Sake Brands
in Hiroshima

The "Fukucho Satake Series" is an innovative sake series created in collaboration with the rice milling machine manufacturer "Satake," using revolutionary milling technology. It employs the world's most advanced technologies: "Henpei Seimai" (Flat Milling), which polishes rice thin and flat, and "Genkei Seimai" (Original Shape Milling), which polishes rice while maintaining its original brown rice shape. These methods efficiently remove proteins that cause off-flavors, achieving a clear taste while retaining the original umami of the rice. Fusing the latest technology with traditional soft water brewing methods, this series is highly acclaimed in domestic and international contests and pioneers new possibilities for sake.

"Kansaiichi" is another brand brewed by Tsuka Shuzo, inheriting the tradition since its founding. Along with "Otafuku," it has been loved by the people of local Akitsu as a daily evening drink for a long time. Currently, the name can mainly be seen in Futsushu (ordinary sake), but its taste breathes the history of Akitsu, the birthplace of soft water brewing, and the careful handiwork of the brewers. Its unadorned, simple umami and crispness that you never tire of drinking continue to radiate charm as a local sake that accompanies the daily dining table.

"Motoharu" is a limited edition brand named after Motoharu Morikawa, the Toji of Morikawa Shuzo, and can be said to be the crystallization of passion and skill. Brewed with the determination to carry his own name, it aims for the best result of that year. While based on the traditional soft water brewing method, it reflects the Toji's unique sensibility and challenge, allowing you to enjoy a personality and depth different from Hakuko. As a sake where you can see the face of the maker, it is a special bottle that attracts attention among sake enthusiasts.

"Hanayoi" is a brand that embodies the unique terroir created by the severe cold and medium hard water of Shobara. By adopting the traditional "hanging squeeze" method and collecting the drops that drip naturally only by the weight of the moromi (mash), it achieves a rich flavor of rice and a clear taste without off-flavors. In particular, the Junmai active sake "Dob" is known as a pioneer of sparkling sake and has a strong fan base. It is characterized by a crisp and powerful taste that draws a line from the soft water brewing that is mainstream in Hiroshima, and the high quality of sake that can withstand long-term aging.

"Ainomai" is one of the Junmai sake brands brewed by Yamaoka Shuzo using contract-grown rice. Aiming for sake brewing that nestles close to the local food culture, it is finished with a taste where you can firmly feel the umami of rice. It is a versatile type that is good chilled or warmed, enriching daily meals. It is a simple yet core bottle where the brewery's philosophy of "Local sake is culture" lives.

"Kannara Ore ni Makasero" (Leave it to me if it's hot sake) is, as the name suggests, a unique brand specialized for warm sake. Designed to show its true value when warmed, the umami of the rice expands and the acidity harmonizes mellowly as the temperature rises. The appeal is that you can enjoy changes in taste depending on the temperature range, from lukewarm to hot. It is a bottle with outstanding impact, filled with Yamaoka Shuzo's confidence in warm sake and playfulness.

"Fukuroku" is a sake brand produced by Fukuroku Shuzo in Kisa-cho, Miyoshi City. It is characterized by a friendly taste that nestles close to the local dining table while protecting the traditional manufacturing method that has continued since its founding. The name also contains the wish "May good fortune come to those who drink it," and it is deeply rooted as a local taste indispensable for celebration seats and daily evening drinks.

"Kikubunmei" is the representative brand of Kitamura Jozojo, named by combining "Chrysanthemum (Kiku)," the crest of the Imperial Family, and "Civilization (Bunmei)" of civilization and enlightenment. By brewing using hard water from the Taishaku Karst Plateau, it is finished in "savory dry" where a crisp drinking mouth and rich umami coexist, distinguishing it from "soft water / sweet" which is a characteristic of Hiroshima sake. You can enjoy it cold or warm, and it maximizes its potential especially when combined with meals with rich flavors such as meat dishes.

"Chogun" is the representative brand of Ikuma Shuzo, named with the wish to stand out from the crowd. Brewed with ultra-hard water with a hardness of 100, which is rare in Hiroshima Prefecture, it is characterized by refreshing sharpness and solid umami. Born in the early Showa period, this brand is a historic sake also known as the sacred sake of Hiroshima Toshogu Shrine and the offering sake of the Tokugawa head family. It can be enjoyed widely from cold to warm, and demonstrates its true value especially when combined with strongly flavored dishes such as meat dishes.

"Asa Izumi" is a hidden masterpiece of Hiroshima planned by Asa Shuzo and produced by contract brewing. It is a rare sake with little general distribution, and its attraction is its refreshing drinkability and the refreshing and mellow aroma that spreads in the mouth. Its taste without peculiarities is easy to match with any meal from fish dishes to meat dishes, and is also ideal for daily evening drinks. It is a bottle that combines rarity, also called "phantom sake," and reliable taste.

"Hishi Masamune" is the representative brand of Kubota Shuzo, brewed by long-term low-temperature fermentation using underground water from the Ota River and sake rice grown in Hiroshima Prefecture. The symbol mark of "Pine and Diamond (Hishi)," which became the origin of the name, was created by the world-famous woodblock artist Shiko Munakata. Its taste is characterized by gorgeous and mellow Ginjo aroma, mellow mouthfeel, and good aftertaste. In particular, "Super Dry Junmai Sake" is highly rated as a sake during meals because the umami of rice is firmly felt even though it is dry. It is a bottle that makes you feel the climate of Hiroshima, combining history, tradition, and artistry.

"Jinshichi" is a brand symbolizing the tradition and history of Kyokuhou Shuzo. Brewed carefully using traditional techniques handed down to the brewery, it is characterized by a taste that carefully brings out the original umami of rice. It is loved by long-time sake fans for its sharpness that you never get tired of drinking and its calm aroma that makes you feel nostalgic somewhere.

"Urin" is an innovative brand by the 7th generation brewery owner, Mr. Yohei Hamamura, named after the word meaning "sun." With the concept of "sake you want to drink in a sunny spot," it aims for sake that accompanies a bright and relaxed mood. The biggest features are the aroma like fresh fruit and refreshing acidity. While having juicy umami reminiscent of melon and white peach, the aftertaste is light and sharp, and it goes well with cheese and Western food lined up on modern dining tables. Based on traditional techniques, "Urin," which incorporates new sensibilities, is a next-generation masterpiece that makes you feel the new possibilities of sake.

This brewery is closed

"Asahikari" is a carefully selected "Doburoku" brand brewed by the revived Fukumitsu Shuzo. Inheriting the name of the former sake brand, it uses local Oasa sake rice "Koi-momiji." You can enjoy the refreshing fizzy effervescence caused by secondary fermentation in the bottle and the fresh flavor. Unlike the sweet image of general Doburoku, the biggest feature is that it is designed to be "dry" so that it can be enjoyed with meals. It is a new Doburoku for adults in which the umami of rice and sharp acidity are harmonized.

"Tamaougi" is the representative brand of Tamaougi Shuzo, boasting a history of over 200 years. It is characterized by a mellow taste that you never get tired of drinking, gently bringing out the umami of rice by Hiroshima's traditional soft water brewing method. Like "Tamaougi Kenrei," which has won many gold prizes in the past, loyal and sincere sake brewing to the basics, even if not flashy, has been loved by the people of Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City for a long time.

"Sandankyo" is a local sake of Akiota Town, named after Sandankyo Gorge, a national special place of scenic beauty. Currently, it is brewed on consignment by Ono Shuzo (brand "Oigame") using Hiroshima Prefecture's "Shin-Senbon" rice. The alcohol content is high at 18-19 degrees, and you can enjoy a solid drinking response and a refreshing dry taste. Production volume is limited, and it is sold mainly at local roadside stations and specialty product shops. It is a powerful yet refreshing bottle that makes you feel the rich nature of Akiota Town.

"Tenko" is the flagship brand of Yahatagawa Shuzo, which has a glorious track record of winning gold prizes for three consecutive years at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. Using the finest sake rice Yamada Nishiki luxuriously, the Daiginjo brewed with sophisticated technology has no off-flavors, and a splendid ginjo aroma and rich taste spread. Like a "large bird (Ko) flapping to the heavens," it symbolizes the spirit of the brewery aiming for heights, and is an extremely popular masterpiece as a gift.

"Meikon" is an extremely rare test-brewed sake brewed at the Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute. It has an anecdote that the great writer Masuji Ibuse praised it as "light as water when entering the mouth, and mellow," and it is brewed based on different research themes every year (new varieties of rice, newly developed yeast, new manufacturing methods, etc.). It is truly a taste of "Ichigo Ichie" (once-in-a-lifetime encounter), and is a phantom famous sake packed with Hiroshima's cutting-edge technology that is difficult for the general public to obtain.

"Hakutenryu" is a local sake brand that has been loved for over 100 years in Kure, a sake brewing district in Hiroshima. The representative product "Kurakiji" means "freshly pressed undiluted sake" in Hiroshima's brewery terminology, and is characterized by a rich and punchy taste. The Junmai Ginjo sake served at the G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting in 2016 is evaluated for its refreshing mouthfeel and elegant umami, and boasts a wide lineup from traditional daily drinking sake to sophisticated Ginjo sake.

The "Ryu ga Gotoku" (Yakuza) brand is a special lineup created through collaboration with Sega's popular game software "Ryu ga Gotoku" series. Produced by Miyake Honten, this series is finished with a taste that imagines the world view of the game and the personalities of the characters. Bottles designed with popular characters such as Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima attract attention not only from game fans but also from sake lovers, symbolizing the fusion of Hiroshima's sake brewing technology and pop culture.

"MIKADO LEMON" is an innovative sparkling lemon sake developed by Miyake Honten. It lavishly uses organic lemons cultivated in-house on Mikadojima, an uninhabited island in the Seto Inland Sea, and blended with Junmai Daiginjo brewed with Senbon Nishiki from Hiroshima Prefecture. Using no artificial sweeteners or colorings, it is a new sensation of taste where the original acidity of lemons and the elegant sweetness of sake rationalize, matching a wide range of dishes from Japanese to French.