Abstract
The breweries in Nada were always a leader of sake brewing industry in Japan, for it was they who sent sake to Edo in the Tokugawa period and to all over the country in the Meiji period. The purpose of this paper is to explain the function of sake brewing industry in Nada and to compare the breweries in Nada with those in Chita and Fushimi. We will attempt to answer the following questins. (1) How did the Nada brewers proceed with the transition from Tokugawa to Meiji? (2) Why did the sake brewing industry arise in Nada? (3) What, technologically, was the factor in the successful development of the industry in Nada? (4) How did the Nada breweries cope with the difficulties in the last days of Tokugawa rule? (5) How did the Nada breweries modernize the sake brewing industry in the Meiji period? The whole process of development of sake brewing industry in Nada can be devided into eight periods: those of germination(1724-53), of growth(1754-85), of stagnation(1786-1803), of expansion(1804-31), of inaction(1832-70), of slack(1871-81), of convalescence(1882-96), and of further advance(1897-). In conclusion, the development of the sake brewing industry in Nada after the Meiji period was made possible by the breweries' efforts in two directions. First, the production was increased, and second, marketing was given a greater emphasis.
