Sake Brands
in Akita

Engraving the ambition to be the "Pride of Akita" in its name, this flagship brand symbolizes the passion and pride of Akita Homare Shuzo. By integrating the wisdom of several historic breweries and utilizing high-quality rice and water from Yuri-Honjo, it offers a refreshing, slightly dry profile. While honoring tradition, they also challenge themselves with innovative brewing using rare rice like "Kame no O," providing a dignified umami that reflects Akita's pure spirit.

Bearing the name of the Yuri region, this historic brand has long supported the tradition and trust of Saiya Shuzoten. Based on the "Three No's" philosophy and utilizing Ishiwaki's pure groundwater and in-house yeast, it extracts the honest, inherent umami of rice to the fullest. Consistently loved by the people of Yuri-Honjo as the "origin of local sake," it offers an unpretentious yet solid flavor that channels the region's richness in every drop.

Derived from the phrase meaning "a shining pearl in the palm," this ultra-premium brand is crafted drop by drop with as much care as raising one's own child. Using only the core of select sake rice, it undergoes precise temperature control and a delicate fermentation process with "flower yeast," resulting in a crystal-like sake that shines like a gemstone. The noble aroma and fleeting yet rich finish are the heights of luxury suited for special moments, a masterpiece of the brewery's highest technical standards.

Bearing the brewer's own name, Ritsurin is a concept brand created to pursue the ultimate expression of terroir. With a focus on specific fields and cultivation methods, it aims to bottle the latent potential of Misato Nishiki rice and the essence of Rokugo's landscape directly. While retaining Harukasumi's gentleness, it offers a robust flavor filled with the energy and life force of the earth. A truly original sake that reflects the brewer's will and the memory of the land, inviting the drinker to Akita's rural scenery.

The pinnacle Daiginjo of Akita Shuzo, famous for being the first commercially available Daiginjo in the prefecture. The legacy yeast and long-term cold fermentation produce a mellow richness and apple-like fruity aroma in exquisite harmony. Named after the pure joy of drinking, its elegant umami and silky mouthfeel invite you to a truly blissful moment.

The flagship brand evoking Akita's clear, bright skies, this is a quintessential local sake crafted with 100% Akita ingredients. Traditional steaming in Japanese cauldrons and slow brewing with Araya's ultra-soft water support its crisp, dry (Tanrei Karakuchi) profile. With a gentle rice expansion and refreshing acidity, its honest flavor nurtured by the terroir accompanies any dining table with grace.

A playful, new-era brand with a name combining the Akita dialect for "brew" and "let's drink." Adding a modern touch to traditional Kimoto techniques, young artisans brew this sake with intense passion. Despite its approachable name, it perfectly balances rich rice umami with a sharp finish, offering a fresh way to enjoy Japanese sake.

As its name suggests, Acid Seven is an innovative product featuring an astonishing acidity of 7—several times that of typical sake. Its white-wine-like freshness and multilayered acidity harmonize beautifully, excelling in pairings with Western cuisine and cheese at the forefront of modern sake. This bold acidic design, possible only through traditional techniques, is a pioneering cup opening new doors for sake, gaining attention in gastronomy scenes worldwide.

Derived from the name of the founding brewer, Kisaburo Hirasawa, this traditional brand conveyed the origins and pride of the brewery's foundation. Inheriting the lineage originally known as "Kisaburo's Sake" by local connoisseurs, it continued to express the spirit of Noshiro across generations. Though production has ended, this sake carrying the founder's name embodied a sincere devotion to quality and symbolized the passionate, turbulent history of the brewery.

This brewery is closed

Established in the Meiji era, Rakuizumi was loved as the soulful brand symbolizing over 260 years of Nishimura Shuzoten's long tradition. As the name meaning "Spring of Joy" suggests, it aimed to be a friendly presence that brought happiness with every sip, reflecting the rich terroir of Noshiro through honest brewing. Though no longer produced following the brewery's closure, its flavor once graced many gatherings and tables in Noshiro, remaining in hearts as a phantom masterpiece of local history.