Sake Brands
in Yamaguchi

A brand derived from the five arches of the "Kintai Bridge", one of Japan's three famous bridges. Insisting on rice and water from Yamaguchi Prefecture, and people, it is characterized by fine-grained and fragrant sake quality due to soft water brewing. While incorporating traditional wooden barrel making, they pursue a well-balanced taste that goes well with meals.

Toyo Bijin is the representative brand of Sumikawa Sake Brewing, and is a sake characterized by a fruity aroma and a transparent taste. As the phrase 'water that has passed through rice plants' suggests, it has a beautiful sake quality where the umami of rice and the purity of water harmonize. It has many awards both in Japan and overseas, and is also famous for being served at a dinner party when President Putin visited Japan. It combines gorgeousness with elegance that snuggles up to meals, and continues to fascinate many sake fans.

Dassai is the sole sake brand brewed by Asahi Shuzo. With the catchphrase 'Sake brewing is dream creation, let's open up a new era of sake,' they continue to reform and innovate without resting on words like tradition or handmade. Using only Yamada Nishiki rice, with the highest rice polishing ratio of 23% (Migaki Niwari Sanbu), they verify rice polished to the limit, realizing a gorgeous aroma, clean sweetness like honey, and a crisp aftertaste. They actively introduce the latest technologies such as squeezing using a centrifuge, and their attitude of always pursuing the highest quality has gained high praise from enthusiasts around the world.

Chomonkyo is the representative brand of Okazaki Sake Brewing, utilizing underground water from the Abu River flowing from 'Chomonkyo', one of the best scenic spots in Yamaguchi Prefecture, as preparation water. Utilizing the characteristics of soft water (total hardness 1.6), they aim for well-balanced sake brewing that has a deep flavor but does not make you tired of drinking. It is cold brewing utilizing the winter cold from November to March, brewing sake while adjusting to the different climate every year, and from 2010, they also started brewing Junmai sake using pesticide-free rice 'Isehikari'. They also develop Junmai Ginjo 'Fukurasuzume' brewed with Yamaguchi Prefecture's original sake brewing suitable rice 'Saito no Shizuku', and sake-based liqueurs using Yuzu and Daidai (summer orange), which are also produced in Hagi. The blessed water source of the underground water of the Abu River and the careful sake brewing by cold brewing are reflected in the brand Chomonkyo, and it is popular as a sake that harmonizes with the nature of Hagi.

The name "Gangi" comes from the thought "life is born at the water's edge", symbolizing sake brewing nurtured by the clear stream of the Nishiki River. By insisting on Junmai and unfiltered brewing and bringing out the original vitality of rice, it realizes a fruity yet rich umami and a sharp taste.

Choyo Fukumusume is the representative brand of Iwasaki Sake Brewing, named with the wish that children would grow up to be lucky and good children, following the consecutive births of daughters in the Iwasaki family at the time of its founding. They try to make sake that has a little sweetness and allows you to feel the deliciousness of rice. It is characterized by small-quantity production where very few bottles, about 600 to 700, can be made from one tank, brewed under thorough quality control with 'small preparation total rice 630 kg'. Using sake rice centered on Yamada Nishiki produced locally in Hagi and groundwater springing up within the brewery premises, they brew sake with a gentle and smooth drinking feel. It is a sake characterized by a gorgeous ginjo aroma reminiscent of fruits such as apples and melons, and a plump deliciousness that spreads in your mouth while being smooth and transparent. Like Hagi, which faces the Sea of Japan and has a prosperous fishing industry, the sake brewed goes well with seafood such as tilefish, horse mackerel, and blackthroat seaperch. It is one of the best in the prefecture, such as winning the gold prize for 3 consecutive years in the National New Sake Appraisal, the Prefectural Governor's Award in the Yamaguchi Prefecture Appraisal, top in the 'Ginjo Division' of the same appraisal, and the highest award 3 times in the past 5 years in the 'Junmai Division', and is highly evaluated as a brand representing Hagi.

Murashige is a confident creation bearing the name of Murashige Shuzo. It is carefully brewed using traditional techniques, using clear water from the upper reaches of the Nishiki River in Iwakuni City and locally produced sake rice such as Yamaguchi Prefecture's 'Saito no Shizuku'. Characterized by the umami of rice and a gentle aroma, they pursue a taste that you will never get tired of drinking. As a sake that accompanies the daily dining table, it is a brand that has been loved by the people of Iwakuni for a long time.

Wakamusume is the representative brand of Araya Sake Brewing, and is a sake completed through trial and error by the husband and wife team based on the concept of 'elegant Wakamusume that is gorgeous but one does not get tired of it'. It is characterized by having a gorgeous aroma and an excellent balance of taste, and the couple carefully raises a small amount like their own child. In 2007, they switched to four-season brewing facilities, realizing sake brewing of stable quality throughout the year. It has received numerous awards at KURA MASTER (France), IWC (International Wine Challenge in London), and domestic competitions, and is highly evaluated from home and abroad. Since sake is a national alcohol, the strong desire of the Kuramoto to be recognized in the world as Japanese is included, and careful sake brewing created by the husband and wife working together supports the quality and individuality of Wakamusume. It is a sake that harmonizes gorgeousness and elegance, nurtured by the nature of Tokuji, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and the passion of the Shintani couple.

Yamazaru is the representative brand of Nagayama Sake Brewing released in 2002, using high-quality sake rice cultivated by the Misumi Sake Rice Group. It is an authentic Ginjo sake evaluated by the taste itself without relying on the peculiar aroma of Ginjo sake, and is characterized by a sharp taste. Sanyo-Onoda City is close to Akiyoshidai, and they use medium hard water with a hardness of 80.7 containing calcium. Although it is dry, it has a soft mouthfeel, and they try to make sake with sharpness while vividly impressing richness and umami. Making use of the goodness of sake rice, you can enjoy Yamazaru which is good cold and good warm, enjoy it in a full temperature range, and it is a highly versatile sake that matches everything from Japanese food to Italian and French. They also develop high-quality products such as Daiginjo Muroka Tobin-dori.

Harada is one of the brands brewed by Hatsumomidi, characterized by a gorgeous aroma and excellent balance of taste. Embodying the philosophy of sake brewing where they gently care for small quantities like their own children often done by the couple, it has a taste rooted in the region as a sake of Shunan.

Taka is a brand taken from the name of the 5th generation brewery owner Takahiro Nagayama, and is a Junmai sake with the concept of 'healing and rice taste'. It is a dry Junmai sake, and the gentle taste inherent in rice spreads gradually. While being a sharp dry Junmai sake using medium-hard water, it suppresses excessive sweetness and brings out the essential umami of the raw rice. Rather than the wine-like nuances that emphasize gorgeous aromas and acids seen in the recent sake boom, they emphasize the traditional balance that adheres to the tradition of sake. The most important thing is 'sake that can be drunk continuously', pursuing a healing taste rather than flashy aromas or excessive sweetness. They aim for a sake quality that can be drunk slowly without getting tired, like a kimono beauty. Using medium-hard water originating from Akiyoshidai, they use sake rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Omachi produced locally in Ube. Expressing the essential umami of rice while making the sake sharp with the hard texture of minerals in the preparation water. Embodying the philosophy of brewing only Junmai sake conscious of international standards, expression of terroir, and protection of the local environment through cooperation with agriculture, the dry sake quality with rice umami and sharpness is easy to match with a wide range of dishes, and has particularly good compatibility with Japanese food.

Ohmine is the representative brand of Ohmine Shuzou, and is evaluated as featuring 'fruity freshness like white peach'. It uses 'Benten no Yusui' of Akiyoshidai, Japan's largest karst plateau, which is special water selected as one of Japan's 100 Famous Waters. The concept raised during the revival of the brewery is to handle only Junmai Genshu (undiluted sake) without adding water for adjustment, maximizing the taste of the ingredients. Aiming for sake with an alcohol content of about 14 degrees, they fuse traditional methods and modern technology. The bottle design is also innovative, featuring a rice grain design. 3 grains represent Junmai sake, 2 grains represent Junmai Ginjo, and 1 grain represents Junmai Daiginjo, making the design visually easy to understand. Using Yamada Nishiki, Omachi (Okayama), Dewasansan (Yamagata), and Aiyama (Hyogo) as premium sake rice, they aim to maximize the individuality of each rice. As of April 2019, it has already been distributed to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Stockholm, and New York, and is highly evaluated from home and abroad.

Nakashimaya is a persitent sake named after the trade name, characterized by a refreshing taste that you never get tired of. It is a brand that harmonizes the tradition of Nakashimaya Brewery for 200 years and the philosophy of modern sake brewing aimed at by the 12th generation head. While protecting the techniques inherited from the Edo period, they pursue a refreshing drinking mouth and a taste that you never get tired of, and it is supported by a wide range of people as a sake that goes well with meals. By bearing the trade name, it has become a brand embodying the history and pride of Nakashimaya Brewery.

Mouri Kou is a long-selling brand loved in Yamaguchi for a long time, and is a sake where you can taste the simplest Yamagata Honten style. By bearing the name of the Mouri clan who ruled Yamaguchi for a long time, it embodies the desire to inherit the history and tradition of the region. Making use of the characteristics of the slightly soft well water springing in the brewery, it is characterized by a soft, refreshing and sharp taste, and realizes a taste that you never get tired of drinking through careful sake brewing using ingredients from Yamaguchi Prefecture. As a sake rooted in the region, it is supported by a wide range of generations.

Hinoshita Musou is a premium Junmai Daiginjo and Daiginjo sake series created by Toji (master brewer) Shinji Hinoshita in pursuit of his ideal sake brewing, such as introducing a 'microbubble rice washing machine.' Aiming for 'sake unparalleled under heaven,' it is brewed without sparing time and effort. It is characterized by a gorgeous aroma, a transparent taste, and a delicate finish. It has received high praise in competitions both domestically and internationally, and is known as a brand symbolizing the high technical ability of Murashige Shuzo.

Kinkan Kuromatsu is Murashige Shuzo's flagship brand. The name comes from the black pine (Kuromatsu), which symbolizes joy and is always displayed at celebrations such as ceremonies and weddings. The first brewery owner named it 'Kinkan Kuromatsu' (Gold Crown Black Pine) by placing a gold crown on top, hoping that drinking our sake would bring more happiness to everyone. They use two types of underground water from the clear Nishiki River: the ultra-soft 'Ganryu Well' and the hard water 'Kannon Well' from limestone strata, depending on the desired sake quality. They also use locally produced sake rice 'Saito no Shizuku,' embodying a brewing philosophy rooted in the region. Characterized by a gentle aroma and a slightly sweet richness, it has a long-lasting aftertaste. As a brand symbolizing Iwakuni's history and culture, it embodies the philosophy of community-rooted sake brewing.

Kanenaka is a sake brewed using 'Kimoto-zukuri', an orthodox brewing method handed down from the Edo period that has now become rare. Through the time-consuming and labor-intensive method which takes about one month to create the yeast starter, the aroma and taste originating from Kimoto are unique, characterized by umami and swelling acidity. It has a strong body that corresponds to hot sake, and the deep taste showing various expressions depending on the temperature range is attractive. Traditional production methods are highly evaluated even in modern times, such as winning the top prize in the SAKE division of IWC (International Wine Challenge) 2020. As a brand crystallized from the Kimoto-zukuri technology that Nakashimaya Brewery has continued to protect and the experience nurtured by 200 years of history, it has received tremendous support from sake lovers. The unique taste by traditional production methods has become a valuable existence in the modern sake scene.

Kahori is one of the brands brewed by Yamagata Honten, characterized by a soft, refreshing and sharp taste. Making use of the slightly soft well water springing in the brewery, it is loved in the region as a sake carefully brewed with ingredients from Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Santoka is the representative brand of Kanemitsu Sake Brewing, and is a sake born in memory of the haiku poet 'Taneda Santoka'. Santoka ran a sake brewing business in the prefecture for about 10 years from Meiji 40, but went bankrupt in Taisho 5, and there is a historical connection that the predecessor company of Kanemitsu Sake Brewing absorbed and merged Santoka's company. Using 100% brewing rice from Yamaguchi Prefecture, thorough quality control is carried out by small-quantity production. Junmai Daiginjo Genshu features moderate acidity and fruity taste, and Junmai Ginjo uses Yamaguchi Prefecture brewing rice 'Yamada Nishiki' polished to 55%, and is a sake with a well-balanced acidity and sweetness that you won't get tired of drinking. While modest, you can enjoy the balance of solid bitterness, astringency, and spiciness, and it is popular as a sake during meals that does not lose to strong-flavored dishes. The high quality is evaluated, such as winning the gold prize in Heisei 14, 15, and 18, and winning a prize in Heisei 20 in the 'National New Sake Appraisal' sponsored by the National Research Institute of Brewing. It is one of the representative sakes of Yamaguchi, fusing the literary background of haiku poet Taneda Santoka and the commitment to using 100% brewing rice from Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Sekimusume is the representative brand of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing, and the sake name was named by combining 'Seki' from Shimonoseki and 'Musume' (Daughter) from the sake quality that is dry but gentle, soft, and has a fruity aroma. In recent years, as the Sekimusume series, they have lined up a lot of products from Honjozo to Daiginjo. Using medium soft water flowing further below the granite located 160m directly under the brewery as brewing water, it is characterized by being dry but gentle, soft, and having a fruity aroma. It has a history established by gathering 445 local farmers in 1923, reflecting the philosophy of sake brewing rooted in the region. Developing a wide lineup from Honjozo to Daiginjo, it has become a brand representing Shimonoseki as a sake that can be enjoyed in various scenes.

The main brand of Horie Sakaba, which is highly praised overseas. It maintains an exquisite balance between the clean sharpness due to medium-hard water and the plump umami inherent in rice. It goes excellently with meals, and is a gem that becomes deeper in flavor the more you drink.

Tenbi is a brand brewed by Choshu Sake Brewing, characterized by sake brewing utilizing the climate of Shimonoseki City. It is attracting attention as a relatively new brand and is gaining popularity as a sake that incorporates modern sensibility.

A brand that makes use of the clear stream of the Nishiki River and the local climate, harmonizing the rich nature of Iwakuni with traditional techniques. Expressing a taste rooted in the region, it is a sake that continues to be loved by the locals.

Nene is a sparkling Junmai sake brewed by Sakai Shuzo, characterized by a gentle sparkling sensation created by sealing natural carbon dioxide gas from in-bottle fermentation. It features a light and cool taste where subtle sweetness and refreshing acidity harmonize, and you can enjoy a pear-like aroma and taste, and a fruit-like texture.

A brand expressing the gorgeousness and elegance of "Nishiki" (brocade). It features a fine-grained texture unique to soft water brewing and a taste that makes the most of the umami of Yamaguchi Prefecture rice. It is a bottle filled with Sakai Shuzo's tradition and commitment to the region.