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Founded in 1487, Hiraizumi Honpo is third oldest sake brewery in Akita. It is located in the south side of Akita, in a city called Nikaho. This city is surrounded by Mount Chōkai and the Japan sea, provided the city with an astonishing view.
This brewery is still keeping their tradition to use “Yamahai” in the making of fermentation starter, which means only natural lactic bacilli found in the brewery are used.
The process requires months of effort and meticulous management, showing the determination of preserving the originality of Japanese Sake.
Ei-kun Sake Brewery, renamed after Mochizuki Sake Brewery, was founded in 1887. That was the year when the British-Japanese Treaty was signed, the name of the sake, “Ei- kun”, was named after the monarch of Tokugawa, meaning the “wise king”. Masasaku Mochizuki, founder of the brewery, dedicated his life in searching for the best
rice for his sake from all over the country to achieve “quality first” in his products. Today, the brewery continues to follow Mochizuki san’s footsteps in producing the finest sake by applying high production standards, from labour, equipment, to ingredients.
Founded in 1983, Tenryohai is a very young sake brewer in Japan. The current owner of the brewery is the youngest sake brewery owner in the history of sake making.
Tenryohai is located on the island of Sado, Niigata. With a low population and industry free environment, it is well protected from pollution, providing the brewery with the highest quality of raw materials.
There is a 1,174m tall mountain on the island called Mt. Kinpoku. The natural spring water from the mountain is the main source of water for sake brewing for Tenryohai. The clean and soft spring water have a natural taste profile, which best to bring out the richness and taste structure from the other raw materials.
Tenryohai never stops perfecting their sake making skill, they introduced sophisticated instruments to increase the precision on each steps of sake making, striving a perfect balance between, water, rice, and micro-organism, the 3 main elements for sake making.
The newest series “The Rebirth” and “Utashiro” is the demonstration of their determination of evolving the sake industry.
Located in Kizancho, at the eastern edge of Saga Prefecture in Kyushu, near the border with Fukuoka Prefecture, is a small brewery called Kizan Shouten. Its origins trace back to the early Meiji period when several neighboring landlords came together to start brewing sake.
Utilizing the abundant underground spring water from Mount Kizan and the rich natural blessings of the Sehizen mountain range, the brewery has been dedicated to producing delicious sake for the local community. Their brand, “Kihototsuru,” derives its name from the graceful dance of cranes soaring leisurely in the embrace of Mount Kizan, home to the historic Ki Castle, designated as a special national monument.
Since its founding in the fifth year of the Meiji era, Kumazawa Shuzo has been dedicated to craftsmanship deeply rooted in the local community, with sake brewing at its core. As the last remaining brewery in Shonan, Kumazawa Shuzo will continue to deliver the deliciousness of handcrafted products that are safe and reliable.
“The name ‘Tensei’ is derived from the phrase ‘After the rain, the sky clears and the clouds part’ from a Chinese story. We strive to create sake with a refreshing and moist taste akin to the mythical ‘After the rain, the sky clears and the blue ceramic appears.’ There are four types of Tensei: in addition to ‘After the rain, the sky clears,’ there is ‘Chimine,’ which means ‘The blue sky meeting the top of the mountain after the rain,’ ‘Ginbou,’ which means ‘The blue sky intersecting with the green of the trees,’ and ‘Furo,’ which means ‘The blue sky intersecting with the moist earth as the wind gently blows.'”
Nakano Sake Brewery was founded in 1874 (7th year of the Meiji era) with a sake making history of 140 years under the name of their proprietress “Chie” and all of their sake was named “Chiebijin” to pay tribute to her legacy.
Nakano Sake Brewery believes the water is one out of three the most important elements of sake brewing. The brewery uses water originated from Rokugo-Manzan and the water are being pulled from 200 meters underneath where the brewery is located. Those water are the source of softness and smoothness in their sake. The water that the brewery is using dominated in “Monde Selection” (which is also called the Olympic Games of Food) and had received the highest gold award for 3 consecutive years. By using those water, Nakano Sake Brewery also received the honour of the “International Highest Quality Trophy”.
The feature of “Chiebijin” is its rounded, rich, smooth mouthfeel, blending the taste of premium rice from Kunisaki Peninsula and water from Rokugo-Manzan. The scent is also one of a kind. It started with a modest Ginjo smell, after that, a flourish and fruity aroma filling up the nostrils, full of sweetness and freshness.
“Ugo no Tsuki” brewed by Aihara Sake Brewery is located in the town of “Nikata,” which is surrounded by the Seto Inland Sea and three mountains to the east of Kure City. The name “Ugo no Tsuki” is derived from a passage in the essay “Nature and Life” and was named with the desire to brew a “clear and beautiful sake.”
Characteristics of Ugo no Tsuki:
1. Using the finest ingredients
2. All products are made with the daiginjo brewing method
3. All products are stored in refrigeration to slowly enhance the flavor at low temperatures
Sake born from daiginjo brewing is elegant, beautiful, and has transparency, winning numerous gold awards at various competitions. It can be said to be a representative brand of Hiroshima loved by many people.
The taste of “Ugo no Tsuki” is overall fruity, not too dry, but has a clean sharpness that makes it easy to drink. It is a recommended brand for a wide range of people, from those familiar with sake to beginners. The transparent and elegant sake quality pairs well with delicate flavors such as white fish sashimi, salt-grilled dishes, and vegetable dishes.