Sake Brands
in Shiga

"Kirakucho" (Joy and Pleasure Longevity) is the representative brand that Kita Shuzo has protected for over 200 years, wishing for joy to be enjoyed and to last long. Maximizing the power of rice polished by private rice milling, they achieve both a mellow aroma and a sharp taste. Boasting a diverse lineup from Junmai Daiginjo to daily evening drinks, the dry Junmai Ginjo is a bottle with high perfection as a meal-time sake. It is a traditional taste that nestles close to the joys of life and celebrates healthy times.

"Matsunotsukasa" is a brand that masters terroir, reflecting the climate of Ryuo-cho, Shiga Prefecture. A taste full of transparency created by high-quality sake rice from contract farmers and clear underground water from the Suzuka Mountains. Pursuing the possibilities of sake with innovative approaches such as "Soil-specific Brewing" expressing individuality due to soil differences. The refined umami and beautiful finish bring an experience where you feel the memory of the land with your five senses.

"Taga" is a brand with over 300 years of history, bearing the name of Taga, which flourishes as a temple town for Taga Taisha Shrine. A local sake inheriting tradition and pride, once counted as an official sake for the lords of the Hikone Domain. The strength with a firm core and a delicate aftertaste created by brewing water rich in calcium maintain an exquisite balance. It is an auspicious cup brewed at the foot of "O-Taga-san," the god of longevity.

"Naminooto" is a flagship brand boasting over 200 years of history, named by a high-ranking priest of Mt. Hiei. With the theme of "Drinking relaxation," it expresses a comfortable aftertaste that comes and goes like the ripples of Lake Biwa. Characterized by elegant sweetness and a clean finish, it is finished with a taste that you never get tired of drinking. The warm sake quality brewed with family bonds demonstrates excellent compatibility as a sake with meals.

"Kanoizumi" is a traditional brand of Takeuchi Shuzo that has been loved locally for over 150 years since its founding. Inheriting the mellow and fragrant taste once praised as "The silent sake." It features a clear mouthfeel like the clean water nurtured by the nature of Ishibe. It is a proud local sake that has nestled close to the joys and sorrows of local people and continued to color daily dining tables.

"Miyosakae" is a traditional brand of Kitajima Shuzo, bearing a prestigious name derived from a poem in the Manyoshu. For over 200 years, it has been loved by travelers coming and going on the old Tokaido road and local people. A plump and gentle mouthfeel and a taste you never get tired of, created by the soft water of the Suzuka Mountains. It is a warm local sake that nestles close to the daily dining table, filled with the wish for peace and prosperity.

"Matsunohana" is a brand named with thoughts for the old pine tree cut down to build the brewery at the time of its founding. A traditional taste that has been loved by the local people of Takashima along with over 160 years of history. Brewed with clear water from the same system as the "Shozu of Harie," one of the Heisei Best 100 Waters, it features a calm and gentle mouthfeel. You can enjoy a deeply nourishing taste that permeates the drinker's mind and body.

"Mifuku" is the royal road and original brand of Mifuku Shuzo, bearing the sake brewing philosophy "beautiful, rich, and continues eternally" since its founding. Using the clear water of the Suzuka Mountains and carefully selected Shiga Prefecture rice, it is a standard cup that has continued to nestle close to local people for many years. Characterized by soft umami with a good balance and a modest aroma, it richly colors daily dining tables. It is a trusted brand representing the brewery, where the determination to protect tradition and the sincerity of wishing for the drinker's happiness are alive.

"Sanrensei" (Triple Stars) is an innovative brand with triple meanings: using three generations of Shiga's sake rice (grandfather: Shiga Wataribune No. 6, father: Yamada Nishiki, child: Gin-fubuki) and developing three types of grades. Delving deep into Shiga's terroir, it draws out the potential of regional sake rice with modern sensitivity. Characterized by a fresh and dynamic taste, it is an ambitious work of Mifuku Shuzo pursuing new possibilities for sake. Like three stars shining in the night sky, it is a bottle with a brilliance that illuminates the drinker's heart.

"Haginotsuyu" is a brand named by the feudal lord after the bush clover (hagi) flowers that grew in clusters on Katsuno Beach at the time of its founding. Aiming for "sake not to get drunk, but sake to savor," it features a mellow, savory taste with a clean finish. Using underground water from the Hira Mountains and high-quality rice from Shiga Prefecture, it has a gentle sake quality that evokes the scenery of Omi. It is the royal road of local sake that continues to be loved by the local people of Takashima, enriching daily dining tables.

"Amadare Ishi wo Ugatsu" (Constant dripping wears away the stone) is a brand bearing the proverb meaning that accumulated small efforts produce great results. It symbolizes the sincere attitude of Fukui Yahei Shoten, which continues to brew sake carefully, drop by drop. The rich and mellow taste created by "Tomizu-jikomi" makes you feel the strength like wearing away a stone over time. It is a bottle filled with the brewery's conviction that deeply permeates the drinker's heart.

"Asajio" is a brand derived from a waka poem bestowed by Prince Shogoin-no-miya Dokan, a son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. It imagines "clear water gushing out from where Asaji (cogongrass) grows thick." Using high-quality underground water sourced from the mountains surrounding Lake Biwa, it has a taste that conveys the warmth of handmade production. They aim for a sake to accompany meals that nestles in daily life, such that you enjoy it with a meal and realize the cup is empty before you know it.

"Mumeigura" (Nameless Brewery) is a brand where Naminooto Shuzo challenges new sake brewing not bound by preconceived notions. The name embodies the gracious will to "compete with substance rather than fame." Using traditional techniques that spare no effort, such as Yamahai brewing inherited from Noto Toji. The powerful yet delicate taste is a bottle that impresses sake connoisseurs.

"Omi no Sake nite Soro: Toast with 10,000 People" is the brand of one of the largest sake events in Shiga Prefecture, where residents toast with Shiga's local sake all at once. Started with the enactment of the "Ordinance to Promote the Dissemination of Omi's Local Sake," the public and private sectors work together to transmit the charm of local sake. On the day, people get drunk on fine sake throughout the prefecture, and a circle of smiles expands. It is a project that serves as a bridge connecting the sake culture brewed by Shiga's rich nature and people to the future.

"Tsukinosato" is a rare, region-limited brand brewed in the temple town of Ishiyamadera, related to Murasaki Shikibu. An old-fashioned taste where the aroma of koji, gentle sweetness, and juicy acidity harmonize. Its charm lies in its versatile sake quality, which is delicious cold but increases in umami even more when warmed. It is a bottle you want to taste while thinking about the historical romance of Ishiyamadera.

"Biwako Masamune" is a brand brewed on the shores of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, as its name suggests. It features brewing that utilizes the rich natural environment surrounding Lake Biwa and the clear underground water of the Hira Mountains. They pursue a "beautiful taste" that is mellow, savory, and has a clean aftertaste. It goes perfectly with Lake Biwa fish dishes, and is a bottle where you can fully enjoy the climate of Shiga.

"Futagoza no Spica" (Spica in Gemini) is a romantic brand named after the first-magnitude star shining in the spring night sky. It embodies Fukui Yahei Shoten's spirit of challenge, cherishing tradition while exploring new tastes. It offers the excitement of looking up at the constellations and a comfortable intoxication. The label design is also beautiful, making it a sake with a shining modern sensibility, perfect for special nights or gifts.

"Okubiwako" is a brand that expresses the climate of Shin-Asahi-cho, Takashima City, located in the northernmost part of Lake Biwa. Complex and rich taste is realized by "Yamahai-jikomi," which is synonymous with Uehara Shuzo. By carefully pressing with "Wooden Bucket Tenbin-shibori," which is rare nationwide, it is finished in a clear sake quality without off-flavors. It is a robust bottle suitable for aging, reminiscent of the deep and quiet nature of Okubiwako (Deep Lake Biwa).

"Furosen" is the flagship brand of Uehara Shuzo, boasting a history of over 150 years. The auspicious name wishing for "health without aging" is derived from the artesian water gushing in the brewery. By "Yamahai-jikomi" utilizing the power of nature, it realizes rich umami and firm acidity. The unique depth and lingering finish created by careful pressing in wooden buckets fascinate many enthusiastic fans.

"Soma no Tengu" is a brand embodying the nature of Shiga, with respect for the people who protect the mountains (Somabito) and the mountain god (Tengu). It uses local terraced rice field rice and is a Junmai Ginjo Usunigori Namagenshu (lightly cloudy unpasteurized undiluted sake) without any additives. It features a fresh mouthfeel with slight effervescence and the original juicy sweetness of rice. The alcohol content is slightly lower, making it easy to drink, and it is a bottle recommended for sake beginners as well.

"Hyakusho no Yume" (Dream of 100 Smiles / Farmers' Dream) is a brand aiming for sake brewing that makes farmers, brewers, and all drinkers smile. A Junmai sake brewed with Yamahai-jikomi using pesticide-free contract-grown rice. The powerful taste full of the original wildness of rice and the acidity unique to Yamahai match exquisitely. It is a cup where you can feel the vitality, as if the blessings of nature were bottled as they are.