistry and math. One reason a certificate is not required for entry-level workers is that you need at least two years of experience in order to apply to take the second-grade certification test, and seven years in order to take the first-grade certification test. (Alternatively, brewers who have received their second-level certification need to show two more years of practical brewing experience  before taking the first-level test). Itaya adds, “We encourage all our brewers to pursue these certifications as part of their efforts to improve their sake-making technique.”

The kurabito’s education, like Fukumitsuya’s sake brewing, is seasonal. During the winter brewing months the demands of production mean that all learning happens on the job. During the off-season young kurabito are tasked with reading basic brewing books and attending training sessions given by senior brewers. Lectures and mock tests cover material in the second-grade level certification exam, and are created by senior colleagues who have passed that test. This company perk reminded me of the way some law firms offer their legal assistants who are also aspiring lawyers enrollment in LSAT prep courses. In both cases it is the company’s show of faith in their employees and an investment in their futures.

The young brewers learn how to perform chemical analyses of sake, as well as the ins and outs of providing financial documentation to tax authorities. They also participate in sake tastings led by a senior kurabito who has received training from the National Research Institute of Brewing. NRIB is known to offer the most rigorous tasting exam given in Japan.

Itaya does not find fault with the old “watch but don’t ask” style of brewer education, he just thinks it was a different style for a different time. Whatever the method, he says, “Our first aim is to educate kurabito to be brewing generalists. Then we try to find the strong points in each, so they can reach the position of specialist. This system allows us to improve our team’s skills from the bottom-up as well as raise the overall skill level of the brewery.”

Itaya does believe that the traditional method of brewer education was better at instilling a respect for one’s own job and that of others, and allowing kurabito to find deeper meaning in their work. “It provided both specialist skills and a sense of self-worth,” he says.

Itaya also outlined the different specialist positions in the brewery, which, all together, offers a fascinating look into the complexities and division of labor in a large modern brewery. Here are job descriptions for the top three positions in the brewery after that of toji, followed by some additional specialist jobs.

The kashira (頭) is the toji’s right-hand and is in charge of managing the brewery, and drawing up staff assignments and working hours. The kashira is also responsible for the procurement of materials and budget control.

The daishi (代司), is the “replacement toji,” the person who, when the toji is absent, is in charge of koji-making as well as all handling of the rice in its raw form: rice-washing, soaking, steaming and cooling. The literal meaning of the word “daishi” is 代わりを司る (kodawari o tsukasadoru), or “the replacement governs.” Some breweries include the position of kojiya (麹屋), the person in charge of making only the koji. At Fukumitsuya, though, this is part of the daishi’s job.

The motoya (酛屋) is in charge of making the shubo, or yeast starter (also known as the seed mash, or moto, 酛, in Japanese). The motoya’s job includes keeping a careful watch on the condition of the yeast starter. This is a key task because the condition of the moto and its yeast population will determine the toji’s next steps, which might require fixing or adjusting the starter in some way.

Itaya assumes that other traditional breweries, and not just large ones, follow this toji-plus-three system. “While many breweries have given up this system for the more modern style of a food production facility  [which feature regular hours, for example], at Fukumitsuya,” he notes, “we don’t tailor our schedule to human needs, but prioritize the microorganisms that work twenty-four-seven. We’re making traditional sake here, so we want to preserve the good parts of the traditional work of Fukumitsuya, while also accommodating modern work life.”

Fukumitsuya’s specialist positions go beyond this toji-plus-three system. Here are a few more specialist positions:

 The kamaya (釜屋) is the person in charge of rice steaming  

The sendo (船頭) is the person in charge of pressing the sake.

The senmai tanto  (洗米担当) is the person in charge of washing the rice.

The shinseki tanto (浸漬担当) is the person in charge of soaking the rice.

There is mobility within this structured system, too. Every year, the people in these various roles are shuffled. Placement decisions are based on competence, interest and the brewery’s long-term visions for each employee. The toji’s job in this system would be that of chief executive, overseeing the entire sake making project, although in small breweries, the toji may do all top three jobs or even more!

 Finally, Itaya makes the point that part of what makes becoming a kurabito a dynamic experience rather than passive academic exercise is the way it is always shifting to adapt to the times and to market conditions, and the need to always see one’s work from the point of view of the customer. “Today,” he says, “when we look for a new kurabito what we want is the person who says, ‘I love sake, I love making things and I love making other people happy.’”

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