Savor the appeal of "Link 8" from renowned sake maker Masuizumi as a food-pairing sake, discovered through a culinary tour of local Toyama delicacies | FEATURE
FEATURE | Masuizumi
Aging "bridged" by aging Japanese sake in whisky barrels. Discover its brilliance alongside Toyama's exquisite cuisine!
Masuda Shuzo, founded in 1893 and known as the brewery behind "Masuizumi," has created another remarkable sake (distributed by Pernod Ricard Japan). It's called "Link 8." Sake enthusiasts might have already heard of it. Launched in November 2022, it's an innovative Japanese sake aged and blended in Chivas Regal casks. To fully savor this "Link 8," I visited the Iwase district in Toyama, where Masuda Shuzo is located, only to discover a culinary paradise beyond my wildest imagination. Let me introduce it with a touch of excitement.
Text by HASEGAWA Aya
Left: "Masuda Shuzo," the creator of "Link 8." It is renowned as the brewery behind Toyama's premier ginjo sake, "Masuizumi." Right: An alley in the Iwase district, a port town that prospered through trade via Kitamaebune ships during the Edo period. Nostalgic buildings, retaining the Meiji era's charm, line the main street, "Iwase Omachi-Shinkawacho Street," which faces the old Hokkoku Kaido road.
Masuda Shuzo is a brewery in Toyama Prefecture founded on the principle of "Bishin Kyushin"—the belief that one cannot brew delicious sake without understanding delicious food. In Toyama, a treasure trove of ingredients, they focus on "Masuizumi," which harmonizes with and enhances the region's abundant produce.
The Iwase district in Toyama City prospered as a port town during the Edo period thanks to the Kitamaebune trading ships. Many buildings from that era still stand today, and the area was registered as a Japan Heritage site in 2018.
The Iwase district, where Masuda Shuzo is located, was once a thriving port town for the Kitamaebune ships. Masuda Shuzo is actively involved in the revitalization of the area. Ryichiro Masuda, the fifth-generation owner, laughs heartily, "I can't help but buy any vacant properties that come up around here." ... How cool is that.
Masuda renovates the purchased old houses and storehouses into restaurants, shops, and galleries. Many of the people who have opened businesses in the Iwase area were invited by Ryichiro to move there. Currently, six restaurants in the area are featured in the "Michelin Guide Toyama Ishikawa Fukui."
Ryichiro Masuda, the fifth-generation owner of "Masuda Shuzo." He is a key figure in the "delicious" revitalization of the Iwase town. And before him sits a Chivas Regal cask.
The "Link 8," which we are featuring today, originated from a meeting in 2018 between Ryichiro and Colin Scott, the former Master Blender of "Chivas Regal," at the Strathisla Distillery in Keith, Scotland.
This "Link 8" was born from a unique concept: to incorporate the "Art of Blending," inherited as the DNA of "Chivas Regal," into sake brewing to create a complex and refined Japanese sake.
Aged in Chivas Regal casks, it pairs exceptionally well with cheese!
"Link 8" is produced by aging the base sakes—made from several types of rice and yeast—in several Chivas Regal casks sent from Scotland, and then blending them. ...It sounds impressive, but you can't really imagine the taste until you try it, can you?
So, I decided to try it right away (laughs). Indeed, you can sense the aroma of whisky from the casks, yet the palate is clean. There are also hints of hazelnut and vanilla. It seems enjoyable on its own without any snacks, but it also looks like it would pair well with food~.
The bottle design is also elegant. The "8" design adorning the center of the bottle symbolizes the waves of a Japanese Zen garden and the Celtic knot of Scottish ancient decoration, representing the connection between Japan and Scotland. Furthermore, the overlap of four "8"s represents the distance of "8,888 km" between Keith, Scotland, where the Chivas Regal Strathisla Distillery is located, and Toyama City, where Masuda Shuzo is based.
"Kuchiiwa." A renovated traditional house where you can enjoy soba and Japanese sake. I must revisit soon!
I wanted to test the potential of "Link 8" by pairing it with food, and Ryichiro kindly took me to "Kuchiiwa," a place where you can enjoy soba and sake pairings. There, I had soba made with "Link 8" (what a luxury!) and homemade cured mullet roe. It was simply divine! It couldn't possibly not pair well, could it? (laughs)
The soba made with "Link 8" is exquisite!
The owner, Tomohiko Kuchiiwa, emphasizes that it's a soba restaurant where soba lovers can be satisfied. The main stars are, after all, the soba and the sake. Although I only stopped by for a tasting and sampling this time, I want to return and relax properly. Hmm, when should I visit again?!
"KOBO Brew Pub," renovated from a rice storehouse of a wealthy merchant. It offers Czech-style craft beers brewed using traditional methods by a Czech brewer (nicknamed Kochas) with over 25 years of brewing experience.
Another must-visit is "KOBO Brew Pub," where you can enjoy craft beer in a space renovated from a 100-year-old rice storehouse. The "Toyama Wagyu Jerky" is also memorably delicious (I wish I had bought some (laughs)).
"Saseki," a standing sake bar operated by Masuda Shuzo. With its large hinoki wood counter, it's a sanctuary for sake lovers to thoroughly enjoy the brewery's offerings (laughs).
"Saseki," the standing sake bar run by Masuda Shuzo, is a place where sake lovers could happily spend an entire day. In fact, I'd love to live there (laughs)! The refrigerator holds about 100 types of sake, with multiple varieties of "Masuizumi" alone. The pricing system involves purchasing a tasting masu for 220 yen, then enjoying all-you-can-drink for 2,000 yen per 30 minutes, or paying 200-500 yen per glass. Basically, the more you drink, the more you save. The large, single-piece hinoki counter is also magnificent, truly a paradise for drinkers. Or perhaps the entire Iwase district is a paradise.
Left: "GAKU ceramics," the craft brand of Takeshi Shiganaga, a ceramic artist from Toyama Prefecture. Shiganaga's elegant yet grandly natural vessels are highly sought after not only in Toyama but also by restaurants in Tokyo and abroad! Right: "Taizo Glass Gallery," showcasing the popular glass art of Taizo Yasuda, known for his delicate lace-patterned glassware. Yasuda, originally from Kobe, moved to Higashi-Iwase in 2005 after being invited by Masuda.
All the places introduced here are within walking distance. There are also galleries such as "GAKU ceramics," the craft brand of Toyama-born ceramic artist Takeshi Shiganaga, and "Taizo Glass Gallery" by glass artist Taizo Yasuda. Additionally, there are shops selling traditional sweets like "Tobidango" and "Sankaku Dorayaki," an Italian restaurant, a sushi restaurant, a teishoku restaurant, and cafes—it's a treasure trove of captivating spots.
"Oryori Fujii." Opened in the Gofuku district in 2011, it relocated to the current Iwase district in August 2019. The standard course at "Oryori Fujii" is 27,500 yen (tax included, service charge not included) for both lunch and dinner. Prices vary depending on the menu.
Now, let's move on to the main event of the day. The highlight of this trip was to experience the pairing of "Link 8" with the cuisine of "Oryori Fujii," a restaurant awarded two stars in the "Michelin Guide Toyama Ishikawa Fukui 2021." Chef Hiromichi Fujii of "Oryori Fujii," who openly declares his deep love for Toyama, relocated to the Iwase premises in August 2019. He now showcases his culinary skills in a restaurant renovated from the former residence of a wealthy merchant who prospered through maritime trade.
The beauty and deliciousness of the dishes, made with abundant seafood and mountain produce from Toyama, are already well-known, but they exceeded even the rumors! If my wallet and time allowed, I would visit every season...! And "Link 8" (with honorifics now), proved to be an incredibly versatile food-pairing sake.
Firefly squid, a spring delicacy from Toyama Bay. Whether marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal, boiled, or served with rice in a clay pot, it's undeniably delicious (laughs)!
Firefly squid, a spring delicacy from Toyama Bay. Whether marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal, boiled, or served with rice in a clay pot, it's undeniably delicious (laughs)!
Firefly squid, a spring delicacy from Toyama Bay. Whether marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal, boiled, or served with rice in a clay pot, it's undeniably delicious (laughs)!
Firefly squid, a spring delicacy from Toyama Bay. Whether marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal, boiled, or served with rice in a clay pot, it's undeniably delicious (laughs)!
Firefly squid, a spring delicacy from Toyama Bay. Whether marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal, boiled, or served with rice in a clay pot, it's undeniably delicious (laughs)!
I visited in March. The seasonal ingredients, hinting at the arrival of spring, filled me with joy. The presentation, including the appetizers, was a vibrant celebration of spring. The entertainment value of being able to taste variations of a single ingredient was also superb!
For example, the sashimi offered different cuts of "mejimaguro" (young bluefin tuna) caught in Toyama Bay. The "jewel of Toyama," firefly squid, was served in various styles—marinated in soy sauce, grilled over charcoal (with a clever touch of different grilling levels!), and boiled—and even appeared in the final clay pot rice dish.
The "snow crab" caught in Toyama Bay was served as "crab broth shabu-shabu" and "crab meat with miso." And the depth of "Link 8" that accompanied all these main-dish-worthy creations was truly remarkable...! Despite being a rather distinctive sake with an aged aroma, I was genuinely surprised.
The magnificent snow crab, landed at the fishing port of Toyama Bay New Port, made a grand appearance!
At the 7-seat counter, you can indulge in exquisite cuisine while gazing at the garden, designed to evoke the rough waves of the Sea of Japan!
And after indulging in the luxurious experience of enjoying "Link 8" throughout the meal, I realized it's also a sake whose temperature variations can be enjoyed. Personally, I prefer it chilled, but it becomes even smoother and more delicious as it warms slightly.
...As a side note, the water served with the meal that day was the brewing water from Masuizumi. I was so overwhelmed with happiness that I genuinely worried I might be punished for it.
You can access Higashi-Iwase from Toyama Station by tram in about 20 minutes. I must make a pilgrimage to the beautiful sake and food scene of the Iwase district soon! ...However, with so many intriguing places, I might need about a week.
"Sushi Jin," one of Toyama's premier sushi restaurants. It's a renowned establishment that focuses on local Toyama ingredients, a must-visit when in Toyama.
Finally, a postscript. The day after finishing my interviews in the Iwase district, I visited "Sushi Jin" in Toyama City on a personal trip. It's a popular restaurant run by Izumi Kimura, who studied sushi independently, and it received one star in the "Michelin Guide Toyama Ishikawa Fukui 2021 Special Edition."
This restaurant also adheres strictly to Toyama's ingredients. The rice is, of course, from Toyama. The toppings are primarily sourced from Toyama Bay and Nanao Bay, with a few exceptions. Furthermore, upon hearing rumors of "Masuizumi" pairings, I couldn't resist (laughs) and made a reservation.
To conclude, it is a renowned restaurant that lives up to its reputation. Beyond being delicious, it's also an enjoyable experience. You can truly feel the owner's love for Toyama. While the fish was exceptional, I was completely captivated (laughs) by the "Ume Chawanmushi" (steamed egg custard with plum), made solely with Toyama's spring water and plum vinegar sauce. It paired wonderfully with Masuizumi's junmai sake! Of course, I also savored "Link 8."
The culinary and sake scene in Toyama is truly buzzing lately!
Link 8 Volume | 750ml Category | Seishu (Japanese Sake) Alcohol Content | 16% Suggested Retail Price | 13,200 yen (tax included) Brewed by | Masuda Shuzo Distributed by | Pernod Ricard Japan
