Sake Brands
in Nagano

"59jo" (Gokujo) is a Junmai Ginjo with unified standards brewed jointly by five young brewery owners. With a rice polishing ratio of 59% matching the unit name, and using different sake rice from Nagano Prefecture every year, it expresses the individuality of Nagano's sake rice and the technical skills of young brewers. The taste features complex aromas and flavors, characterized by a light yet sharp finish. As a dry sake with a sake meter value of +10, you can enjoy a crisp taste when chilled and the umami of rice when warmed. It is a bottle filled with the spirit of collaboration, aimed at technical exchange among young brewers in Nagano Prefecture and regional promotion.

"SAKU13" (Saku Thirteen) is a special brand brewed jointly by young brewers from 13 sake breweries in the Saku region. Dividing the 13 breweries into three regional teams (North, Central, and South), each team releases one bottle per year, and all members are involved in the brewing process. With the ambition of "creating sparkling dry sake accepted globally" and "sending a bottle from Saku to the world," they develop innovative products such as sparkling Junmai Ginjo and organic JAS certified low-alcohol sake (13% alcohol content). Using Nagano Prefecture sake rice such as Hitogokochi and Sankei Nishiki, and brewed with Nagano yeast, it is a bottle filled with the spirit of friendly rivalry and collaboration among young brewers.

"Shinshu Jonetsu Tank" (Shinshu Passion Tank) is a special brand brewed by a different brewery every year. Specifications reflect the individuality of the brewery in charge each year and the requests of the liquor stores, so the taste and characteristics change depending on the year. By purchasing a whole tank, it provides an opportunity for young brewers to engage in challenging sake brewing, expressing the diversity and innovation of Shinshu sake.

"Nishinomon" is a premium brand of Yoshinoya located in Nishinomon of Zenkoji Monzen-machi. Utilizing the natural features of local Nagano, they pursue a high-quality taste to entertain Zenkoji worshipers. While maintaining traditional manufacturing methods, they practice modern quality control and are popular as a brand that harmonizes with Zenkoji culture.

"Unzan" is a brand released by "Unzan Meijo," a bottling company jointly established by six related breweries in 1960, and has been widely popular as a synonym for Shinshu sake. Since the late 1990s, Yoshinoya has been brewing it independently. Using Nagano Prefecture rice, it features a balanced umami and drinkability, and develops a diverse lineup such as Junmai Genshu and Junmai Nama Genshu. You can enjoy different tastes with various labels (blue, orange, red, green).

"Kaze no Shizuku" is a brand brewed by Imai Shuzoten, characterized by a delicate and refreshing taste.

"Nanimaru" is one of Imai Shuzoten's brand lineups.

"Wakamidori" is the flagship brand of Imai Shuzoten, named after a Noh song from the Edo period. It embodies the sentiment of "aiming high, having an enterprising spirit, and never forgetting youth." With a disjointed sake quality produced by traditional manufacturing methods, it develops a diverse lineup such as Tokubetsu Junmai and Junmai Ginjo.

"Hon Yoshinogawa" is another flagship brand of Matsubaya Honten, and has long been loved locally along with Hokushinryu.

"Hokushinryu" is the flagship brand of Matsubaya Honten, inheriting the traditions of the Hokushin region. It develops a diverse lineup including Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo, and Namazake.

"Roku" is one of Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo's brand lineups.

"Shu" is one of Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo's brand lineups.

"Square One" is the flagship brand named by applying Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo's abbreviation "Masuichi" into English. "Square One" means "origin, starting point," and is positioned as a Junmai sake infused with the spirit of thinking about the origin of sake brewing. Brewed by traditional methods using wooden barrels, it embodies the philosophy of returning to the origin of sake brewing.

"Hanashibori" is one of Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo's brand lineups.

"Kozan" is a Daiginjo Junmai Namazake brewed by Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo.

"Hekiken" is a Daiginjo Junmai Namazake brewed by Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo.

"Hakkin" is one of Masuichi Ichimura Shuzojo's brand lineups.

"Yonekawa" was named with the meaning that "rice is brewed into sake, and eventually flows like a river." It is a community-based brand centered on local sales, mainly sold at the brewery shop, and characterized by a soft and gentle taste.

"Toyoka" is a brand launched when Chief Brewer Kayoko took office, derived from one character of her name "Ka" (Ga) and the celestial maiden "Toyoukanome" from Japanese mythology. Sold only at special contract stores, it is characterized by a rich and savory taste (the opposite of Tanrei Karakuchi). You can enjoy a rich flavor that maximizes the umami of rice.

"Soga Père et Fils" means "Soga Father and Son" in French, expressing the concept of sake brewed by father and son. The biggest feature is that they use the legendary yeast strains No. 1 to No. 6 independently, and the product names are also named with French numbers (Un, Deux, Trois, Quatre, Cinq, Six). Brewed using traditional Kimoto style with locally grown Miyama Nishiki, it features a very rich aroma unique to single yeast, an aroma reminiscent of white wine, and condensed rice umami. With an expiration date of 3 to 6 months and requiring refrigerated storage (below 4°C), it is sold only at 78 special contract stores nationwide, and is known as a phantom sake that is difficult to obtain due to production only in winter and strict quality control.