Brands
Echigo Toji
越後杜氏 🏆 1 ECEchigo Toji is a brand named after Japan's leading brewing group, packed with pride and respect for sake brewing. It pursues the royal road of Niigata sake, where head brewers with the highest skills pour all their power into brewing. Its greatest feature is the perfect balance by skilled craftsmanship. Beyond the framework of light and dry style, the plump umami of rice, transparent throat feel, and pleasant finish play a magnificent harmony. While being faithful to basics without being eccentric, it has a taste that draws out the goodness of materials to the extreme, truly a professional taste recognized by professionals. As a sake that conveys the severity of Niigata's winter and the passion of brewers responding to it, it is a brand that continues to be selected by people seeking true deliciousness of sake.
Kikuhide
菊秀 🏆 1"Kikuhide" is one of the representative brands of Kitsukura Shuzo. Loved by locals since its founding, its taste is truly the sake culture of Saku itself. Please enjoy the taste that continues to evolve while protecting tradition.
Tenichi
天一 🏆 1"Tenichi" is a traditional brand representing Hayakawa Shuzobu, named with the ambition of aiming for "Tenka Ippin" (Best under Heaven). It is the definitive version of daily sake that one never tires of, loved by the people of Mie for many years. It is characterized by a mellow mouthfeel and a somewhat nostalgic and comforting taste where the original umami of the rice lives. Delicious chilled or at room temperature, its flavor becomes even richer when warmed, and it goes excellently with home-cooked meals.
Kinshiseiten
金鵄盛典 🏆 1"Kinshiseiten" is a brand that bears the name "Kinshi" on Okada Honke's representative brand "Seiten", and is a special junmai sake that is particularly particular about quality. Using Gohyakumangoku grown by contract farmers in Inami Town, it is brewed with underground water from the Kakogawa River. While cherishing the umami of rice, it achieves a clean mouthfeel and emphasizes the role as a sake with meals that accompanies meals. Reflecting the careful making unique to handmade small-scale production, it is a brand that condenses the technology and philosophy of Okada Honke.
Horai Tsuru
蓬莱鶴 🏆 1"Horai Tsuru" is a one-of-a-kind brand brewed by the sixth-generation brewery owner, Mr. Jun Hara, in Japan's first basement brewery in an apartment building. The brand name was derived from the fact that Mt. Misen in Miyajima seen on a sunny day looked just like "Mt. Penglai (Horai-san)," known for the legend of perpetual youth and longevity. By underground brewing where thorough temperature control is possible, stable sake brewing is realized throughout the year. It is characterized by the freshness of freshly squeezed sake and a taste that you can drink smoothly without getting tired of drinking even if it has a strong taste, and it is a bottle that makes you feel the reliable technique and commitment of the maker.
Takakiya
鷹来屋 🏆 1Takakiya is the flagship brand symbolizing the revival of Hamashima Shuzo, bearing the prestigious house name of the brewery. Brewed with the concept of "a sake combining crispness and umami," it aims to be the ultimate food-pairing sake for modern dining. Characterized by well-balanced rice-derived umami and a clean, crisp finish, its gentle yet elegant fruity aroma enhances any dish. The smooth, mellow mouthfeel and elegant acidity create an exquisite balance. Using diverse self-cultivated sake rice varieties including Yamada Nishiki and Gin no Sato, and employing multiple yeasts such as Association No. 7, No. 9, Kumamoto yeast, and No. 1801, the individual character of each rice is maximized. Offering a wide lineup from Junmai Daiginjo to Tokubetsu Junmai, with seasonal releases including Hiyaoroshi, summer sake, and new sake. The Tokubetsu Junmai is particularly beloved as the brewery's signature product. Exceptionally paired with sashimi, grilled fish, and Japanese cuisine in general, it stands as an ideal food sake with remarkable versatility.
Wakashimizu
若清水 🏆 1Wakashimizu is the flagship brand named after the "Shimizu" (pure spring water) discovered in the forests of Hirata Village by the first generation owner, which determined the brewery's fate. Brewed carefully in the mountains at an altitude of 500 meters while communicating with the sub-zero winter air. It features a gentle and smooth umami from soft-water brewing, with a refreshing resonance like a winter morning air. Encapsulating regional pride in every bottle, its polished quality is highly acclaimed, recently winning a gold medal at the 2023 Fukushima Prefecture Exhibition.
Kimibandai
君萬代 🏆 1"Kimibandai" is a historic brand named after offering the well water of the brewery when Emperor Meiji visited. It contains the wish that "the monarch (monarch/nation) will continue for ten thousand years." Using high-quality underground water from the Tone River system and contract cultivation rice "Nihonbare" with local farmers, it is brewed with traditional handmade methods. It features the umami of rice and gorgeous flavor even within the refreshing dryness. It is also ideal as a sake during meals, and can be enjoyed in a wide range of temperature zones from cold sake to hot sake. It is a genuine taste that you will never tire of, nurtured by 370 years of history.
Yukikirara
雪きらら 🏆 1"Yukikirara" is a sake named after the beautiful snowy landscape of southern Fukui Prefecture. It expresses how the falling snow melts in the spring sunshine and becomes sparkling clear water that moistens the earth. It features a refreshing and clear taste that makes you feel the coolness of the snow country and the blessings of nature.
Seiryozen
成龍然 🏆 1 EC"Seiryozen" is a brand created as a new challenge for Seiryo Shuzo. It implies the meaning of "being like Seiryo, being natural." Sticking to sake rice and yeast produced in Ehime Prefecture, it aims to express the climate of that land. In the sophisticated flavor, the umami of rice and acidity harmonize, making it a new era sake that feels modern yet somewhat nostalgic.
Wagauji
吾有事 🏆 1 EC
Wagauji, named after the words of Dogen Zenji, the founder of Soto Zen, is a challenging brand expressing the joy of living and creating in the present moment. Committed to an exquisite balance of "sweetness, acidity, and dryness," it pursues a fruity and sharp drinking experience that transcends conventional sake frameworks. Its modern and dynamic flavor, designed to stimulate the drinker's sensibility, remains a compelling choice for a new generation of enthusiasts as a "must-drink bottle of now."
Taiheiyo
太平洋 🏆 1"Taiheiyo" (Pacific Ocean) is a sake brewed by Ozaki Shuzo, symbolizing the location of Shingu City. Shingu City is located at the mouth of the Kumano River flowing into the Pacific Ocean, having a unique climate where mountains and sea meet. As the southernmost brewery on Honshu, utilizing the location facing the Pacific Ocean, it is brewed as a brand themed on the sea. Against the background of the rich nature of Kumano and the blessings of the Pacific Ocean, details sake brewing utilizing the climate of Kishu. It is designed with a taste that is conscious of compatibility with seafood.
Hachitsuru
八鶴 🏆 1Hachitsuru is the flagship brand of Hachinohe Syurui. It was named by combining the "Mukai-tsuru" (facing cranes) crest of the Nanbu clan, who ruled the Hachinohe Domain, with "Hachi" (8) from the place name. The calligraphy on the label is historic, provided by the artist Taikan Yokoyama in exchange for 4 to (72L) of the brewery's sake. The popular products, brewed with Aomori's "Hana-fubuki" rice polished to 60% and Association Yeast No. 10, are characterized by a full-bodied umami and a smooth aftertaste. By using Association Yeast No. 10, the rice's umami stands out with a calm mouthfeel, achieving a satisfyingly robust taste with just the right touch of fruitiness.
Classic
蔵粋 🏆 1Classic (Kurassic) is the world-renowned "Musical Brewed Sake" from Ohara Shuzo, fermented while playing Mozart's music in the storehouse. The taste nurtured by the rhythm of melodies is dignified, gentle, and mellow, much like Mozart's compositions. With a series named after his musical pieces, it is a supreme brand that marks a new page in sake history, born from a mix of playful spirit and passion.
Daruma Masamune
達磨正宗 🏆 2"Daruma Masamune" is a brand famous nationwide as a pioneer of long-aged sake (Koshu). It is an aged sake glowing with amber color, characterized by a unique mellow aroma and deep taste. Boasting popularity enough to be said "Speaking of Koshu, it's Daruma Masamune," it is a one-and-only existence where you can enjoy complex and profound flavors resulting from long-term aging.
Shoun Kinryu
祥雲金龍 🏆 1Shoun Kinryu is a brand brewed by Ichinokura with an auspicious name. It is loved as a prestigious sake suitable for celebratory occasions.
Fukunishiki
富久錦 🏆 1 ECIt is a representative brand bearing the name of the brewery, embodying the philosophy of Junmai sake brewing using only rice from local Kasai City. Junmai sake made only with rice and water goes well with dishes that make the best use of the original taste of ingredients, such as dressed seasonal vegetables and steamed seafood with sake, and enhances each other's taste. Special Junmai sake uses Yamada Nishiki with a rice polishing ratio of 70%, and Junmai sake uses Kinuhikari table rice, making it perfect for pairing with food. It features a taste that complements dishes even in its softness, and the balance of acidity is outstanding. "Saku 03" won the Platinum Award and "Junsei Yamada Nishiki Kimoto Tokubetsu Junmai" won the Gold Award at KURA MASTER. The attitude of sake brewing that values regionality and food culture by sticking to the clear concept of 100% locally grown rice and 100% Junmai sake is highly evaluated.
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon
紀伊国屋文左衛門 🏆 7 EC"Kinokuniya Bunzaemon" is a flagship brand named after the wealthy merchant of Kishu who built a huge fortune with mandarin orange ships in the Edo period. As the name suggests, it is characterized by a powerful yet sophisticated taste that makes you feel big dreams and romance. Maximizing the umami of rice and bringing out the taste of dishes as a table sake, it is a sake filled with the pride of Kishu.
Bunbuku
分福 🏆 1The flagship brand named after the Tatebayashi legend "Bunbuku Chagama" (The Miraculous Tea Kettle), symbolizing the sharing of happiness. It is characterized by a rich yet clean flavor, meticulously designed as a food-pairing sake that complements a wide range of dishes. Each bottle is carefully brewed using traditional methods, including the meticulous hand-washing of the rice.
Kanzan
関山 🏆 1Using Chuson-ji Temple's mountain name "Kanzan" as the brand name, it embodied the history and culture of the region as sake brewed in the land of the World Heritage Site Hiraizumi. Brewed by traditional Nanbu Toji techniques and using Iwate Prefecture's "Gin Ginga," the Junmai Ginjo realized a refined aroma and refreshing aftertaste through long-term low-temperature fermentation. Its high technical skill has been evaluated, such as winning consecutive Gold Prizes at the National New Sake Appraisal. As a brand fusing the historical and cultural value of Hiraizumi with Iwate's sake brewing technology, it was a sake representing the region.
Fujinoi
ふじの井 🏆 1Fujinoi is an orthodox flagship brand that conveys the brewery's history and the souls of craftsmen to the present. Using rice nurtured by the rich land of Shibata and clear water generously, it pursues the sharpness and deep umami that make one feel the climate of Niigata. The traditional taste that has been loved locally for a long time boasts reliable quality that adds peace to the dining table. Also, through collaboration bottles with famous manga artists, it actively develops activities to deliver 'fun' and 'culture' beyond the framework of sake. It is a sake loved by a wide range of people of all ages, where the real taste brewed with traditional techniques and modern playfulness are fused.
Kaze no Bon
風の盆 🏆 1"Kaze no Bon" is the flagship brand of Fukutsuru Shuzo, named after the mystical festival of Yatsuo Town. Pursuing high quality as a 'Junmai-shu' (pure rice sake) with no added brewer's alcohol, it features the natural, soft sweetness and rich body of rice. The organic JAS rice version, launched in 1981 as a pioneer in the eco-conscious prefecture of Toyama, continues to be highly favored by those who value health and the environment. Its gentle flavor, evoking the tranquility and elegance of a festive night, pairs beautifully with local mountain harvest and home-cooked meals, bringing a deep sense of peace to the soul.
Nihon Izumi
日本泉 🏆 1"Nihon Izumi" is a traditional brand bearing the brewery's name, embodying the origin of Nihon Izumi Shuzo's sake brewing. Using the subsoil water of the Nagara River and brewed in the stable temperature environment of the underground cellar, it is a Japanese sake that utilizes the climate of Gifu.
Tenko
天虹 🏆 1"Tenko" is the radiant flagship brand of Suruga Shuzo-jo, presented as a bridge to the future. Its name carries the wish to brighten the drinker's heart, like a rainbow appearing in the sky after the rain. The pristine groundwater of the Abe River, carefully selected sake rice, and manual work by artisans come together as a trinity to produce a crystal-like transparency and a refreshing fruity aroma. While it features a light mouthfeel, a gentle lingering of rice remains in the aftertaste, harmonizing beautifully with any dish. 'Tenko,' which breathes modern sensibilities into traditional techniques, is Shizuoka's proud new standard that fills ordinary daily scenes with special color.
Kono Tsukasa
孝の司 🏆 1"Kono Tsukasa" is the flagship brand that passes on the soul and techniques of generations of Shibata Brewery to the present day. Committed to brewing using only the outstanding ultra-soft "Kanzui" water, they thoroughly implement pure brewing without any additives. The umami of carefully selected rice like Yumesansui and the water-like transparency form a miraculous harmony. With its brilliant aroma and dignified, fresh softness, it is truly a masterpiece born from the "water where gods dwell," deeply permeating the heart of the drinker.