Sake Brands
in Nagasaki

Rokujuyoshu is the flagship brand of Imazato Shuzo, named with the wish that people across Japan would enjoy it, referencing the historical division of Japan into over 60 provinces. Primarily using contract-grown Yamada Nishiki and Reiho rice from Hasami Town, with carefully selected Yamada Nishiki from Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture also employed. Hasami Town is a quiet basin surrounded by mountains, with a low-temperature environment ideal for ginjo brewing, and the sake-making takes advantage of this geographical blessing. It has earned high acclaim including gold for junmai ginjo Yamada Nishiki and bronze for junmai Yamada Nishiki at the IWC, with the junmai daiginjo also winning silver. It is a brand that all of Japan can be proud of, nurtured by the terroir and traditions of Hasami.

Fukutsuru is one of the representative brands of Fukuda Shuzo, bearing the auspicious name combining fuku (good fortune) and tsuru (crane). It is a nihonshu brewed by Fukuda Shuzo, which holds the tradition of being recognized as the official sake purveyor of the Hirado domain, utilizing techniques cultivated through a long history and the rich natural blessings of Hirado.

Fukuda is a brand bearing the name of the Fukuda Shuzo brewery family, with the tradition of being recognized as the official sake purveyor of the Hirado domain. It is a nihonshu representing Hirado, brewed utilizing techniques cultivated through a long history and the rich natural blessings of Hirado.

Shiratake is the flagship brand of Kawachi Shuzo (now Shiratake Shuzo), the only sake brewery on Tsushima, named after the sacred Mount Shiratake on Tsushima, designated as a National Natural Monument. It uses subterranean water drawn from approximately 10 meters underground in Keimei no Mori (Keimei Forest), selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Water Source Forests. This soft water is spring water from Mount Shiratake, promoting gentle fermentation and producing sake with a mild, sweet flavor. Beloved by Tsushima islanders, this sake fuses Tsushima's natural blessings with traditional brewing techniques. It is cherished as a local sake unique to Tsushima, rarely found outside the island.

Mitsuboshi Honjin is the flagship brand of Senryu Shuzo, named after the honjin residence of the Hirado domain adjacent to the brewery. The three-star mark uses the mitsuboshi (three stars) of the Matsuura clan of Hirado. It is a nihonshu brewed with traditional techniques that stand the test of time, where the koji-making process relies not on machines but on the meticulous temperature management guided by the experience and intuition of the master brewer. With a history of being founded by order of the Hirado domain, it is a nihonshu brewed while preserving traditional methods as a brewery deeply tied to the region's history. The moto-gura (yeast starter storehouse) still in use today is said to date from the founding during the Genroku era and is a designated tangible cultural property of Nagasaki Prefecture.

Chojiya is a sake brand inherited from the pre-merger Chojiya Shuzo. Carrying the lineage of Emifuku, which was produced in Higashisonogi Town, it conveys regional traditions to the present day. It features a gentle aroma and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, carrying a long history.

Hiran is the flagship brand of Mori Shuzojo, deriving its name from Hirado's former name Hirantou (Hiran Island). This was because the island's appearance from the sea resembled the mythical bird ran taking flight. It is a brand that embodies Hirado's terroir and history in its name, brewed by the young fifth-generation brewery owner who studied fermentation at Hiroshima University, expressing Hirado's terroir through the use of indigenous brewery yeast.

Bansho is the flagship brand of Yoshidaya, employing the traditional "hanegi-shibori" (lever pressing) method that survives in only a handful of locations across Japan. The brewery also pursues sake-making with flower yeasts, and the junmai ginjo Fugen no Yume uses cherry blossom flower yeast. Through the fusion of traditional techniques and flower yeasts, the sake is highly regarded as a nihonshu that expresses the terroir of Minamishimabara.

Kinokawa is a brand born from the merger of four breweries in Nagasaki Prefecture, continuing to brew sake rooted in the local community as Isahaya's sole brewery. The Reimei-style fermentation tanks enable thorough temperature control even in the warm climate of Kyushu, allowing slow and careful low-temperature fermentation. It features a gentle aroma that never overpowers food and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate. The brewery is home to Nagasaki Prefecture's only barrel craftsman and is known as the first brewery in Japan to implement year-round brewing.

Magatama is a brand produced by Yamasaki Honten Shuzojo, named after the ancient curved jewel ornament known as magatama. Brewed with the beautiful spring water of Shimabara, this sake harnesses the blessings of the subterranean water from Mount Unzen Fugendake.

Fujitsuru is one of Omoya Shuzo's traditional shochu brands. It carries on the tradition of Iki shochu, crafted using the rich groundwater of Iki Island, the birthplace of barley shochu. Following the golden ratio characteristic of Iki shochu — two parts barley to one part rice koji — it features a harmonious flavor where the refreshing aroma of barley meets the sweetness of rice.

Umihiko Yamahiko is a shochu brand produced by Omoya Shuzo. Its name, meaning 'Sea Prince and Mountain Prince,' expresses the blessings of both sea and mountain on Iki Island, symbolizing the island's natural abundance. Crafted using the traditional methods of Iki shochu, it features an exquisite balance of barley and rice koji.

Yokoyama is the flagship brand that emerged when Omoya Shuzo revived its sake brewing, serving as a symbolic representation of sake's return to Iki Island. Guided by Toji Taizo's philosophy of creating 'sake that impresses with the very first sip,' it pursues an elegant sweetness, rich and full body, with a refreshingly crisp finish through well-balanced acidity. Fresh and fruity in character, it aims for a sake quality that leaves a lasting impression from the first glass. Brewed exclusively with premium-grade Yamada Nishiki from Iki Island and the ideal water carefully selected from across the island, it is meticulously crafted in a fully refrigerated brewery, achieving high reproducibility through data-driven analysis.

Kakuzo is a shochu brand named after the first-generation founder of Omoya Shuzo, Kakuzo Yokoyama. Named in tribute to the founder, it is cherished as a symbolic brand that carries on the brewery's traditions. Crafted using the traditional methods of Iki shochu, it is made with Iki's rich groundwater and carefully selected ingredients.

Yokoyama Goju is one of the brands born when Omoya Shuzo revived its sake brewing, with a name indicating a 50% rice polishing ratio. As part of the 'Yokoyama' series, it is brewed with premium-grade Yamada Nishiki from Iki Island polished to 50%, using the island's ideal water. It is characterized by a fresh and fruity flavor with an impressive sake quality that leaves a lasting impression from the first glass. It stands as one of the brands symbolizing the revival of sake culture on Iki Island.

Kokoroiki is a shochu brand produced by Iki no Kura Shuzo. It embodies the commitment to "being Iki," the founding philosophy of the Iki Shochu Cooperative, formed when six breweries on Iki Island came together. While preserving traditional techniques passed down since the 16th century, this Iki shochu boldly takes on new challenges such as vacuum distillation and flower yeast brewing. It is made exclusively from barley with rice koji only, and brewed with mineral-rich groundwater filtered through basalt bedrock over many years.

Hyosuke is a brand named after Kashima Hyosuke, a magistrate of the Tsushima Domain, and is produced in collaboration with Tosu City, Saga Prefecture. As a brand that conveys the history and culture of Tsushima to the present day, it is brewed by Kawachi Shuzo (now Shiratake Shuzo), the only sake brewery on Tsushima.

Reimei is a brand revived by Kinokawa in conjunction with Isahaya City's Yamada Nishiki rice production project, said to have been named by a great-grandfather while gazing at the sunrise over the Ariake Sea. The Junmai Ginjo Reimei uses 100% Isahaya-grown Yamada Nishiki, offering a well-balanced harmony of gentle sweetness and rice umami as a food-friendly sake. The Reimei-style fermentation tanks enable thorough temperature control even in the warm climate of Kyushu, allowing slow and careful low-temperature fermentation. Characterized by its gentle aroma that never overpowers food and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, Reimei is a brand that expresses the terroir and food culture of Isahaya.

Hyakufuku is one of the brands produced by Kinokawa, expressing the terroir and traditions of Isahaya. It features a gentle aroma and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, and is cherished as a food-friendly sake.

Unzen is a sake brand inherited from the pre-merger Unzen Shuzo, expressing the blessings of Mount Unzen and the terroir of Isahaya. It features a gentle aroma and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, serving as a brand that supports the region's food culture.

Nagasaki Bugyo is a brand named after the historical and cultural heritage of Nagasaki. Inspired by the Nagasaki Magistrate of the Edo period, it expresses the terroir and traditions of Nagasaki. It features a gentle aroma that never overpowers food and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate.

Kikyo no Kura is a brand that captures the resonance of the Kinokawa brewery. The brewery is home to Nagasaki Prefecture's only barrel craftsman, and this sake is brewed while preserving traditional methods. It features a gentle aroma and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, making it a sake that complements the food culture of Isahaya.

Emifuku is a brand that was originally produced by Chojiya Shuzo in Higashisonogi Town before the merger, now carried on by Kinokawa. It features a gentle aroma and a crisp, clean finish that never tires the palate, cherished as a traditional sake beloved by the local community.

Aimusume is named after the local town of Aino, with the hope that sake brewed as lovingly as raising a cherished daughter would be widely enjoyed by all. Using subterranean water from Mount Unzen for brewing, the brand is produced in small batches through traditional handcrafted methods nurtured by pure water and the deep devotion of the master brewers. The Junmai Daiginjo "Ai" uses Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 48%, carefully fermented at low temperatures over an extended period, with only the sake that flows naturally without pressure being bottled—a truly luxurious expression with refreshing aromas and a rich, full-bodied flavor. The Tokubetsu Junmai "Unzen no Kagayaki" is made solely from rice and rice koji, fermented slowly at low temperatures to produce a dry sake characterized by its rich fragrance, full-bodied mouthfeel, and smooth finish.

Fugendake is a sake brewed by Yamasaki Honten Shuzojo using the beautiful spring water of Shimabara, harnessing the blessings of the subterranean water from Mount Unzen Fugendake. This groundwater is rich in minerals, having slumbered deep underground over many years before welling up. Beloved as a representative brand of the Shimabara Peninsula, it is a sake that exists precisely because of Shimabara's exceptional water. A sparkling version is also produced, offering diverse ways to enjoy this sake. Fugendake is a brand that symbolizes the region, combining Shimabara's abundant water resources with traditional brewing techniques.