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Kura are organised into three groups of workers: the KURAMOTO who own and cultivate the land. The KURAMOTO also owns the equipment dedicated to sake brewing. Next there are the TOJI or sake brewers. And lastly the KURABITO, the seasonal employees.

The TOJI also follow a particularly interesting code or duty. Each TOJI has a degree from a TOJI School called RYUHA. Generally speaking, these schools are located in mountainous regions, all around the Japanese archipelago. Until recently, they kept their techniques secret, teaching to TOJI their own and specific rules. For TOJI, the only way to learn sake making is to observe and apprentice with instructors.

Sake Brewing takes place in winter and, at this time of the year, TOJI temporarily stop working as fishermen or farmers, and migrate to KURA for six months. Working in KURAS is very profitable and competition to get into the sake industry has always been very difficult.

1. Water

2. Rice

3. Koji

4. Sake Brewers

5. Environnement

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