A Journey to the Water Source

The story of Private villa esoto always begins with water.

The sake poured at the table.

The bath drawn in the kura.

The rice prepared for breakfast.

Beneath them all flows the water of Hakushu.

We call the place where this water begins simply the water source.

Sengafuchi lies at the foot of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Southern Alps, where clear mountain water gathers among forests and granite.

As part of your stay at Private villa esoto, we invite you on a journey to this source—a place only a short drive from the house, yet one that feels entirely removed from everyday life.

In this Letter, we trace that quiet journey in words.

Passing beneath the torii gate of Komagatake Shrine, crossing the suspension bridge over the Ojiragawa River, and walking onward to Sengafuchi, where clear water rests upon a bed of pale granite.

A short walk of just over ten minutes, into the memory of water.

WATER IS OUR ESSENCE

Water, the Source of Sake

In the making of Shichiken sake, water is more than simply one of its ingredients.

It is, perhaps, closer to the soul of the sake itself.

The rice, koji and yeast are all chosen in response to the character of this water. For more than 270 years, the brewers of Hakushu have devoted themselves to expressing its purity as faithfully as possible through sake.

Water is what we value above all in our sake brewing.
We hope you will experience for yourself the richness of this landscape, and our deep respect for its water.

― From our guide to the water source

The name Hakushu is said to derive from the pale sand and gravel that spread along its pristine riverbanks.

Snowmelt and groundwater descend from the Southern Alps, emerging throughout the landscape to feed streams, forests and fields.

A land where the sound of water is never far away.

This is Hakushu.

THE LAND OF PURE WATER

Hakushu, a Land Shaped by Water

Hakushu, in Hokuto City, Yamanashi, is renowned as one of Japan’s great regions of pure natural water.

As you walk through the landscape, you may notice moss clinging softly to trees and stone, and a cool trace of moisture in the air.

These are quiet signs of just how deeply water shapes this place.

Rain and snow falling on the Southern Alps slowly filter through layers of granite, making a journey said to take approximately 27 years.

At the end of that journey, the water emerges as clear underground spring water—the source of Shichiken sake.

With a hardness of approximately 20 mg/L, it is exceptionally soft water, gentle and smooth on the palate.

The source is a short drive from Shukuba esoto.

From there, we guide guests on an easy walk of approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

The path leads toward the trailhead of Mt. Kaikomagatake. For generations, people have walked these woods in search of its water, making this one of Hakushu’s most tranquil and enduring landscapes.A GUIDED JOURNEY

A GUIDED JOURNEY

The Path to the Source

Our journey to Sengafuchi unfolds through three scenes.

There is no need to hurry.

Simply listen.

With every step, the presence of water grows a little stronger.

STOP 01

BEGINNING | Komagatake Shrine

The walk begins beneath the torii gate of Komagatake Shrine.

Standing at the entrance to the trail toward Mt. Kaikomagatake, the shrine has long been associated with mountain worship and has welcomed generations of pilgrims, climbers and travellers.

Before entering the mountain, one prays for a safe journey.

Before receiving its water, one bows.

We invite you to begin with a quiet moment beneath the torii.

Listen closely—
The wind passing through the cedar trees.

The distant call of birds.

STOP 02

CROSSING | The Ojiragawa Suspension Bridge

A little beyond the shrine, the landscape opens onto the Ojiragawa River.

Recognised among Japan’s 100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters, the river is known for its remarkable clarity. A slender suspension bridge stretches across it.

Look down from the bridge and, through the transparent current, you can see the pale granite stones of the riverbed with striking clarity.

Beneath your feet—

The gentle creak of the bridge.
The murmur of the river below.
The whisper of water against stone.

STOP 03

ARRIVAL | Sengafuchi

Cross the bridge and continue along the path, and you will soon arrive at Sengafuchi.

Look up, and there is deep green forest.

Look down, and a pool of astonishing clarity.

The pale granite beneath the river acts as a natural filter, lending the water its delicate mineral balance and remarkably soft, almost silken texture.

A hardness of approximately 20 mg/L.
This is the water at the heart of Shichiken sake.

Touch the water—

Just with your fingertips.

Before you notice its coldness,
you may notice its softness.

TO RECEIVE THE WATER

What It Means to Receive Water

After a journey of some 27 years, the water rises once more from the earth.

From here, it becomes Shichiken sake and flows quietly into a night at Private villa esoto.

Knowing the length of that journey may change the way a single cup of sake appears before you.

At esoto, we speak of a stay as something to immerse yourself in.

Because here, we want you to surrender, quietly, to the water of this land.

Drink it. Bathe in it. Taste it. Listen to it.

In each of these gestures, the water of Hakushu is present.

In future Letters, we will follow its journey further—to the rice grown in the fields of Hakushu, and then into the nearly three centuries of brewing culture that lives within the Shichiken sake brewery.

Water is where everything begins.

We hope you will continue to follow its quiet course with us.

Private villa esoto / Sengafuchi, Hakushu
Letter vol.01
A Journey to the Source | Hakushu, to Sengafuchi