Saijo, Ehime: A Sake-Brewing Town Built on Natural Spring Water

Saijo, a city in eastern Ehime, is known for uchinuki: naturally pressurized groundwater from Mt. Ishizuchi that rises on its own through hand-dug pipes, without any pumping. The water is unusually clean and well-balanced in minerals, and residents fill containers from public taps scattered around the city for everyday drinking and cooking. That same water quality is a major reason several sake breweries operate in and around Saijo, using it directly in the brewing process rather than treated municipal water.

The breweries here are small-scale rather than nationally famous producers, and their sake generally stays within Ehime or nearby regions rather than getting wide distribution, which makes tasting it locally more worthwhile. Some breweries offer tours or tasting rooms, but days, hours, and whether reservations are needed change and aren't consistent, so check current details before planning a visit. If sake interests you, asking at a local izakaya for a Saijo-brewed bottle is often the simpler route.