Sake Brands
in Hiroshima

"Honshu-Ichi" is the representative brand of Umeda Shuzojo, named with the wish to "create the number one sake in Japan." Brewed with sake rice such as Hiroshima Prefecture's Yamada Nishiki and Senbon Nishiki, and the pure underground water of Mt. Iwataki, it is characterized by a mellow and fruity aroma and a clean aftertaste with transparency. It has received extremely high acclaim internationally in recent years, including winning the Platinum and Gold prizes at Kura Master and the Trophy at the IWC.

"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.

"Senfuku" is a representative local sake of Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and the flagship brand of Miyake Honten. Adopted as the purveyor sake of the former Imperial Navy, it has a history of being loaded on ships of the Combined Fleet including the battleship "Yamato," and was loved by many navy personnel. Continuing to inherit that tradition, they pursue a "flavorful and soft taste" rooted in the climate of Hiroshima, and continue to make sake that accompanies daily life.

"Kuretsuru" is a traditional brand of Miyake Honten that conveys the history and climate of Kure, which prospered as a naval port. It is a brand symbolizing sake brewing rooted in the local Kure area, characterized by a gentle aroma and a taste that you never get tired of drinking. It is a perfect bottle for daily evening drinks, loved together with the local food culture.

The "Pac-Man" brand is a collaboration sake created to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Bandai Namco Entertainment's masterpiece game "PAC-MAN." Expressing the pop world view of the game with a metallic bottle design, the contents use authentic Junmai sake that Miyake Honten boasts. It is a unique bottle where playfulness and tradition fuse, transmitted not only to sake fans but also to game fans around the world.

"Kuromatsu" is a traditional label that Miyake Honten has protected for many years, and is a staple sake with particularly high trust within the Senfuku brand. It is characterized by a mellow mouthfeel using Hiroshima's soft water and a good balance that can be enjoyed at any temperature range. As a "usual delicious sake" that you never get tired of drinking, it is an indispensable existence for local dining tables.

"Kure no Doi Tetsu" is a special limited brand crowned with the passion and skill of Mr. Tetsuya Doi, who became a Toji at the age of 21. Using rare rice "Sake Mirai" and Yamada Nishiki produced in the Special A district, it is characterized by luxurious brewing where only the best part of pressing (Nakadori) is bottled. It is one of the peaks of Houken Shuzo, combining a gentle strawberry-like aroma, fresh and transparent umami, and outstanding sharpness.

"Houken" is a brand renowned as the "ultimate food sake" representing Hiroshima. As proven by numerous awards at SAKE COMPETITION, it has a reputation for Junmai sake brewing, and while having the softness peculiar to Hiroshima's soft water, the aftertaste that cuts sharply is attractive. "Retro Label" and others have a classic yet sophisticated taste, and are loved as excellent supporting actors that enhance meals regardless of the drinker.

"Bikou" is a slightly sparkling Junmai sake that uses red yeast and undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. Alternatively characterized by a beautiful pink (rosé) color and a light and sweet-and-sour taste with an alcohol content of 9%, it can be enjoyed with a sensation like champagne. It is a bottle that is gorgeous to look at, making you feel the new possibilities of sake.

"Ugo no Tsuki" is the flagship brand of Aihara Shuzo, named after a passage in Roka Tokutomi's essay "Nature and Life", "The moon shining clearly in the sky after the rain." By storing all products in refrigeration to prevent deterioration of sake quality, it is packed with a commitment to quality that is always shipped in the best condition. Characterized by a beautiful taste with transparency and an elegant and gorgeous aroma, it is a beautiful sake representing Hiroshima that has received high praise both domestically and internationally.

"Kinsen" is a brand with tradition and pride that Mr. Atsushi Horimoto, the Toji of Aihara Shuzo, inherited from the brewery where he has his roots. It is currently brewed with Aihara Shuzo's equipment and technology, and is characterized by an elegant and deep taste utilizing Hiroshima's soft water. It is known as a connoisseur's fine sake with a personality different from "Ugo no Tsuki".

"Suiryu" is a local sake of Yoshiura, Kure City, derived from the "scene where a dragon appears from a spring" that the first generation saw in a dream. Using super soft water selected from five wells on the premises, it is a discerning sake brewed alone by the fourth generation, Mr. Mitsujiro Nakano. Because most of the production volume is consumed locally, it is also called "phantom sake", and its soft and delicate taste continues to color the dining tables of local people.

"Hanahato" is a brand world-famous for its luxurious "Kijoshu", which uses sake instead of brewing water. It is characterized by rich and mellow sweetness and a complex and deep taste due to aging, and has won numerous Gold Medals and Trophies at the IWC (International Wine Challenge). Boasting a diverse lineup such as old sake aged for 8 years or more and oak barrel aged sake, they continue to propose new ways to enjoy sake, such as an aperitif, dessert wine, or pouring over ice cream.

"Ondo no Seto" is a brand named after the strait "Ondo no Seto" known for the legend opened by Taira no Kiyomori. Brewed with traditional techniques continuing from before the Meiji Restoration, it continues to be loved as an evening drink by the people of the local Ondo-cho. Since the production volume is small and it rarely appears on the market, it is a rare local sake that is difficult to obtain outside the local area.

"Mitaniharu" is a historical brand named by Kozan Sakai, a Confucian scholar of the Edo period who was active with Shunsui Rai, the father of Sanyo Rai. Named after the water springing from the three valleys of Kurahashi Island, the title on the label was written by Itsuna Rai, the eldest son of Sanyo Rai. Using clear water peculiar to the granite zone and careful brewing managed by the Toji for all processes, it creates a taste that combines transparency and richness.

"Etajima" is a brand representing the region, brewed by the only brewery in Etajima, a place associated with the Navy. Using high-quality underflow water from Mt. Kodaka, the discerning sake brewed by the president Toji himself makes you feel the rich nature and history of the island. Characterized by a refreshing taste that you never get tired of drinking, it is a friendly local sake that nestles close to the daily lives of local people.

"Douki no Sakura" is a brand with a special history, born in response to a request from the former Naval Academy for "sake to drink together at alumni reunions". Originally named "Homare", it was renamed after a famous military song, and is still popular as a gift for the Self-Defense Forces, police, and fire academies. With a medium-dry taste where you can firmly feel the original umami of rice, it is a bottle where the rich aroma and sharpness resonate deeply in the heart of the drinker.

"Kodaka" is a majestic brand named after the spiritual peak "Mt. Kodaka", which is the symbol of Etajima and the source of the brewing water. Using sake rice from Hiroshima Prefecture and brewed using the traditional Koji-buta method, it is a discerning sake shipped after an aging period of 3 years or more. Characterized by a rich and deep taste and an elegant aging aroma, it has recently gained support from new layers, such as attracting attention from fans of ship anthropomorphism games.