Sake Brands
in Fukuoka

"Rouge Naturelle" is one of the distinctive brands of Yanagawa Shuzo. The brand name "Rouge" means "Red" in French, and "Naturelle" means "Natural," suggesting a sake with natural redness and glamour. Like other brands of Yanagawa Shuzo, it is thought to be brewed by a handmade method using the underground water of weak hard water gushing from the underground shell layer near the mouth of the Chikugo River and sake rice from Fukuoka Prefecture. Since the Western name "Rouge Naturelle" is adopted, it may be a product with a more modern and sophisticated approach, different from the image of conventional sake.

"Kuninokotobuki" is the representative brand of Yanagawa Shuzo, a historical brand born in this land in the 23rd year of Meiji, more than 100 years ago. The brand name includes the meaning of blessing the prosperity and longevity of the country, and is loved as an auspicious name suitable for celebratory occasions. The biggest feature of this brand is that it uses underground water of weak hard water gushing from the underground shell layer near the mouth of the Chikugo River. This water quality, which is rich in minerals and has strong fermentation power, produces a tangy dry taste. At the same time, by using 100% rice from Fukuoka Prefecture, especially using the improved variety rice "Jugemu" (a crossbreed of Yamada Nishiki and Yumeikkon) jointly developed with local farmers, plump umami of rice is realized. In manufacturing, under the motto "Aiming to carry through rather than omitting," they continue to protect traditional manufacturing methods that insist on handmade production. In particular, they have a strong commitment to koji making, and bring out the individuality of sake through careful processes that make the most of the Toji's skills and experience.

"Hyakka Ryoran" (Profusion of Flowers) is a Junmai Daiginjo brand boasted by Yanagawa Shuzo, characterized by a mellow aroma and fine, elegant flavor. The brand name "Hyakka Ryoran" is a word expressing the appearance of many flowers blooming in profusion, symbolizing glamour and richness. For the ingredient rice, the finest sake rice from Fukuoka Prefecture, Yamada Nishiki, is used and carefully polished with a high polishing ratio of 40%. This luxurious raw material processing realizes a sophisticated taste without unpleasant tastes. The characteristic of the taste is the harmony of gorgeous yet delicate aroma and umami unique to genshu (undiluted sake). The mellow aroma rises fluffily, and when you put it in your mouth, mellow sweetness and umami of rice spread. The fine and elegant flavor wraps the whole, and the finish is refreshing and sharp.

"Yahhou" is a high-class, limited-distribution Junmai Daiginjo from Kitaya. The brand name was named after the image of the mountains ranging in the Yame region. Using Fukuoka Prefecture Yame's original sake rice "Gin no Sato" polished to 48%, it is fermented slowly at low temperatures. It features an elegant aroma unique to Gin no Sato and a plump taste with concentrated rice umami.

"Arima" is thought to be a brand named after Bairin-ji Temple, the family temple of the Arima family of the Kurume Domain, or expressing respect for the Arima family itself. It is a Junmai Ginjo sake brewed with traditional techniques using Yamada Nishiki and Omachi from Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture. The personalities of the two sake rices harmonize, and you can enjoy a mellow aroma and deep taste. It is a cup that makes you feel the history and culture of Yame.

"Gin no Hitomi" is a brand imaging sake with transparency and beauty like clear eyes. It features a fruity aroma unique to Daiginjo and a light and refreshing drinking sensation. By fermenting slowly at low temperatures, a clean sake quality without unpleasant tastes is realized. By drinking it chilled, you can enjoy its clear taste even more. It is an approachable brand recommended for sake beginners.

"Ai no Hime" is a brand of sparkling sake and liqueurs utilizing sake fermentation technology. In particular, sparkling sake by in-bottle secondary fermentation features fine bubbles like champagne and a fruity aroma. It has a lower alcohol content and is easy to drink, and its sweet and sour and refreshing taste is popular as an aperitif or dessert sake. There is also a rose type using red rice, and it looks gorgeous and is appreciated for celebratory occasions and gifts.

"Hanamune" is the representative brand of Fukushima Shuzo. It is brewed in the historical merchant town of Honmachi, Yame City, utilizing the climate of the region. The feature is that it uses high-quality underground water of the Yabe River system originating from Mt. Shakadake and Mt. Gozendake. In addition, they use sake rice from the local Yame and Chikugo regions, practicing sake brewing rooted in the region. As the brand name suggests, it has a gorgeous aroma and an elegant taste, and is a local sake that makes you feel the rich nature and tradition of Yame.

"Hakata Ipponjime" is a Junmai sake born with the hope of being loved as "Hakata's sake." It is an auspicious brand derived from Fukuoka's traditional hand-clapping "Hakata Ipponjime." Made with 100% Yamada Nishiki and Yumeikkon from Fukuoka Prefecture. It features a gentle aroma and a smooth mouthfeel. While having moderate richness and umami, the finish is refreshing and sharp, and the good balance that you never get tired of drinking is attractive.

"Kaya" is a high-class line of Shigemasu's Junmai Daiginjo, derived from "Mt. Kaya (Chikushi Fuji)" in Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture. What is noteworthy is that it uses 100% rare rice "Omachi" from Itoshima. Drawing out the complex and strong umami and richness unique to Omachi, it harmonizes the gorgeous aroma unique to Daiginjo. It is a gem filled with respect for the magnificent nature of Fukuoka and commitment to the best sake rice.

"Kotan" is a vintage series of aged Daiginjo. It is a brand name expressing "withered (aged)" flavor and "light (sophisticated)" taste. You can enjoy the process where the gorgeousness of new sake changes to calmness and depth with the passage of time. It features an aged aroma reminiscent of nuts and dried fruit and a mellow taste with rounded edges. It is a luxurious sake for adults created by the passage of time.

"Kojiya" is a brand embodying Takahashi Shoten's commitment to "Koji," the starting point of their sake brewing. It uses koji raised with time and effort by brewers in a traditional wooden koji room. The Ginjo type features a gorgeous aroma, and the Junmai Ginjo type features rice umami. In both cases, you can enjoy a strong yet delicate taste where the power of koji is drawn out to the maximum. It is a bottle that can be said to be the crystallization of koji making technology cultivated over 300 years of history.

"Kinran Fujimusume" is the representative brand of Goto Shuzojo, which has a history of over 340 years. "Kinran" means luxurious woven fabric, and "Fujimusume" (Wisteria Maiden) means a beautiful daughter like the wisteria flower famous in Kurogi, expressing a graceful and elegant sake quality. Using clear underground water of Kurogi-machi and carefully selected sake rice (Yamada Nishiki, Yumeikkon, etc.). Rice carefully polished by in-house milling and traditional techniques create a clean taste without unpleasantness. Daiginjo sake has a gorgeous aroma and a powerful taste, and is highly evaluated in appraising associations.

"Asahimatsu" is the only brand of Asahimatsu Shuzo bearing the founder's name. Because they do not mass-produce and stick to a quality-oriented attitude, it is also called "phantom sake" with only a few thousand bottles produced annually. The sake pressed with time and effort by the old-fashioned Fune-shibori features a rich taste with concentrated rice umami without unpleasantness. The thick and smooth mouthfeel due to Kurogi's super soft water brewing is also attractive. It is a gem for connoisseurs where you can feel the warmth of handmade that cannot be produced by mass production.

"Chiyonishiki" is the representative brand of Noda Shuzo, born to commemorate the offering of rice at the Niiname-sai in the 12th year of Taisho. It is an auspicious name wishing for prosperity for "thousands of years (Chiyo) to eight thousand years," and contains the brewery's pride in quality. Using high-quality rice from the Chikugo Plain and underground water from the Yabe River system. It features a good balance where you can firmly feel the umami of rice even in a refreshing and light taste. There is also unique sake using ancient rice (red rice), and it is loved by a wide range of people.

"Tomohisago" is the representative brand of Hoshikuma Shuzo. "Hisago" means an auspicious gourd, which has been loved as a vessel for sake since ancient times. Inheriting the tradition of the Chikugo region, it features a mellow taste where you can feel the umami and sweetness of rice. Its taste, which draws a line from Tanrei Dry, goes well with the strong seasoning of local cuisine and is loved as a food sake. It is a local sake that has been close to the people of the region and walked together.

"Ikeizumi" is the representative brand of Ikedaya. The brand name means "clear spring gushing from a pond," symbolizing the high-quality water used for sake brewing. Using sake rice from Fukuoka Prefecture and underground water from the Yabe River system. It features a taste typical of Fukuoka sake, with a mellow mouthfeel and the umami of rice. The taste, which is light but has a core, goes well with Fukuoka's local cuisine such as Motsunabe and Mizutaki, and is loved locally as a food sake.

"Kyushu Danji" (Kyushu Man) is one of the brands brewed by Kikubijin Shuzo, characterized by a name that expresses the spirit and strength of Kyushu men. The name "Kyushu Danji" symbolizes the bravery, boldness, and warm-hearted nature of Kyushu men, evoking a sake with a powerful taste just like its name. Like other brands of Kikubijin Shuzo, it is brewed using underground water of the Yabe River and high-quality sake rice from Fukuoka Prefecture. It is considered that the traditional techniques of Yanagawa Toji create a sake quality with a distinct Kyushu character. Kikubijin Shuzo is known for its flagship brand "Kikubijin," but through the brand Kyushu Danji, it is expanding its product line to reach a wider range of sake enthusiasts. While Kikubijin pursues a graceful and delicate taste, Kyushu Danji aims for a more straightforward and powerful impression, as the name suggests. It is considered to be loved mainly locally as a food sake that emphasizes compatibility with local cuisine of the Chikugo region and dishes with strong seasoning typical of Kyushu. It is a sake that goes well with Fukuoka's famous dishes such as Motsunabe and Mizutaki. Produced under Kikubijin Shuzo's high brewing technology and quality control, it is trusted as a brand with solid quality, as shown by the brewery's domestic and international awards.

"Shinriki" is a Junmai Daiginjo using 100% of the phantom sake rice "Shinriki", which Tamamizu Shuzo passionately revived. This rice, which was widely cultivated in western Japan from the Meiji era to the early Showa era, once disappeared, but was revived in the present day by the hands of the brewery. Unlike modern improved varieties, it is a rice with powerful vitality full of wild flavor. The sake, polished to 50% and brewed slowly at low temperature, has modest flashy aroma, but features a thick umami of rice itself that spreads as you chew. It is a rare gem with only about 1,000 bottles produced annually.

"Tamamizu" is the representative brand of Tamamizu Shuzo, which has been loved locally for over 100 years since its founding. Its name means "beautiful and clear water like a jewel," expressing pride in sake brewing. Brewed by natural brewing using high-quality rice and water of the Chikugo region, the sake features a rich and firm taste. Unlike the recent mainstream Tanrei Dry, it cherishes the richness and umami typical of old-fashioned sake. It is a local sake rooted in daily life, indispensable for the evening drink of the people of Takata-machi.

"Minenokura" is one of the brands of Tamamizu Shuzo reflecting the natural features of Takata-machi rich in nature. Based on the philosophy of natural brewing, it is carefully brewed using local rice and water. Positioned as a daily sake different from the representative brand "Tamamizu" and Junmai Daiginjo "Shinriki", its appeal is a friendly taste that can be enjoyed without affectation. It is a hidden famous sake closely related to the region, drunk mainly in Miyama City.

Asahimori is the representative brand of Egashira Shuzo, a historical local sake that has been brewed in Omuta for over 100 years since its founding in the 30th year of Meiji. The brand name "Asahimori" expresses the momentum and prosperity of the rising morning sun, and is loved as an auspicious name. In addition to regular sake products, the lineup of long-term aged sake, which is the greatest feature of Egashira Shuzo, is extensive. "Asahimori Hizo Koshu 10 Years" is an old sake aged carefully for ten years, featuring deep umami and complex aroma due to aging. You can enjoy a beautiful amber color and a mellow and deep taste that is completely different from regular sake. As even higher-ranking products, there are also treasured old sakes aged for 20 and 30 years, which are extremely rare sake even nationwide. Due to long-term aging, the umami components of the rice slowly change, acquiring a unique flavor and depth. The savoriness unique to old sake, the thick texture, and the long finish provide a special experience that cannot be obtained with regular sake. There is also a product called "Asahimori Maboroshi no Ginjo-shu" (Phantom Ginjo Sake), which features a gorgeous aroma and elegant taste utilizing Ginjo brewing technology. The Asahimori brand has a wide lineup from regular sake to long-term aged old sake, proposing different ways to enjoy sake with each product. In particular, long-term aged sake is highly evaluated among sake enthusiasts as a product that embodies the profundity of sake that transforms the element of time into taste. While continuing to be loved mainly in local Omuta, it is a brand that also attracts attention from old sake fans nationwide due to its unique product nature.

"Sugoku Aitai" (I really want to meet you) is a long-term aged sake produced by Egashira Shuzo, a brand that has become a hot topic among sake enthusiasts due to its impressive brand name and extremely rare aging years. The brand name "Sugoku Aitai" is an emotionally rich naming that evokes a reunion with sake aged over a long period of time, or a reunion with a loved one. The greatest feature of this brand is the extremely long aging period of 20 to 30 years. Such long-term aged sake is extremely rare even looking across Japan, and it is a product that can be realized only with the technology and facilities established by Egashira Shuzo as a brewery specializing in old sake. Due to long-term aging, the color of the sake changes from amber to deep dark brown, and the taste also undergoes dramatic changes. The mellow and complex taste created by the slow aging of the umami components of rice, the savoriness unique to old sake, and the deep richness and long finish are special things that can never be tasted with regular sake. The annual production volume is extremely limited, and due to the nature of long-term aging, mass production at once is impossible. For this reason, "Sugoku Aitai" is known as a phantom sake that is difficult to obtain, and combined with its rarity, it has become a brand with special value. When drinking, it is recommended to enjoy it at room temperature or lukewarm. Since chilling it closes the aroma, raising the temperature can fully bring out the complex aroma and taste brought about by long-term aging. You can also enjoy pairing with rich dishes and cheese, and it is a brand that makes you feel the new possibilities of sake. The taste nurtured over 20 and 30 years is truly a work of art of time, and is the crystallization of Egashira Shuzo's challenge to pursue the potential of aging sake to the limit.

Hyakuyaku no Cho is one of the brands produced by Egashira Shuzo, an auspicious naming derived from the old saying "Sake is the best of a hundred medicines." This phrase means that moderate drinking is a source of health superior to any medicine, expressing the cultural and social value of sake. Egashira Shuzo produces not only sake but also shochu, and Hyakuyaku no Cho is one of its product lineups. It is considered to be a product carefully brewed utilizing the brewery's traditional brewing technology. Egashira Shuzo is known as a brewery specializing in long-term aged sake, but through products like Hyakuyaku no Cho, it is also expanding its products to a wider range of customers. It is considered to be loved mainly locally as a high-quality product reflecting the brewery's technology and philosophy. As the brand name indicates, it is a product preferred for gifts and celebratory occasions as an auspicious sake wishing for health and longevity. It is brewed under the reliable brewing technology of Egashira Shuzo, and like other products of the brewery, the commitment to quality is maintained.

Daijayama is a brand produced by Egashira Shuzo, named after the "Daijayama Festival," a traditional event in local Omuta City. This festival has a history dating back to the Edo period and is known for the magnificent sight of large snake floats parading through the town in summer. This brand bears the name of such proud local culture, expressing Egashira Shuzo's deep attachment and will to contribute to the region. It is a very familiar name to Omuta citizens and is considered to be loved at local festivals and gatherings. Egashira Shuzo produces not only sake but also shochu, and Daijayama, as one of its lineups, has become an entity rooted in the local food culture. The technology cultivated in old sake brewing is likely utilized in this product as well. The label and product image may also express the excitement and power of the festival, positioning it as a bottle that makes locals feel proud of their hometown, and as a product that serves as an opportunity for people outside the city to come into contact with Omuta's culture.