Brands
Seigi Zakura
正義櫻Seigi Zakura is a sake brewed by Hiraki Shuzo, with a brand name evoking the dignified impression of pursuing justice as beautifully as cherry blossoms. Positioned as one of the brands embodying community-rooted brewing within Hiraki Shuzo's diverse brand portfolio. Using Okayama-grown rice and granite-filtered underground water from Yotsu-yama, it is crafted with a gentle, easy-drinking flavor. Cherished locally, it is enjoyed widely from everyday meals to special occasions.
Konko Kashin
金光賀眞Konkō Kashin is a sake brewed by Fujita Shuzo in Kamogata-chō, Asakuchi City, with an auspicious brand name combining the place name Konkō and the sincerity of celebration. It is a local sake brewed by the brewery leveraging the rich nature and quality water of Kamogata-chō. With the history and culture of the region that prospered as a temple town of Konkō-kyō as its backdrop, community-rooted brewing continues. Characterized by a gentle aroma and well-balanced flavor, it is widely enjoyed from everyday dining to banquets as a locally beloved brand.
Isochidori
磯千鳥Isochidori is a sake that has been brewed continuously since 1751 by Isochidori Shuzo in Satoshō-chō, Asakuchi District, named after the scenic beauty of this place where the sea once reached close to shore and plovers flew about. It is a brand brewed by this venerable brewery with over 270 years of history while preserving traditional brewing methods. While Okayama Prefecture is known for sweeter sake, Isochidori stands out with its slightly dry flavor profile and a crisp, clean finish. The lineup spans daiginjo, junmai ginjo, and honjozo, all pairing beautifully with Setouchi seafood cuisine and excelling as food-accompanying sake. The brewery has also earned high acclaim for its amazake production, with its "Sakaya ga Tsukutta Amazake" being selected as one of the top eight nationally by NHK.
Tokiwatsuru
常磐鶴Tokiwatsuru is a traditional brand brewed by Matsunaga Shuzo in Soja City, bearing a name that combines "Tokiwa" (eternal, unchanging prosperity) with the auspicious "Tsuru" (crane). Brewing continues in this historic land of Kibiji in Soja, deeply rooted in the community. Characterized by a gentle aroma and well-balanced flavor, it is a sake long beloved by local residents. With a food-friendly quality that never tires the palate, complementing the food culture of Kibiji, it is widely enjoyed from everyday dining to banquets.
Yuuwa
雄和Kibiji
吉備路Kibiji is a brand brewed by Matsunaga Shuzo in Soja City, a local sake bearing the name of the historic highway "Kibiji" of the ancient Kibi Kingdom. As a brand that has grown together with Soja City, it expresses the history and terroir of the Kibi cultural zone. With the landscape and culture of Kibiji as its backdrop—dotted with historic sites including the five-story pagoda of Bitchū Kokubunji Temple—the brewing emphasizes compatibility with local ingredients and cuisine. With a gentle, easy-drinking flavor, it is a beloved sake among tourists visiting Kibiji and local residents alike, and one of the representative sakes of Soja.
Kamiyo Akamai no Sake
かみよ 赤米の酒Kamiyo Akamai no Sake is a special sake brewed by Matsunaga Shuzo, a brand brimming with historical romance that uses ancient red rice. Red rice contains red pigment in the seed coat of its brown rice and is believed to be the origin of modern sekihan (red rice). It is still cultivated as sacred offering rice at Kokushi Shrine in Shinpon, Soja City. Soja City is one of only three places in Japan where red rice traditions are preserved, alongside Tsushima in Nagasaki and Tanegashima in Kagoshima, and the brewing draws on this regional heritage. The sake features a subtly reddish hue derived from the red rice and a distinctive flavor to enjoy. Matsunaga Shuzo also proposes new ways of drinking such as red rice cocktails, making this an innovative brand that bridges the aromas of antiquity with the future of sake.
Suifu
粹府Suifu is a sake brewed by Miyake Shuzo in Soja City, bearing the elegant brand name meaning "a gathering place of refinement." Brewed by a brewery founded in 1905, located just south of the five-story pagoda of Bitchū Kokubunji Temple at the heart of Kibiji, using local underground water and Soja City-grown rice. Its daiginjo, made with Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 35%, has won multiple gold awards at the National New Sake Competition, characterized by its light, dry, and elegant flavor. The fourth-generation owner-brewer carefully crafts the sake with a small team, and the 200-year-old brewery also hosts a public "Sake Brewing University," spreading the allure of sake-making far and wide. Against the backdrop of Kibiji's history and culture, it is a sake of distinguished sophistication.
Renge no Mai
れんげの舞いRenge no Mai is a brand brewed by Yoikigen, a sake with an elegant name evoking Chinese milk vetch blossoms dancing in the spring breeze across paddy fields. It is cherished as a brand symbolizing the rich pastoral landscape of Soja City and the rice-based brewing nurtured by that land. Yoikigen also pursues innovative brewing using wild yeast from fruits, and this technique is reflected in Renge no Mai. Characterized by a gentle aroma and soft flavor, it is a sake that evokes the feeling of spring.
Yoikigen
酔機嫌Yoikigen is the flagship brand of the Yoikigen brewery, a sake bearing the cheerful name meaning "good mood, good spirits." With a history of being renamed from "Furoku Masamune" by the second-generation owner, it has been beloved in Soja City since its founding in 1907. Brewed with Okayama-grown Omachi and Akebono rice, using water drawn from a 30-meter deep well tapping the underground flow of the Takahashi River. Through small-batch brewing (total rice under 500 kg) with meticulous mash management and hand-processed ingredients, the sake features a food-friendly flavor that does not overpower with rice umami. The ginjo offers an aromatic bouquet and well-balanced palate, enjoyed widely from everyday dining to banquets.
Hekiten
碧天Hekiten is a junmai sake brewed by Yoikigen, a brand expressing the refreshing taste of a clear, azure sky. Made with 100% Okayama-grown Omachi rice and carefully brewed in small batches (total rice under 500 kg). Designed as a food-accompanying sake that lets the cuisine take center stage without overpowering with rice umami. Using underground water from the Takahashi River and processing all ingredients by hand, it achieves a delicate, well-balanced flavor. Yoikigen also pursues innovative brewing using wild yeast from fruits, and the brewery's technique of fusing tradition with innovation is reflected in Hekiten.
Jagata
蛇形Jagata is a sake brewed by Sanko Masamune in Tessai-chō, Niimi City, bearing a distinctive brand name derived from the local place name "Jagata." One of the major brands alongside Sanko Masamune and Katsumasa, it is brewed in the deep natural environment of the Chūgoku Mountains. Leveraging the pure water and cool climate of Niimi City, the sake is crafted into a clean, refreshing flavor. As a locally beloved brand, it is a sake that complements the food culture of this mountainous region.
Sanko Koun
三光洸雲Sanko Koun is a brand brewed by Sanko Masamune, bearing a poetic name that expresses "Sanko" (the three lights of sun, moon, and stars) and light streaming through the clouds. Brewed in the natural environment of the Chūgoku Mountains in Tessai-chō, Niimi City, leveraging the pure water and cool climate. Positioned within the Sanko Masamune brand lineup as a sake aspiring to a distinguished, refined flavor. Characterized by a crisp, clear taste nurtured by the pristine air and water of the Chūgoku Mountains.
Sanko Tenpu
三光天賦Sanko Tenpu is a special brand brewed by Sanko Masamune, a sake crowned with "Tenpu," meaning heaven-bestowed talent and blessings. As an unfiltered, unpasteurized genshu distributed mainly to select retailers, it features a fresh flavor that lets you taste the pure umami of rice. Brewed using the pure water of the Chūgoku Mountains in Tessai-chō, Niimi City, with meticulous craftsmanship. Alongside "Katsumasa"—named after the gifted toji Katsumasa Takagaki (Bitchū Toji)—it is a brand that demonstrates the high technical skill of Sanko Masamune.
Katsumasa
克正Katsumasa is a brand brewed by Sanko Masamune, a sake named after the retired Bitchū toji (master brewer) Katsumasa Takagaki. Distributed mainly to select retailers as an unfiltered, unpasteurized genshu, it is positioned as a special brand expressing the toji's technique and passion. Using the pure water of the Chūgoku Mountains in Tessai-chō, Niimi City, it features the fresh, powerful flavor unique to unfiltered nama genshu. While preserving the traditional techniques of the Bitchū toji, this brand is the crystallization of Sanko Masamune's skill, drawing out the maximum umami from rice.
Kamimaneki
神招"Kamimaneki" is a local sake brand that was once brewed by Tanaka Shuzo. Benefiting from the rich nature of Jinsekikogen, the lineup included carefully brewed Junmai Ginjo Genshu. Although it is no longer produced with the closing of the brewery, it is a brand that once colored the evening drinks and celebrations of local people.
Jinsekikogen
神石高原"Jinsekikogen" is a special Kimoto Junmai sake brewed by Miwa Shuzo to embody the terroir of Jinsekikogen Town, just as the name suggests. It is brewed using the traditional "Kimoto styling" without adding any artificial yeast, using the rare sake rice "Hattan Nishiki No. 2" grown by local farmers. Thanks to the cool climate at an altitude of about 500m and the technique of using two types of brewing water, it has a taste unique to this land where elegant acidity, refreshing feeling, and solid strength coexist.
Minotsuru
美の鶴"Minotsuru" is the flagship brand of Minotsuru Shuzo, continuing since 1868 in the ancient town of Kannabe. It was named after "Mino-mura," the former name of the brewery's location. It is brewed with careful craftsmanship using underground water from the Oda River and carefully selected sake rice. With a wide lineup from Daiginjo to regular sake, its quality is highly evaluated, including gold prizes at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. It is a local Hiroshima sake where the reliable skills of a historic brewery shine.
Shinzan
深山"Shinzan" is a sake brewed by Takahashi Shuzo in Kamo-cho, Fukuyama City. Although detailed information is not much talked about, it is a brand that has been loved for many years in Fukuyama. Its name, reminiscent of a quiet mountain village, foreshadows a modest yet core taste, and it is familiar as a local sake that accompanies regional dining tables.
Kanshu Shinzan
勧酒深山"Kanshu Shinzan" is one of the "Shinzan" series developed by Takahashi Shuzo. As the name "Recommending Sake" (Kanshu) implies, it is a bottle that adds grace to conversations with close friends and banquets. Reflecting the honest brewing rooted in the climate of Fukuyama common to the Shinzan series, it is considered to feature a flavor that you never get tired of drinking.
Jurei Onomichi
寿齢おのみち"Jurei Onomichi" is a local sake from the only brewery in Onomichi, Yoshigen Shuzo, founded in 1854. The name of the sake "Jurei" is an auspicious brand that came to be used to celebrate longevity, inspired by the long life of the head of the family after the war. It is a balanced, slightly sweet sake with a good throat feel that moderately mixes softness and mellowness. It is good warmed and also good chilled, featuring a savory sake quality typical of Hiroshima sake, and goes perfectly with Setouchi seafood dishes. Currently, it continues its business through consignment brewing, protecting the history of local sake brewing as the only brewery in Onomichi.
Murakami Suigun
村上水軍"Murakami Suigun" is a sake themed on the roughness and great romance of the Murakami Suigun who were active based in Innoshima in the Seto Inland Sea. It is named after the history and legends of the Murakami Suigun (pirates) who sailed around the Seto Inland Sea based in Innoshima, projecting their brave spirit onto the sake quality. While having the depth to match any cuisine, Japanese, Western, or Chinese, it also combines the strength to enhance rich-tasting dishes. It goes perfectly with Setouchi seafood, and is a brand that fuses the bravery of the Murakami Suigun sailing the open seas with the climate of Setouchi.
Shimizu no Mai
しみずの舞Utilizing spring water as pure as its namesake "Shimizu" (Pure Water), this brand pursues the rich and robust flavors of rice. It can be enjoyed at various temperatures, with its mellow richness blooming beautifully when served warm (Atsukan). A local favorite that embodies Akita's food culture, it adds a touch of refinement and deep flavor to any daily meal.
Suigun
水軍"Suigun" is one of the brands developed by Hamaoka Shuzo as part of the "Murakami Suigun" series. As the name suggests, it expresses the strength and romance of the Murakami Suigun who once ruled the Seto Inland Sea. Featuring a solid taste and good sharpness, it is loved by locals as an approachable local sake that can be enjoyed at daily dining tables.
Honinbo
本因坊"Honinbo" is a brand that was produced by Binan Shuzo, which was formerly located in Innoshima, Onomichi City. Named after the "Honinbo" school of Go, it is presumed to have been named to honor Honinbo Shusaku, a native of Innoshima. Following the closure of the brewery in 2013, it has become a "phantom sake" that is no longer produced.