Sake Brands
in Yamaguchi

il Sake is one of the brands developed by Araya Sake Brewing and is a sake that incorporates modern sensibility. It is characterized by a gorgeous aroma and an excellent balance of taste, reflecting the attitude of sake brewing where the couple carefully raises a small amount like their own child.

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.

Nagato Kikukawa is one of the brands of Choshu Sake Brewing and has a name reflecting the regionality of Kikukawa-cho, Shimonoseki City. It is characterized by sake brewing utilizing the climate of the Nagato region and is popular as a sake rooted in the region.

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.

Kaikyo is a brand of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing that won the Monde Selection Gold Award. It has a name reflecting the characteristics of the strait city of Shimonoseki, and uses medium soft water flowing further below the granite located 160m directly under the brewery as brewing water. It is characterized by a taste that harmonizes with the food culture of Shimonoseki, which is rich in seafood, and is popular as a sake rooted in the region.

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.

Shido is a Junmai Daiginjo of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing, using 100% Yamada Nishiki exclusively for Shimonoseki Sake Brewing by contract farmers. Using medium soft water flowing further below the granite located 160m directly under the brewery, it is characterized by an elegant and transparent aroma of lychee, cherry, apple, and raspberry that feels pure. It has received high praise at international liquor competitions, such as winning the Gold Award at 'SINGAPORE SAKE CHALLENGE 2023' and the Gold Award for two consecutive years at 'LONDON SAKE CHALLENGE 2019/2020'. By using exclusive Yamada Nishiki from contract farmers, consistent quality control is realized, and the sophisticated taste as Junmai Daiginjo is pursued. As a representative of the Junmai-type premium sake that they have been focusing on in recent years, it is a brand where the technology and philosophy of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing have crystallized.

Hajimete no Nihonshu (First Sake) is a brand of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing developed for sake beginners. As the name suggests, it pursues a taste that is friendly to sake and aims to convey the charm of sake widely. Using medium soft water 160m directly under the brewery, it is characterized by a gentle and easy-to-drink sake quality.

Kurabito no Jimanzake (Brewer's Pride Sake) is a Junmai Ginjo of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing, and is one of the premium Junmai sake that they have been focusing on in recent years. As the name suggests, it is a sake brewed with confidence by the brewers, and is a brand that reflects the technology and philosophy of Shimonoseki Sake Brewing. Using medium soft water located 160m directly under the brewery, it has received high praise at domestic and international liquor competitions.

Fuku no Hirezake (Pufferfish Fin Sake) is a unique sake of Shimonoseki using the fins of Torafugu (Tiger Pufferfish), a specialty of Shimonoseki. It is a product utilizing the specialty of the strait city of Shimonoseki, and is gaining popularity as a brand rich in regionality where the savory aroma of pufferfish fins and the taste of sake harmonize.

Kojo no Homare is one of the brands of Yamashiroya Sake Brewing, and is a sake inheriting the tradition of a long-established brewery with a history of 400 years. Using the underground water of Yamaguchi Daijingu at the foot of 'Yanagi no Mizu', one of the three famous waters in Yamaguchi City, and Yamada Nishiki cultivated without chemical fertilizers by contract farmers in Ato Tokusa, the philosophy of sake brewing rooted in the region is embodied.

Sugihime is the representative brand of Yamashiroya Sake Brewing. For rice, they use Yamada Nishiki cultivated without chemical fertilizers by contract farmers in Ato Tokusa, Yamaguchi City, and for water, they use the underground water of Yamaguchi Daijingu at the foot of 'Yanagi no Mizu', one of the three famous waters in Yamaguchi City. Junmai sake has a medium to dry taste, with almost no sweetness, and is characterized by a smooth umami and a refreshing bitterness. Junmai Ginjo is medium to slightly dry, with smooth umami, refreshing acidity, and citrus flavor like grapefruit. It feels like 'THE Junmai Ginjo', easy to drink smoothly, and has a taste that seems to match any meal. It is a brand that reflects Yamashiroya Sake Brewing's attitude of thoroughly implementing 'Made in Yamaguchi' and sticking to local rice and water in sake brewing. While inheriting 400 years of history and tradition, it has become a brand representing Yamaguchi City as a sake that has been revived through modern quality control.

Ginrei is a brand brewed by Miura Sake Brewing, characterized by sake brewing utilizing the nature of the mountainous area of Sasanami, Hagi City. As a sake rooted in the region, it is popular locally.

Choyo Asahitsuru is a brand brewed by Takiguchi Sake Brewing, characterized by sake brewing utilizing the nature of Akiragi, Hagi City. As a sake rooted in the region, it is popular locally.

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.

Yukionna is one of the brands brewed by Ohmine Shuzou, characterized by sake brewing using 'Benten no Yusui' of Akiyoshidai. It is a brand that reflects Ohmine Shuzou's philosophy of handling only Junmai Genshu.

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.

Naminohana is a sake for which Mii Sake Brewing is the seller, and manufacturing is entrusted to Yamagata Honten. Junmai Daiginjo has a rice polishing ratio of 50% and an alcohol content of 15.5%, and is characterized by a gentle and round head fragrance. Yamagata Honten is particular about ingredients from Yamaguchi Prefecture, using raw materials carefully raised by farmers in Yamaguchi Prefecture such as rice and water, and in particular, using Yamaguchi Prefecture rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Saito no Shizuku. Due to the form of commissioned brewing, it is a sake that fuses the brand of Mii Sake Brewing and the technology of Yamagata Honten.

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.