Sake Brands
in Nagano

"Nakanorisan" is the representative brand of Nakazen Shuzoten, named after the rafters "Nakanori-san" who transported timber on the Kiso River in the past. It creates a fruity and gorgeous aroma and a juicy taste with a balanced sweetness and acidity. There are many products where you can enjoy a light gas feeling and freshness, and it is a bottle that can be enjoyed with meals.

"Zenkichi" is the first limited distribution brand of Nakazen Shuzoten. Mainly using "Sankanishiki", a suitable rice for sake brewing in Nagano Prefecture homegrown by the brewers, it is brewed by traditional handmade methods. It features a gentle and clear aroma, a light gas feeling, and a transparent modern taste where sweetness and acidity harmonize.

"Yamabiko" (Mountain Echo) is a brand aiming for a powerful yet refreshing taste that echoes through the mountains of the Northern Alps. It features a crisp mouthfeel that makes you feel the clear water and air of the mountains. It is familiar as a drink to enjoy after climbing or in nature.

"Hokuan Daikoku" is the flagship brand of Hokuan Jozo. It features an "Umakuchi" taste where the fine and smooth texture created by the super soft underground water of the Northern Alps harmonizes with the umami and sweetness of rice. It is a versatile sake for meals that can be enjoyed at any temperature from cold sake to hot sake and enhances the taste of meals.

"Minori" (Harvest) is a brand with a mellow and rich taste, as if celebrating the time of harvest. A plump umami and pleasant aftertaste created by local rice and water. It is a bottle that adds color to the joy of harvest and the daily dining table.

"Hakuba Shiun" is a brand with an elegant taste imaged from the graceful scenery of the foothills of Mt. Hakuba. A noble and calm scent like trailing purple clouds. With a smooth mouthfeel, it is perfect as a partner for a special time.

"Raicho no Sato" is a friendly brand bearing the name of the Ptarmigan (Raicho), the symbol of the Northern Alps. A simple and gentle taste that makes you feel the nature of Shinshu. It is popular as a souvenir and is a sake that can be enjoyed with memories of the trip.

"Iyari" is a limited distribution brand named after "Iyari Wetland", the source of super soft water used for brewing. Using traditional methods such as Yamahai and Kimoto, they pursue a balance of rich and juicy umami and acidity. It is a carefully selected bottle featuring a deep and powerful taste.

"Otari Nishiki" is a brand using sake rice "Shirakaba Nishiki" grown in the terraced rice fields of Otari Village on the border of Niigata Prefecture. It features a gentle spreading sweetness and a fruity aroma like pineapple. The fresh and balanced taste makes you feel the blessings of rich nature.

"Iizura" is a friendly brand meaning "Isn't it good?" in the dialect of Omachi. A mellow and gentle taste that you can enjoy without being pretentious. It is a sake loved locally that softens the daily dining table and enlivens conversation.

"Shio no Kizuna" (Salt Bond) is a brand conveying the history of Omachi, which once flourished as a post town on the Salt Road (Chikuni Kaido). A warm taste with a heart that cherishes the bond between people. It is a sake suitable for gifts and places to talk with important people.

"Azumino Sodachi" (Raised in Azumino) is a brand that has fully received the blessings of nature in Azumino. A taste of local production for local consumption, brewed with water from the Northern Alps and rice grown in the earth of Azumino. The refreshing and clear mouthfeel reminds you of the scenery of Azumino.

"Fukuran" is a brand with an auspicious name imaged from the flower of happiness, the orchid. A soft and plump aroma and a taste where the umami of rice spreads gently. It is familiar for celebratory occasions and as a cup of daily peace.

"Ichinoya" is a premium brand bearing the name of the brewery, symbolizing the technology and spirit of Ichinoya. Using carefully selected sake rice and "Hyojunsui", it achieves a sophisticated aroma and a transparent taste. It is a supreme bottle pursuing the possibilities of sake in a new era.

"Kinran Kurobe" is a traditional brand of Ichinoya, named after the famous peak of the Northern Alps, Kurobe Gorge. A tight sharpness and clear taste brought about by the minerals of the brewing water "Hyojunsui". It is loved as a dry sake that looks good whether cold or hot and enhances meals.

"Hakubanishiki" is a brand symbolizing majestic nature, named after the three peaks of Hakuba, the main peaks of the Northern Alps. A sharp dry taste where the freshness like melted snow and the umami of rice harmonize. It goes well with meals outdoors and at resorts, and is a sake to enjoy the nature of Shinshu with all five senses.

"Tanomotsuru" is a traditional brand for locals that has been loved since the founding of Ono Shuzoten. It features a taste that is refreshing and beautiful, with a hint of sweetness. It is a standard sake that you will not get tired of drinking, accompanying your daily evening drink.

"Inagiku" is a brand bearing the place name of Ina Valley, supported by people who prefer dry sake. A sharp throat feel and a refreshing aftertaste that does not interfere with the taste of food. It is a talented sake as a meal drink that can be enjoyed widely from cold sake to hot sake.

"Yoakemae" (Before the Dawn) is the representative brand of Ono Shuzoten, named after the masterpiece of Toson Shimazaki. Using the king of sake rice "Yamada Nishiki" luxuriously, it is brewed carefully with low-temperature fermentation. It is a taste like a work of art where a gorgeous and elegant aroma and transparent umami harmonize.

"Takanami" is the representative brand of Marunaga Shuzojo, rooted in the climate of Shiojiri. It features a deep "adult taste" where the umami of rice and pleasant bitterness harmonize. It is refreshing as cold sake, and when warmed, the mellowness increases, enriching meal times.