Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan

For generations, Nishiyama Brewery has stood as a long-established sake brewery in Tamba. In the past, it also served as a cultural salon where poets, writers, and painters—includingthe renowned haiku poet Kyoshi Takahama—gathered and exchanged ideas. Today, three buildings on our premises are registered as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan. Not only the structures themselves, but also the cultural memories cultivated through theseartistic connections are irreplaceable cultural assets to us.

A Bond with Haiku-Kyoshi Takahama and the Third-Generation head-

Kyoshi Takahama (1874–1959) was one of Japan’s most influential haiku poets of themodern era. Ryozo, the third-generation head of Nishiyama Brewery, was deeply moved by the poem of Masaoka Shiki. This encounter led him to immerse himself in haiku andeventually to meet Takahama. Ryozo became Takahama’s disciple, composing haiku under the pen name Hakuun(泊雲). Despite the distance between Tokyo and Tamba, the the two exchanged poems by mail,continuing a deep literary dialogue.

The Birth of the Brand Name “Kotsuzumi(小鼓)"

At one point, Nishiyama Brewery faced a serious crisis due to family business failures. It was Kyoshi Takahama who offered crucial support during this difficult time. He named the sake Kotsuzumi and composed the haiku: “Here is fine sake—I name it Kotsuzumi.” Through promotion in the haiku magazine Hototogisu, Kotsuzumi became known throughout Japan, helping the brewery regain stability and recognition.

A Connection with Usen Ogawa

Through Hototogisu, many artists and literary figures came to visit Nishiyama Brewery.
One of them was the painter Usen Ogawa, who stayed in Tamba repeatedly and developed such close ties that bonds were formed between the two families through marriage.
The legacy continues today: the Kyokai No.10 yeast, discovered by Ogawa’s son, is still carefully used in Nishiyama Brewery’s sake brewing.