Until the early Heian period the Imperial Court had a department called Mikinotsukasa (Sake brewing) and brewed sake inside the court, but with the declination of kanga (government office), the technique and staff for sake brewing ran out of the court until major temples in many provinces including the Provinces of Yamato and Kawachi began to play a major part in commercial sake brewing.
平安時代初期までは、朝廷が造酒司（みきのつかさ）などの部署を持ち、内部で酒造を行っていたが、やがて官衙の衰退により技術や人員が外部に流出するようになり、民間の酒造りの中心となったのが大和国や河内国をはじめとする各地の大寺院であった。