Sake Brands
in Ibaraki

"Yoizuru" is a prestigious brand brewed by Ishioka Shuzo, bearing the crane, a symbol of longevity and good fortune, in its sake name. It contains a refined scene of enjoying intoxication elegantly and comfortably like a crane. It featured a dignified taste suitable for gifts and celebratory occasions. Although the brewery is currently closed, it was known as one of the brands that gathered the essence of Ishioka's sake-brewing technology.

"Kasumi no Sato" is a brand that expresses the terroir of historical Ishioka, located on the banks of the Koise River that flows into Lake Kasumigaura. The sake name bears the peaceful rural landscape around Lake Kasumigaura and the waterfront scenery. It is a Junmai sake brewed with traditional methods using 100% "Hitachi Nishiki," a sake rice suitable for brewing from Ibaraki Prefecture. While being mellow, it has a pleasant sharpness, and its sake quality is designed with compatibility with local Ishioka food, especially the famous lake products, in mind. It is a regional gem where you can feel the umami of rice in a wide range of temperatures from chilled to room temperature.

"Oyajinakase" (available as "Oyaji Nakase") is a popular brand known for its unique name and reliable quality. The name "Oyaji Nakase" (making father cry) contains a playful spirit of making father cry (with joy) with delicious sake, or being so delicious that father wants to keep it to himself. It is a sake with a story born from the encounter between Hirose Shoten and a farmer who cultivates Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture. It features not only a topic for conversation but also an authentic taste where the technology of the brewery with a history of more than 200 years is gathered. It is popular as a gift from sons and daughters to their fathers and is chosen by many people as a cup that deepens family bonds.

"Kobai Ichirin" (available as "Koubai Ichirin") is a brand that expresses the elegant scene of a single red plum blossom. It overlaps the neat beauty of plum blossoms that herald the arrival of spring with the delicate charm of sake. It features an elegant and balanced taste in which the traditional sake-brewing technology of Hirose Shoten lives. It is finished as light and dry (Tanrei Karakuchi), has a smooth mouthfeel, and the aroma and taste are in harmony. Its sake quality brings out the taste of delicate dishes, and its neat charm stands out especially when drunk chilled.

"Tsukuba no Hakubai" is a brand that bears the name of Mt. Tsukuba, the symbol of Ibaraki, and white plum blossoms that symbolize the arrival of spring. It is brewed using the pure groundwater of the Mt. Tsukuba water system and carefully selected rice. It is known as a Honjozo sake characterized by a sharp finish and a rich taste that you will not get tired of drinking. It is crafted by Hirose Shoten's traditional technology as sake that adds color to the daily dining table. It can be enjoyed at various temperatures from chilled to hot, and its gentle aroma and flavor that bring out the taste of food are attractive.

"Fujiizumi" is the representative brand of Fujita Shuzoten, which boasts the second-oldest history in Japan, founded in 1462. Since moving to Ishioka to avoid the fires of the Onin War, it has continued to mark more than 550 years of history. The name embodies the philosophy of aiming for "sake that is as grand as Mt. Fuji and as pure as a spring," and it is a prestigious local sake that was praised by Lord Mito Mitsukuni in ancient times. It has a deep richness backed by tradition within a refreshing taste, and it is a cup full of historical romance that has been loved by locals for a long time.

"Keisen" is a traditional brand of Shimazaki Shuzo, which boasts the oldest history in Hitachi City, founded in 1716 (first year of Kyoho). Its name is derived from the "Otakaido" well on the premises that springs from a depth of 135 meters. The name contains gratitude for the precious well water that has provided blessings to people without ever running dry even in any drought. Sake brewed with this pure water is characterized by a smooth, refreshing, and fresh taste. It is a representative local sake of Hitachi that has walked a history of more than 300 years along with the local food culture.

"Tama no Shizuku" is a brand used by Shimazaki Shuzo for higher grades such as Junmai sake. It contains the brewery's hope to cherish each and every drop that is as beautiful and precious as a "Tama" (jewel). It is also certified as a regional brand of Hitachi City, and it features a taste in which a clean and refreshing mouthfeel and a rich and full-bodied flavor are in harmony. In particular, Junmai Ginjo with a gorgeous aroma is very popular with women, and it is a brand that conveys the new charm of Shimazaki Shuzo, where urban sophistication and traditional skills are fused.

"Any." is an innovative brand by Kikunoka Shuzo that embodies the concept of "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime." While cherishing the tradition of sake, it pursues a taste that melts into modern lifestyles. By using traditional techniques such as Kimoto-style brewing, it is finished with a modern and clear mouthfeel, and is familiar to a wide range of people from sake beginners to enthusiasts. It is a brand that symbolizes a new era of sake, nurtured in the rich nature of Juo-machi, Hitachi City.

"Juokura" (available as "Juo-gura") is a brand that symbolizes local pride, bearing the name of the brewery's location, Juo-machi, Hitachi City. The name "Juo" is a very historical name derived from the local legend that ten kings were enshrined. It is brewed in a brewery open to the region within walking distance from JR Juo Station, and is brewing sake that reflects the local climate. It is a brand where tradition and familiarity loved by local people coexist, transmitting the charm of Juo-machi through activities rooted in the region.

"Suminotomo" is a historic brand representing Suminotomo Shuzo, founded in 1909. It is brewed in Hirakata-cho, Kitaibaraki City, a port town with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The name "Suminotomo" (meaning "living friends") embodies the brewery's wish to be a local sake that stays close to the local people and blends into their lives. Using fresh spring water from the Hanazono mountain range as brewing water, it features a clean and dry taste pursued for compatibility with local seafood. It is a local sake with a simple and powerful flavor that has been loved by local fishermen and residents of Kitaibaraki for more than 100 years.

"Tenshinsho" is an artistic brand of Suminotomo Shuzo named after Okakura Tenshin, an art critic and philosopher who had deep ties to Kitaibaraki. It expresses Tenshin's spirit, who spent his later years on the Izura Coast, and the cultural scent of Kitaibaraki through sake. While being outsourced for brewing, its taste, which has been refined by the brewery's own dedication, features a refreshing mouthfeel and a gorgeous aroma that reminds one of Ginjo sake despite being a Junmai sake. The sake quality, which is slightly sweet and soft, providing a delicate beauty like a Japanese painting, evokes the beautiful natural landscape of Kitaibaraki that Tenshin loved, and is highly evaluated by people who love art and history.

"Ine no Mori" is an extremely rare local sake brewed by Asakawa Shuzo, located in Kami-oga, Hitachiomiya City. The brand name was chosen to pay respect to the beautiful rural landscape of Ibaraki, where golden ears of rice ripen abundantly. The brewery is an extremely small family-run operation, and it is known as a "phantom sake" that is only found in limited local liquor stores, with no direct sales or distribution in general retail stores. It features a simple, handmade taste closely connected to the lives of local people, far removed from mass production. Rooted in the local food culture and spoken of only by word of mouth, it is truly a hidden treasure of Ibaraki known only to those in the know.

"Bijinzuru" is another traditional brand handled by Asakawa Shuzo. Since ancient times, the crane (tsuru) has been a symbol of longevity and good fortune, and its noble and beautiful appearance is reflected in the sake name. In Asakawa Shuzo, which adheres to community-based sake brewing, it has been carefully served for many years as a drink to color local ceremonial occasions and celebrations. The appeal lies in the simple taste that conveys the warmth of the craftsman's hands, unique to a family-run brewery that does not engage in mass production. It is a warm brand that symbolizes the climate of Ibaraki and the bonds of the local people.

"Suifu" is one of the representative brands of Hitachiomiya City, brewed by Suifu Meijo, founded in 1917. Located in Nakatomi-cho near JR Hitachiomiya Station, it was loved by local people for many years. The main lineup included various products such as the signature brand "Suifu," the top-quality "Suien no Mato," "Junmai Kinuhikari" using rice produced in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the uniquely named "Kudoite." Although it supported the local sake culture for many years, due to equipment damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake and declining demand, production was suspended in 2016, ending its more than 100-year history. Even now, its solid taste is deeply engraved in the memories of local sake fans.

"Seikoshu" is a traditional lineup of Kahoku Shuzo, including Honjozo sake. It is a drink that captures the pure and transparent aroma and taste created by the fresh water and air of Okukuji. The brewery's gallery displays calligraphy of celebrities who wrote the letters for this brand, conveying the cultural value deeply rooted in the region today. Characterized by a gentle and elegant aroma, it is a standard local sake that has been loved for many years by the people of Daigo-machi, staying close to the daily dining table.

"Tsukiorehime" is an elegant and mysterious brand that symbolizes the cultural and artistic background of Kahoku Shuzo. Its name is derived from a painting by Suzuki Koson (a painter of the Maruyama-Shijo school) displayed in the brewery's gallery, expressing the fusion of historical artwork and sake. It is brewed with the aim of a delicate and modest taste, like a princess standing under the moonlight. The fresh water of Okukuji supports its transparent quality. As a brand that combines narrative and artistry, it plays a role in conveying the rich culture and traditional aesthetic sense of Daigo-machi to sake fans both in Japan and overseas.

"Yodo no Taki" (The Waterfall of Four Times) is the highest-grade brand of Kakucho Honten, founded in 1868. Its name is derived from "Yodo no Taki," which is another name for Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's three major waterfalls located in Daigo-machi. Just as Fukuroda Falls shows its beauty four times in each season, this sake aims for a delicate and profound taste, brewed only during the severe winter in Okukuji Daigo. The Daiginjo sake, woven by the fresh underground water of the Yamizo mountain range and traditional skills, features a noble and gorgeous aroma and a crystalline mouthfeel. Bearing the name of the famous waterfall, a symbol of the region, this sake is truly loved as a special drink that encapsulates the climate and history of Daigo-machi.

"Kakucho" is the representative brand bearing the house name of Kakucho Honten, which has its roots in the late Edo period and was established as a full-scale brewery in 1868. It is a traditional drink with an auspicious name that embodies the wish for the "family (ka) to prosper long (ku) and forever (cho)." Using the fresh underground water of the Yamizo mountain range in Okukuji Daigo and carefully handmade during the severe winter, its taste lets you feel the rich umami of rice within a crisp and sharp dry (Danrei Karakuchi) profile. It has long been close to the lives of local people, coloring celebratory occasions and daily dining tables. It is a historic local sake that symbolizes the traditional methods passed down through generations and the rich climate of Ibaraki.

"Reisui Yamizo" (Sacred Water of Yamizo) is a Junmai brand that makes the most of the fresh water springing from the sacred peaks of the Yamizo mountain range. As the name "Reisui" indicates, it expresses the characteristics of the excellent water believed to have sacred and special power within the sake. Using soft water from the Yamizo mountain range, which is selected as one of the top 100 waters, it features a delicate and modest taste brewed through the harmony of the cool air of "Yamizo Oroshi" and Ibaraki yeast. The pure quality, as if the excellence of water nurtured by the rich nature of Daigo-machi were bottled as is, is highly evaluated by sake fans who love the individuality of water.