Brands

"Suminotomo" is a historic brand representing Suminotomo Shuzo, founded in 1909. It is brewed in Hirakata-cho, Kitaibaraki City, a port town with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The name "Suminotomo" (meaning "living friends") embodies the brewery's wish to be a local sake that stays close to the local people and blends into their lives. Using fresh spring water from the Hanazono mountain range as brewing water, it features a clean and dry taste pursued for compatibility with local seafood. It is a local sake with a simple and powerful flavor that has been loved by local fishermen and residents of Kitaibaraki for more than 100 years.

"Tenshinsho" is an artistic brand of Suminotomo Shuzo named after Okakura Tenshin, an art critic and philosopher who had deep ties to Kitaibaraki. It expresses Tenshin's spirit, who spent his later years on the Izura Coast, and the cultural scent of Kitaibaraki through sake. While being outsourced for brewing, its taste, which has been refined by the brewery's own dedication, features a refreshing mouthfeel and a gorgeous aroma that reminds one of Ginjo sake despite being a Junmai sake. The sake quality, which is slightly sweet and soft, providing a delicate beauty like a Japanese painting, evokes the beautiful natural landscape of Kitaibaraki that Tenshin loved, and is highly evaluated by people who love art and history.

"Ine no Mori" is an extremely rare local sake brewed by Asakawa Shuzo, located in Kami-oga, Hitachiomiya City. The brand name was chosen to pay respect to the beautiful rural landscape of Ibaraki, where golden ears of rice ripen abundantly. The brewery is an extremely small family-run operation, and it is known as a "phantom sake" that is only found in limited local liquor stores, with no direct sales or distribution in general retail stores. It features a simple, handmade taste closely connected to the lives of local people, far removed from mass production. Rooted in the local food culture and spoken of only by word of mouth, it is truly a hidden treasure of Ibaraki known only to those in the know.

"Nishizawa" is a brand of Shirakami Shuzo, named after the original Nishizawa Shuzoten.

"Bijinzuru" is another traditional brand handled by Asakawa Shuzo. Since ancient times, the crane (tsuru) has been a symbol of longevity and good fortune, and its noble and beautiful appearance is reflected in the sake name. In Asakawa Shuzo, which adheres to community-based sake brewing, it has been carefully served for many years as a drink to color local ceremonial occasions and celebrations. The appeal lies in the simple taste that conveys the warmth of the craftsman's hands, unique to a family-run brewery that does not engage in mass production. It is a warm brand that symbolizes the climate of Ibaraki and the bonds of the local people.

"Suifu" is one of the representative brands of Hitachiomiya City, brewed by Suifu Meijo, founded in 1917. Located in Nakatomi-cho near JR Hitachiomiya Station, it was loved by local people for many years. The main lineup included various products such as the signature brand "Suifu," the top-quality "Suien no Mato," "Junmai Kinuhikari" using rice produced in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the uniquely named "Kudoite." Although it supported the local sake culture for many years, due to equipment damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake and declining demand, production was suspended in 2016, ending its more than 100-year history. Even now, its solid taste is deeply engraved in the memories of local sake fans.

"Seikoshu" is a traditional lineup of Kahoku Shuzo, including Honjozo sake. It is a drink that captures the pure and transparent aroma and taste created by the fresh water and air of Okukuji. The brewery's gallery displays calligraphy of celebrities who wrote the letters for this brand, conveying the cultural value deeply rooted in the region today. Characterized by a gentle and elegant aroma, it is a standard local sake that has been loved for many years by the people of Daigo-machi, staying close to the daily dining table.

"Tsukiorehime" is an elegant and mysterious brand that symbolizes the cultural and artistic background of Kahoku Shuzo. Its name is derived from a painting by Suzuki Koson (a painter of the Maruyama-Shijo school) displayed in the brewery's gallery, expressing the fusion of historical artwork and sake. It is brewed with the aim of a delicate and modest taste, like a princess standing under the moonlight. The fresh water of Okukuji supports its transparent quality. As a brand that combines narrative and artistry, it plays a role in conveying the rich culture and traditional aesthetic sense of Daigo-machi to sake fans both in Japan and overseas.

"Yodo no Taki" (The Waterfall of Four Times) is the highest-grade brand of Kakucho Honten, founded in 1868. Its name is derived from "Yodo no Taki," which is another name for Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's three major waterfalls located in Daigo-machi. Just as Fukuroda Falls shows its beauty four times in each season, this sake aims for a delicate and profound taste, brewed only during the severe winter in Okukuji Daigo. The Daiginjo sake, woven by the fresh underground water of the Yamizo mountain range and traditional skills, features a noble and gorgeous aroma and a crystalline mouthfeel. Bearing the name of the famous waterfall, a symbol of the region, this sake is truly loved as a special drink that encapsulates the climate and history of Daigo-machi.

"Kakucho" is the representative brand bearing the house name of Kakucho Honten, which has its roots in the late Edo period and was established as a full-scale brewery in 1868. It is a traditional drink with an auspicious name that embodies the wish for the "family (ka) to prosper long (ku) and forever (cho)." Using the fresh underground water of the Yamizo mountain range in Okukuji Daigo and carefully handmade during the severe winter, its taste lets you feel the rich umami of rice within a crisp and sharp dry (Danrei Karakuchi) profile. It has long been close to the lives of local people, coloring celebratory occasions and daily dining tables. It is a historic local sake that symbolizes the traditional methods passed down through generations and the rich climate of Ibaraki.

The brand "Shirakami" was named after the concept that World Heritage Shirakami-Sanchi equals "Nature," which in turn equals "Sake." Brewed with low-impurity well water (underground flow from Shirakami-Sanchi) filtered through the beech forests over centuries, it offers an exceptionally mild sweetness and rich umami. Primarily using the "Yamahai" method, they strive to create sakes that harness nature's power. Their Yamahai sakes are characterized by a clean, crisp finish without the typical gamey aroma, while retaining depth and body. The Daiginjo variety features a magnificent bouquet and refreshing mouthfeel, crafted using "Hana-omoi" sake rice and pure Shirakami-Sanchi spring water.

"Reisui Yamizo" (Sacred Water of Yamizo) is a Junmai brand that makes the most of the fresh water springing from the sacred peaks of the Yamizo mountain range. As the name "Reisui" indicates, it expresses the characteristics of the excellent water believed to have sacred and special power within the sake. Using soft water from the Yamizo mountain range, which is selected as one of the top 100 waters, it features a delicate and modest taste brewed through the harmony of the cool air of "Yamizo Oroshi" and Ibaraki yeast. The pure quality, as if the excellence of water nurtured by the rich nature of Daigo-machi were bottled as is, is highly evaluated by sake fans who love the individuality of water.

"Kitsuregawa Yasuragi no Sato" is a brand by Toraya Honten, brewed with affection for the local region. It was named after the relaxing scenery of the Kitsuregawa area near Utsunomiya. Drawing on the traditional techniques of Toraya Honten, the sake aims for an approachable flavor enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Using Utsunomiya's famous "Nijinoi" water, it is characterized by a soft mouthfeel and a gentle aroma. Presented as a drink that lets you feel the local climate, it colors travel memories and daily dining tables in the region.

"Nijinoi" is a prestigious brand named after the famous water source "Nijinoi," which is the starting point of Toraya Honten's founding. In 1788, the first generation of Omi merchants began brewing sake, impressed by the excellence of this water springing up in Utsunomiya, marking the beginning of the brewery's history. "Nijinoi" is known as one of Utsunomiya's seven famous waters, "Nanamizu." Brewed with gratitude for the blessing of water that is the origin of the brewery, this brand is characterized by a transparent and pure taste. It is an iconic brand that can be called the soul of Toraya Honten, conveying the memory of the famous water preserved in the heart of Utsunomiya and more than 230 years of tradition to the present day.

"Nanatsuido" is a brand that was once brewed by Kobayashi Mokusaburo Shoten in Utsunomiya City. Currently out of business, it remains a valuable record conveying the history of sake in Tochigi Prefecture. The name "Nanatsuido" evokes the "Nanamizu" (seven famous waters) of Utsunomiya, symbolizing the brewery's stance of coexisting with the city's rich water culture. Utsunomiya's high-quality groundwater has supported sake brewing for centuries. Even after the brewery's closure, this brand is passed down as a local sake once brewed in the heart of Tochigi, alongside the history of the region.

"Daieiyu" is a brand once brewed by Kobayashi Mokusaburo Shoten in Utsunomiya City, featuring a powerful and heroic name. It is no longer produced due to the brewery's closure. Literally meaning "great heroic courage," the name "Daieiyu" evokes a robust flavor that seems to energize the drinker. This naming reflects the cultural background of sake from the Meiji to Showa eras, conveying an aesthetic of simplicity, fortitude, and good fortune valued at the time. In Utsunomiya, the heart of Tochigi Prefecture, this brand was once loved by locals and remains remembered as a historical fragment telling the story of Tochigi's sake industry even after its closure.

"Uroko" is the synonymous brand for "Cave Aged Sake," which Shimazaki Shuzo has pioneered in Japan. Based on Yamahai-shikomi, a traditional technique since the brewery's founding in 1849, it is completed through long-term aging in a cave that was formerly an underground factory for tank manufacturing. Inside the cave, the temperature remains extremely stable at around 10°C year-round, in an ideal environment completely shielded from sunlight. This "Cave Aging" eliminates the roughness of new sake, creating a deep richness and a silk-like smooth finish that cannot be achieved through conventional storage. The mellow flavor brewed by the magic of time is truly a luxurious cup for adults. From chilling it for freshness to enjoying the full-bodied aroma and umami at a lukewarm temperature, it shows various expressions depending on the temperature, embodying the passion of Shimazaki Shuzo.

"Kiwami Itteki Shizukuzake" is the ultimate Daiginjo, concentrating the essence of Shimazaki Shuzo's technology. As the name suggests, it is made using the "Fukuro-tsuri" (hanging bag) method, where moromi (fermenting mash) is put in bags, and only the drops that drip naturally without any pressure are luxuriously collected drop by drop. Through this time-consuming process, the original umami and gorgeous aroma of the rice are extracted in their purest form, creating a clear taste with no miscellaneous flavors. The quality, blending the nature of Nasukarasuyama, the heart of the brewer, and luxurious techniques, is truly worthy of the name "Kiwami" (Ultimate). Chosen for special occasions and gifts for loved ones, it is a sake that can be called the highest masterpiece of Shimazaki Shuzo.