Obara Shuzo, a sake brewery in Kitakata, is known for crafting sake influenced by the local climate and classical music. Since 1989, they have produced only premium-grade sake, and from 2009, exclusively junmai (pure rice) sake. Their main lineup, the “Kuraki Series,” includes around 50 different varieties. The brewery sticks to traditional small-batch brewing methods, never blending batches, and pays close attention to every detail. The 10th-generation president, Kosuke Obara, explains, “Sake reflects the effort we put in—there’s no room for shortcuts.” A unique hallmark of Obara Shuzo is their use of classical music during fermentation. Inspired by research in the late 1980s, they began playing over 50 genres of music to sake in fermentation tanks. They discovered that Mozart, in particular, encouraged faster yeast activity and resulted in smoother, more aromatic sake with less bitterness or acidity. Since then, they’ve continued to craft “music sake” by playing Mozart during brewing.