Sake Brands
in Kochi

"Tsukasabotan" is the brewery's flagship brand boasting a history of over 400 years. As the saying goes, "Peony is the king of a hundred flowers, and it should be the leader among peonies," it features a dignified aroma and smooth taste with a regal style. While protecting the tradition of Tanrei Karakuchi unique to Kochi, it is a famous sake representing Kochi that continues to fascinate drinkers.

"Bijofu" was named with the image of a "beautiful and magnificent man," or "handsome man," inspired by the hero of Tosa, Ryoma Sakamoto. Currently, it is the flagship brand of Hamakawa Shoten, characterized by a mellow and gorgeous taste that enhances the flavor of food. In particular, the Junmai Daiginjo "Bijofu Mai" is known as a local sake brewed with care in Tano-cho, a town of Tosa known for single-hook fishing, and is a famous sake where transparency and richness harmonize.

"Bunkajin" is Arisawa's flagship brand, named by the 2nd generation owner after "O-En," the daughter of Nonaka Kenzan, the chief retainer of the Tosa Domain. "Bun" means letter and "Kajin" means beauty, containing the wish to be a sake like an "educated and beautiful woman." All sake is pressed using the traditional "Fune" (wooden tub) and bottle-stored at -5 degrees Celsius, realizing a fresh and transparent taste. There is a diverse lineup including dry Junmai, making it a sake that can be enjoyed with meals.

"Tosatsuru" is the flagship brand representing Tosatsuru Shuzo, which has been in business for over 200 years. It is synonymous with "Tanrei Karakuchi" (light and dry), characterized by its sharpness and refreshing mouthfeel. Its high quality is guaranteed, as proven by its overwhelming history of winning Gold Prizes at the National New Sake Assessing. With a wide lineup ranging from daily evening drinks to gifts, it is known nationwide as a brand symbolizing Kochi's sake culture.

"Toyonoume" is the flagship brand of Takagi Shuzo, brewed with the theme of "'Tosa Experience Local Sake' packed with the charm of Kochi as Kochi's culture." It is truly an "All Kochi" sake, brewing Kochi's specialty sake rice "Gin no Yume" and "Tosa Urara" with underground water from the clear Monobe River and Kochi yeast. It is deeply connected to the local traditional event "Dorome Festival" and is familiar as the sake "Toyonoume Rakuo" poured into large cups at the festival. Also, to be loved not only on special days (Hare) but also as an evening drink on ordinary days (Ke), the lineup includes light Junmai sake utilizing banana-type yeast. It is designed as a food sake that accompanies Tosa's rich food culture and enhances the taste of dishes.

"Kameizumi" is a sake that can be synonymous with Kameizumi Shuzo, maximizing the characteristics of Kochi's special yeast "CEL-24." It is a Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu (unpasteurized undiluted sake) made from Hiroshima "Hattan Nishiki" polished to 50%, characterized by luxurious brewing kept at a low alcohol content of 14% despite being undiluted. It spreads a very gorgeous and fresh ginjo aroma reminiscent of pineapples, melons, and apples, making it fruity like white wine. While rich sweetness expands, refreshing acidity is effective, and its sweet and sour fresh taste is sometimes expressed as "super sweet," but because the balance with acidity is exquisite, it can be enjoyed lightly like a dessert. To fully utilize this fresh taste, it is daringly not pasteurized and is offered as "Nama Genshu" throughout the year. It is a new sensation Tosa sake that can be confidently recommended to those not used to drinking sake and women.

The brand name "Tosa Shiragiku" was named "Shiragiku" (White Chrysanthemum) after "Kiku" (Chrysanthemum) of the founder, Kikutaro Sento. Based on the concept of "Fresh & Juicy," it pursues pleasant drinkability. It uses Kochi's sake rice "Gin no Yume," as well as Yamada Nishiki, Hattan Nishiki, Omachi, and Shizukuhime. Brewed with underground water from the Shikoku Mountains, it realizes a clear and pleasant taste that is perfect as a food sake.

"Minami" is a premium brand launched by the previous owner, Takuji Minami, for distribution outside the prefecture. Its greatest feature is its "Hojun Umakuchi" (rich and savory) taste, which is rare among Kochi sake that is often light and dry. Through careful brewing using entirely "Hako Koji" and thorough low-temperature management, it draws out the umami of rice and a gorgeous aroma. It also combines impactful acidity and sharp finish, earning high acclaim from sake fans nationwide.

"Junpei" is one of the flagship brands of Nishioka Shuzoten, and is a Junmai Ginjo sake pursuing compatibility with fish dishes. The name is said to be derived from a real person or the brewing brewery's old trade name. A well-balanced taste where moderate ginjo aroma, rice umami, and sharpness become a trinity. It has excellent compatibility with Seared Bonito (Katsuo no Tataki) in particular, boasting a high degree of perfection as a food sake.

The name "Suigei" derives from Yamauchi Toyoshige (Yodo), the 15th lord of the Tosa Domain and an incomparable sake lover, who called himself "Geikai Suikou" (The Drunken Lord of the Sea of Whales). Known as a representative "Tanrei Karakuchi" (light and dry) sake of Tosa in the southern country, it features a mild aroma and a crisp finish, but overall it is classified as "Nojun Karakuchi" (rich and dry) possessing both aroma and umami. It is a Junmai sake that combines the umami of rice with a crisp aftertaste; while the aroma is modest, Suigei's unique acidity gives breadth and sharpness to the taste. It has a sturdy body typical of Tosa sake and achieves a refreshing mouthfeel thanks to the effect of fine acidity. Based on "Hojun Karakuchi" (mellow and dry), it offers a rich variety. Because of its firm umami and acidity, it is perfect as a food sake that enhances the deliciousness of various cuisines, not only Japanese but also Italian and French. It goes exceptionally well with dishes using soy sauce and fatty fish dishes, such as Katsuo no Tataki (seared bonito), a specialty of Kochi, where Suigei's acidity cuts through the fat and amplifies the umami in the mouth.

"Akitora" is the flagship brand of Arimitsu Shuzojo, named after Kunitora Aki, a Sengoku warlord who ruled the eastern part of Kochi Prefecture. Among Kochi sake where "Tanrei Karakuchi" is common, it daringly pursues umami and roundness as a "food sake." It features a gentle and soft mouthfeel and refreshing acidity created by using underground water (soft water) of the Akano River. It is a sake with a pleasant taste that enhances the flavor of food.

"Tosa Kinzo" is a light Junmai sake proposed by Takagi Shuzo as an evening drink for "Ke no hi" (ordinary days). Using yeast that produces a banana-like scent, it is finished with an approachable taste. The mild aroma and dry flavor can be enjoyed in a wide range of temperatures from cold sake to warm sake, and goes exceptionally well with Tosa cuisine. As a food sake that brings out the umami of various dishes including bonito, it enriches the daily dining table. A variation using deep sea yeast, "Tosa Kinzo Deep Sea Yeast," is also available.

"Mutemuka" is a brand bearing the company name, a sake brewed by a brewery famous for chestnut shochu. Using rice and water nurtured in the rich nature of the upper reaches of the Shimanto River, it pursues an unadorned and simple taste. It is a bottle that makes you feel the warmth of handmade brewing, breathing the founding spirit of "without drowning in the crown, without decoration, just with bare hands."

The sake name "Keigetsu" was named after Omachi Keigetsu, a writer of the Meiji and Taisho periods who deeply loved sake and travel. Tosa Shuzo aims for refined sake quality and brewing that expresses the terroir of the local Tosa Reihoku region. The flagship brand "Keigetsu Super Dry Tokubetsu Junmai 60" uses local Kochi "Akitsuho" polished to 60%, finished as a crisp dry sake with a Sake Meter Value of +11. A mild aroma, refreshing mouthfeel, and modest, clean sweetness harmonize with exhilarating acidity and light bitterness. It features a beautiful dry aftertaste that feels soft despite being a light (Tanrei) style. Within the sharp and exhilarating dryness, the "umami" and "richness" derived from rice and the fresh scent of freshly pressed sake blend exquisitely. It goes exceptionally well with fish dishes, especially local Tosa Katsuo no Tataki (seared bonito), sashimi, and boiled fish, making it a superb food sake that further enhances the taste of meals.

"DAITO" is a premium Junmai Daiginjo sake that stands at the pinnacle of the entire Suigei lineup. With the theme of "premium sake that enriches food culture," it thoroughly pursues quality. The rice used is the highest grade "Special A Yamada Nishiki" from the Tojo district of Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, lavishly polished to a 30% ratio. Furthermore, by daring to use two types of yeast instead of the usual one, it achieves the gorgeous ginjo aroma unique to Daiginjo, the rich flavor unique to Junmai, and the crisp aftertaste typical of Suigei all at once. In the manufacturing process, only the "nakadori" (middle cut) portion, considered to have the most excellent flavor when pressing the sake, is specially collected and stored at low temperature while fresh. The name "DAITO" comes from the most complex kanji character with a total of 84 strokes, consisting of three clouds and three dragons (read as "daito"). Overlapping the image of a dragon going through the clouds with the image of Tosa's hero Sakamoto Ryoma, it was named as a fitting title for the finest sake. The package design is renewed every year through collaboration with different artists, attracting attention for its artistry as well.

"azure" is an innovative Ginjo sake brewed using deep sea water off Cape Muroto, Kochi Prefecture, as brewing water. The brand name means "blue (azure)" in French, characterized by a stylish blue bottle expressing the image of the deep sea. The mineral balance derived from deep sea water promotes yeast fermentation, realizing a taste with unprecedented sharpness and transparency. With its beautiful appearance and refreshing taste, it proposes a new style of sake.

"Senchu Hassaku" is a very popular brand of Tsukasabotan, derived from the national vision devised by Ryoma Sakamoto on a ship. While being super dry, it boasts a smooth mouthfeel and outstanding sharpness. Highly fragrant, the umami expands in the mouth, and the aftertaste disappears quickly and cleanly. It is known as the ultimate food sake that goes well with a wide range of meals, from sashimi to meat dishes.

"Kamawanu" is a stylish and exciting brand derived from the rebus of "Kama (Sickle), Wa (Ring), Nu (No)" (Kamawanu - I don't care) favored by Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII. It is a super dry sake expressing the bold spirit of "not caring about small things." With sharp sharpness and a satisfying drinkability, it is a particularly hard-core bottle even among Kochi sake, often called "man's sake."

"Mishio" was born as a separate brand of "Tosa Shiragiku." It is an ambitious work where the master brewer and production manager, Ryuta Sento, poured his own style to aim for a sake quality with a charm different from "Tosa Shiragiku." It is a Junmai Ginjo sake that expresses an elegant sweetness with a thickness like honey and a rich flavor like ripe fruit. Its gorgeous yet dignified taste gives a vivid impression to the drinker.

"Takiarashi" is a sake brewed using underground water from the clear Niyodo River, which boasts the best water quality in Japan. Reflecting the characteristics of the transparent water called Niyodo Blue directly in the sake quality, it features a transparent taste without unpleasant flavors, a refreshing and crisp mouthfeel, and smoothness passing down the throat. It brilliantly embodies the "Tanrei Karakuchi" (light and dry) representing Tosa sake, brewing sake that fully utilizes the blessings of the Niyodo River. Known for being the subject of a poem by the poet Yoshii Isamu, "Takiarashi, when I pour this delicious sake, it resembles love, this drunken heart," it continues to protect its taste today as a historic brand loved by many literary figures.

"Sora to Umi" (Sky and Sea) is a romantic sake brewed using "Space Deep Sea Yeast" that traveled through space and endured the harsh environment of 6,200m deep sea for several months to return alive. It is a brand that can be called a symbol of the creative brewing Takagi Shuzo challenges, characterized by a taste that makes you feel the vitality of yeast that survived extreme environments. With the grand scale of "Space and Deep Sea" as a background, this sake stirs the drinker's imagination toward unknown worlds.

"ALIENS" is a unique brand positioned as part of a series of experimental brewing projects challenged by Takagi Shuzo using Space Deep Sea Yeast. The naming symbolizes a challenge to unknown possibilities, drawing a line from diverse brewing. The taste brewed by yeast that has experienced the extreme environments of space and deep sea brings new discoveries and surprises to the drinker.

"Tosashinkai" (Tosa Deep Sea) is the world's first Ginjo sake claiming to be "body-friendly," brewed using deep sea water off Cape Muroto, Kochi Prefecture, as brewing water. By using water with excellent mineral balance derived from deep sea water, it promotes sound yeast fermentation and achieves a unique taste that is refreshing and clear. It is a sake with a unique personality like no other, fully utilizing the blessings of the sea.

"Hamano Tsuru" (Crane of the Beach) was named by taking one character from the brewery's family name "Hamakawa" and after the good omen of two red-crowned cranes that the then-owner, Kintaro Hamakawa, encountered at the seaside. As a traditional brand since the founding of Hamakawa Shoten, it has been loved by locals for many years. It is a sake characterized by a familiar taste rooted in the climate of Tosa.

"Shintaro SHINTARO" is a Junmai sake named after Shintaro Nakaoka, a great figure of Tosa who was active with Ryoma Sakamoto at the end of the Edo period. Tano-cho, where Hamakawa Shoten is located, housed the Tano Gakkan school that Shintaro attended, and it was named from that connection. While letting you feel the original umami of rice, it features mild acidity and a refreshing finish. As a brand honoring a local hero, it also plays a role in conveying Tosa's history, romance, and culture to the present.