Sake Brands
in Ibaraki

"Futari Butai" is a romantic brand with the concept of accompanying the time spent with someone important. The name, which likens the scene of quietly talking with a lover, spouse, or friend to a "beautiful stage," also contains the artistry of sake brewing. Its Daiginjo Genshu (undiluted sake), which can be said to be the pinnacle of Kikunoka Shuzo, features a gorgeous fruity aroma and a profound taste, and is chosen as a drink for special days. Boasting high popularity as a gift, it is a brand full of narrative that richly colors the "time for two" of the giver and the receiver.

"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.

"Fukugokoro" is a brand with a history of more than 140 years, brewed by Shiina Shuzoten, founded in 1877 (10th year of Meiji). In an environment surrounded by the mountains of Okukuji in Juo-machi Takahara, Hitachi City, they continue careful handmade brewing through small-scale production. The brand name was coined by taking one character each from the names of the founder, Tomizo, and the mother of the 4th generation, Wakuri, with the wish for "sake brewed with heart (Gokoro)." The philosophy of sake brewing with family bonds and sincerity resides in the name. Using fresh spring water that gushes from the brewery's premises as brewing water, it features a fruity aroma, the umami of rice, and a delicate and simple taste. It is a rare local sake that has been carefully nurtured by local people, with almost all production consumed within Ibaraki Prefecture.

"Morishima" is a new brand launched in 2019 (the first year of Reiwa) by Morishima Shuzo, founded in 1869. Bearing the name of the 6th generation owner, Shoichiro Morishima, it is brewed in a seaside brewery just steps from the Pacific Ocean with the motto of "Fresh, Light, and Transparent." It features a beautiful transparency that complements meals, a moderate acidity that resets the palate, and a refreshing sharpness with sweetness suppressed to the limit. As a "sake of the sea" that harmonizes perfectly with the rich seafood of Hitachi, it is a brand that pursues a new standard for sake and is attracting great attention both in Japan and overseas.

"Fuji Taikan" is a traditional brand of Morishima Shuzo known for being loved by Yokoyama Taikan, a master of modern Japanese painting. It was named "Taikan" in 1953 because the painter had a friendship with the brewery when he lived in Izura. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of its founding, the name was renewed to "Fuji Taikan" because Taikan liked to paint Mt. Fuji and it is a symbol of being the best in Japan. Overlapping the artistry of the painter and Japanese aesthetics with sake, it features a dignified aroma and a rich taste. It is one of the brands representing Ibaraki, conveying tradition and prestige created by more than 150 years of history.

"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.

"Kamimaru" is a brand that symbolizes recovery and hope, born after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake when the old house name "Kamimaru" was found engraved on the roof tiles of the main building. It contains the determination to overcome difficulties and take a new step. Using Ibaraki's original sake rice "Hitachi Nishiki" luxuriously, it features a soft mouthfeel and a mellow, refined taste that overturns the conventional image of sake. With a modern design that can be enjoyed in various situations both in Japan and overseas, it is loved by a wide range of people along with its stylish labeling.

"Kuji no Yama" is a brand that symbolizes history and tradition, brewed for over 400 years by Nemoto Shuzo, founded in 1603. The name embodies respect for the grand nature of Okukuji and the wish for unwavering quality. It is created through the trinity of the "Goshinsui" (sacred water) of Komagata Shrine, which is famous as excellent water, carefully selected sake rice nurtured by the fertile land, and the skills of master brewers. Featuring a crisp mouthfeel with rich umami spreading through (Danrei Karakuchi), it has colored the banquets and daily moments of local people for many years. It is a masterpiece with tradition and prestige that tells the history of sake brewing in Ibaraki.

"Asahizakura" is the signature brand of Kahoku Shuzo, founded in 1896. It was named after the beauty of cherry blossoms blooming along the Asahi River, which used to flow near the brewery, shining in the morning sun. It use the fresh underground water of the Kuji River in Daigo-machi, famous for "Fukuroda Falls," one of Japan's three major waterfalls. The drastic temperature difference unique to the basin brings deep flavor and sharpness to the sake. While it is crisp and dry (Danrei Karakuchi), it features a fruity umami and good balance nurtured by aging. It is a handmade masterpiece full of passion, nurtured by the rich nature of Okukuji and more than 100 years of history.

"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.

"Sudare" is a brand brewed by Inaba Shuzo that lets you feel the nature of Mt. Tsukuba. It is a historic brewery near Mt. Tsukuba Shrine, and uses spring water from Tsukuba as brewing water. It features a taste where you can feel the plump umami of rice within a clean dryness. As a sake during meals that can be enjoyed in a wide range of temperatures from cold to hot, it has been loved by locals for many years. While protecting traditional methods, they continue brewing sake utilizing the goodness of hand-made, and it is a local sake familiar to worshipers and climbers of Mt. Tsukuba.