Sake Brands
in Nara

"Kaguyama" is a brand derived from "Ama no Kaguyama", which has been regarded as the most sacred among the Yamato Three Mountains. Like its noble image that appears in myths and the Manyoshu, it was brewed in pursuit of a gorgeous and dignified aroma and a sophisticated and beautiful taste. It is loved by many people as a sake that colors the dining table on special days, and as a cup that makes you think of the ancient times of Nara.

"Jobonjiya" is a brand that symbolizes the pride and tradition of the brewery, bearing the trade name of Kawai Sake Brewery since its founding. Poured with the skills and spirit cultivated over history of more than 280 years, it is characterized by a profound yet sophisticated taste. Its taste, which makes you feel the history of the brewery which is an Important Cultural Property, invites the drinker to a journey of deep history along with the atmosphere of Imai-cho in the ancient capital, Nara.

"Sokyu" is a brand named after Sokyu Imai, a tea master and wealthy merchant associated with Imai-cho who was active in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Against the background of the history of Imai-cho, which has a deep connection with the culture of tea ceremony, it is finished with a light and sharp dry taste. This sake, considered primarily for its compatibility with meals, enhances the taste of various dishes including Japanese food, and is loved by gourmets as a famous supporting role during meals.

"Manyo Asuka Cup" is a cup sake that you can enjoy easily, themed on the history of Nara and Asuka and Manyo romance. The package depicting the landscapes of the Yamato Three Mountains and Asuka is perfect for memories of the trip, and the inside is also filled with authentic sake carefully selected by Kawai Sake Brewery. It is a friendly bottle that allows you to easily feel the climate of Nara during sightseeing or daily evening drinks.

"Imai no Sato" is a brand with attachment to the local area, bearing the name of "Imai-cho", an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Like the townscape retaining the atmosphere of the Edo period, it is characterized by a calm yet profound and timeless sake quality. Melting into the daily lives of local people and continuing to be loved at the dining tables of Imai-cho, it is a bottle worthy of being called "sake of the village".

"Kongoriki" is a local sake that has been loved for a long time in Takatori-cho, and as its powerful name suggests, it is characterized by a solid and satisfying sake quality. Development is centered on Ginjo Junmai sake, embodying brewery rooted in the region. Against the background of the climate and history of Takatori-cho, it is brewed with methods utilizing local water and rice, having a taste that harmonizes with the local food culture. Using brewing water blessed by the Kongo mountain range and carefully crafted with traditional methods, Kongoriki is a brand that continues to be loved across generations locally as the pride of Takatori-cho.

"Sawasawa" is a brand characterized by a refreshing and fresh taste as its name suggests. It pursues a balance between ease of drinking tailored to modern tastes and the original umami of sake. Characterized by a light mouthfeel and a clean aftertaste, it is designed to be enjoyed by a wide range of people from sake beginners to enthusiasts, and is particularly suitable for enjoying chilled. With utilization the technical capabilities of Choryo Sake Brewery, it has a taste that appeals to the younger generation as a brand effectively proposing new ways to enjoy sake.

"Yoshinosugi no Taruzake" is the founding brand of Choryo Sake Brewery and is a historic brand released in 1964 as Japan's first bottled taru-sake. It is aged in barrels made of Yoshino cedar from Nara Prefecture over 80 years old, which is considered the best for sake barrels, and the refreshing scent of cedar and the unique richness and umami are exquisitely harmonized. The founder, Teiichi Iida, developed it aiming for taru-sake that feels "quiet and peaceful like the flow of the Yoshino River", and it has captured people's hearts for nearly 60 years. Using no nails or tacks, sweet sake is aged for a certain period in cedar barrels made with craftsmanship, and bottled by identifying the timing when astringency changes to umami through tasting. It is a clear taru-sake where not only the scent of cedar but also the extract and astringency of cedar are moderately harmonized, and as a brand indispensable for celebrations and special days, it is one of the sakes representing Nara.

"Choryo" is the flagship brand bearing the name of the brewery, and has been loved for a long time for its stable quality and friendly taste. It has a wide lineup from Junmai sake to Daiginjo, achieving high quality in each price range. Characterized by a balanced taste and a character as a meal sake that nestles up to meals, it is enjoyed in various scenes from daily dining tables to special seats. As a brand that embodies the basics of sake brewing at Choryo Sake Brewery, it is a reliable sake where the skills and tradition of the brewery are condensed.

"Ine no Kuni no Ine no Sake" is a brand derived from the fact that Nara has been called "Ine no Kuni" (Country of Rice) since ancient times, and embodies the philosophy of local production for local consumption. It uses sake rice produced in Nara Prefecture and is brewed with the aim of reflecting the climate of Nara in the sake. Crafted cherishing the original umami of rice, it is characterized by a mellow taste typical of Junmai sake and a sake quality that allows you to feel the blessings of the land of Nara. Against the background of the history and culture of the Nara Basin, where rice cultivation has been flourishing since ancient times, it is a brand filled with attachment and pride for the region as a local sake revived in modern times.

"Soho" is a brand that expresses "the joy of encountering high-quality sake rice and the image of powerful and lush green ears of rice". It uses carefully selected suitable rice for sake brewing and pursues sake brewing that brings out the individuality of the rice. Characterized by the balance between the umami and aroma of rice, it is designed to allow you to enjoy pairing with seasonal ingredients, and is highly evaluated by sake enthusiasts. It is deployed as a quality-focused premium line where the technical capabilities of Choryo Sake Brewery and the commitment to rice have come to fruition.

"Futaho" is a vintage Junmai sake released every year, and is a special brand that uses 100% Omachi rice from the Takashima district of Okayama Prefecture. It is characterized by a sake quality that emphasizes the unique fullness of Omachi rice, and allows you to fully enjoy the individuality of the rice. With vintage notation, you can enjoy the difference in taste each year, and it is positioned as a brand attracting attention from sake collectors and enthusiasts. It is a bottle packed with the commitment of Choryo Sake Brewery, where you can enjoy brewing technology that maximizes the charm of Omachi rice and the deepening of taste due to long-term aging.

"Shikizaki" is a series of seasonal limited sake that offers the enjoyment of each of the four seasons. It uses various sake rice such as Omachi rice and Tsuyuhakaze, and is deployed as a brand that shows different expressions for each season. The sake quality is designed to suit each season of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, proposing a culture of enjoying Japanese sake with the changing seasons. It is a brand symbolizing the stance of Choryo Sake Brewery continuing new challenges while maintaining tradition, providing sake fans with enjoyment throughout the four seasons.

"Hatsushigure" is the only brand brewed by Ota Sake Brewery, and is a sake that condenses the brewery's commitment. Using only carefully selected materials such as underground spring water and Asaka rice, it is carefully brewed with traditional handmade methods. Various types such as Junmai sake, Daiginjo, and Genshu are developed, and the scarcity that can only be obtained by direct sale from the brewery is attractive. The brewery's stance of providing only to those who are satisfied with the taste and quality tells of their confidence and pride in quality. Hatsushigure, brewed in Ikaruga, the knee of Horyuji Temple, is loved by visitors as a brand that conveys the history and tradition of the ancient capital Nara to the present. They also produce Narazuke of the same name, which has been well received as an additive-free pickle that makes use of the umami of sake lees.

"Goshin" is a brand name that combines the character "Shin" (God), which is said to have been offered to gods since ancient times, and the character "Go" of Gojo City in a good rhythm, and is the representative brand of Gojo Sake Brewery that has been sold since its founding. Using subsoil water from the Mt. Kongo system and rice grown without chemical fertilizers by local contract farmers, it is carefully brewed by traditional hand-making of the Tajima school. A wide lineup such as Junmai sake, Tokubetsu Junmai sake, and Junmai Daiginjo is developed, and each boasts high quality. It is so familiar in the local Gojo City that it is said that "there is no shop in Gojo without Goshin", and is characterized by a taste where you can firmly feel the umami of rice while being light and dry. As a dining sake that accompanies meals, it has a depth that can be enjoyed in a wide range of temperature zones from cold sake to hot sake, and is a brand that has walked with the local food culture.

"Jindaisugi" is one of the brands brewed by Yamamoto Honke, and is a name inspired by the tradition and mystery of Yoshino cedar that has continued since ancient times. "Jindai" means the age of mythology, making it a brand name suitable for the land of Nara with its eternal history. Brewed using subsoil water from Mt. Kongo and traditional methods, Jindaisugi is characterized by a balance between a refreshing mouthfeel and the umami of rice. Against the background of Gojo's history and nature, it embodies the pride of the region as a brand that conveys the tradition of sake brewing from ancient times to the present.

"Matsunotomo" is Yamamoto Honke's flagship product, and is a sake made using well water from the subsoil water of Mt. Kongo. It is a light and slightly dry sake, characterized by a refreshing mouthfeel that is delicious whether warm or cold. "Matsu" (Pine) is a symbol of perpetual youth and longevity, and "Tomo" (Friend) expresses friendliness, and it has been loved for a long time as a sake that accompanies everyday life. It is a brand that condenses the tradition and technology of Yamamoto Honke with a history of over 300 years, and as a local sake representing Gojo City, it has walked together with the local food culture. It has a strong character as a dining sake and has a depth that harmonizes with various dishes.

"Mandai Oimatsu" is the flagship brand of Fujimura Sake Brewery. "Mandai" symbolizes eternity, and "Oimatsu" symbolizes longevity and dignity. It is positioned as a prestigious sake brewed in the historic land of Yoshino. Brewed with the famous water "Gorogoro Water" of Mt. Omine and carefully selected sake rice, Mandai Oimatsu is characterized by its clear and elegant taste. It has a wide lineup from Junmai Daiginjo to Junmai sake, each boasting high quality. It is a brand that combines Yoshino's rich nature with traditional techniques inherited for over 150 years. They also develop products named after local famous places such as "Mt. Omine Junmai Sake", conveying the charm of Yoshino through sake.

"Yamakatsura" is the flagship brand of Okamoto Honke and is a local sake rooted in the history of Yoshino. "Katsura" is another name for the moon, and "Yamakatsura" means "the moon hanging over the mountains of Yoshino," and is said to have been named in memory of the Yoshino Imperial Court. Using spring water from the Mt. Omine system as brewing water, it is characterized by an elegant and deep taste brewed by the clear water and a rich aroma. They develop various types such as Daiginjo, Junmai sake, and Honjozo, and use the groundwater of the Yoshino River as brewing water. Yamakatsura, which has been brewed for over 100 years in the land full of historical romance called Yoshino, is loved not only by locals but also by people visiting Yoshino as a brand that conveys the pride and tradition of the region to the present.

"Kankiko" is the flagship brand of Sawada Sake Brewery, developed by the fifth generation Sadako Sawada and the master brewer Chiso Iguchi. It has received high praise, including winning the Gold Prize at the National New Sake Appraisal in 1988 (Showa 63). Since resuming in-house brewing in 2019, the Junmai Ginjo "Chiisana Yorokobi" has won the Gold Medal at the "International Wine Challenge" and the Grand Gold Medal at the "Fine Sake Awards", boasting numerous awards at domestic and international competitions. Characterized by a balance of rich umami and deep sweetness, the Junmai Ginjo sake using 100% Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture maximizes the umami of rice. As a brand that fuses tradition and innovation created by the passion and careful brewing of young brewers, it symbolizes Sawada Sake Brewery in a new era.