Brands
Ishichi
伊七 🏆 10Ishichi is a traditional brand of Kumaya Shuzo, a historic sake named after the founder or successive proprietors. The name carries the tradition of sake brewing passed down through generations and the wish to convey the founding spirit to the modern era. Brewed with Okayama's Omachi rice and Takahashi River groundwater using Bitchu Toji techniques, it features a rich and full-bodied flavor. The traditional methods bring out the plump umami characteristic of Omachi rice with a deep finish, making it a cherished food-pairing sake for Kurashiki's local cuisine.
Kikusui
菊水 🏆 10 EC
Kikusui is a global brand that tells the identity of the brewery itself. Especially, the Namagenshu 'Funaguchi Kikusui Ichibanshibori,' which seals the freshly squeezed freshness in an aluminum can, has established an immovable status as a masterpiece indispensable for talking about the history of sake. Fresh and fruity aroma, gushing powerful umami, and a clear mouthfeel without any off-flavors. It is the 'real taste' that previously only brewers and craftsmen enjoyed. Also, it develops a diverse lineup that accompanies various scenes, from standard 'Kikusui Junmai' to high-end Daiginjo. Combining quality backed by tradition and innovation that always leads the era, it is a brand that embodies the 'freedom' and 'fun' of sake.
Seppikosan
雪彦山 🏆 13"Seppikosan" is the representative brand of Tsubosaka Sake Brewery, naming the brand after Mount Seppiko, the source of brewing water. Using the underground water of Mount Seppiko, one of the three major Hikoyamas in Japan, it is characterized by a transparent and sharp taste utilizing the characteristics of the mountain's clear water. The Daiginjo using Banshu Yamada Nishiki has been recognized for its high technology, such as winning the gold medal at the National New Sake Appraisal. As a brand expressing the natural beauty of Mount Seppiko and the deliciousness of sake nurtured by its water, it is popular mainly in the local Yumesaki-cho.
Alps Masamune
アルプス正宗 🏆 12"Alps Masamune" is the representative brand of Kametaya Shuzoten, named after the magnificent nature of the Japanese Alps. Using suitable rice from Nagano Prefecture and underground water from the Northern Alps, it is characterized by a mellow and full flavor that fully brings out the umami of the rice. It is local sake nurtured by the climate and history of Matsumoto, which has been loved locally for a long time.
Rokkon
六根 🏆 9"Rokkon" takes its name from the Buddhist term "Rokkon Shojo" (purifying the six senses), where "rokkon" refers to the six sensory organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. True to its commitment as a Junmai brewery, every sake is produced without added alcohol and shipped after being stored in bottles without filtration. Their brewing philosophy rests on three pillars: "Sincere Brewing," "Junmai Production," and "Making Sake that Complements Food." As a tribute to the meticulous polishing of rice, which they treat like gems, specific labels are named after gemstones such as "Diamond" and "Jade." Brewed with pure water from Shirakami-Sanchi and Mt. Iwaki, and using Aomori's "Hana-fubuki" sake rice, Rokkon features a rich, umami-forward profile with a sharp, clean finish that mirrors the majestic peaks of Mt. Iwaki.
Chikushino
筑紫野 🏆 7"Chikushino" is a brand bearing the name of the region where the brewery is located, expressing the climate and culture of Chikushino City. Named with attachment and pride for the local area, it is a brand expressing the historic regionality of Chikushino through sake.
Ryusen Yaezakura
龍泉八重桜 🏆 8A brand using water from Ryusendo Cave, one of Japan's three major limestone caves, where the clear water of the underground lake boasting world-class transparency is the core of sake brewing. The water gushing out through limestone layers has been selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Waters and brews a unique taste with excellent mineral balance. Special Junmai sake stored and aged for one year inside Ryusendo Cave finishes with a mellow yet sharp taste due to the environment of a constant temperature of about 10 degrees throughout the year. Its versatility to match widely from sashimi to rich meat dishes is attractive. Junmai Daiginjo "Yuinoka" has received high international acclaim, including winning the Gold Medal at the French sake competition "Kura Master." It is a sake representing Iwaizumi Town, where the mystery of nature called Ryusendo Cave and Iwate's sake brewing technology are fused.
Yukisuzume
雪雀 🏆 11"Yukisuzume" is the flagship brand of Yukisuzume Shuzo and is a sake representing Ehime's Tanrei Karakuchi (light and dry). It features a refreshing throat feel with no off-flavors and a sharp aftertaste. It is easy to match with any dish, and the flavor you never get tired of drinking is perfect for daily evening drinks. You can enjoy various expressions depending on the temperature, such as cold sake, room temperature, and hot sake.
Tajima
但馬 🏆 10"Tajima" is the representative brand of Konotomo Sake Brewery, loved for many years as sake representing the Tajima region. It is characterized by high quality backed by solid technology, such as the Daiginjo winning the Gold Prize at the National New Sake Awards for six consecutive years. Inheriting the tradition of Tamba Toji, it practices orthodox sake brewing using high-quality sake rice centered on Yamada Nishiki and pure water of Tajima. Developing a wide range of products from Daiginjo to Junmai sake and Honjozo, it is also highly evaluated as warmed sake.
Rokujuyoshu
六十餘洲 🏆 22Rokujuyoshu is the flagship brand of Imazato Shuzo, named with the wish that people across Japan would enjoy it, referencing the historical division of Japan into over 60 provinces. Primarily using contract-grown Yamada Nishiki and Reiho rice from Hasami Town, with carefully selected Yamada Nishiki from Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture also employed. Hasami Town is a quiet basin surrounded by mountains, with a low-temperature environment ideal for ginjo brewing, and the sake-making takes advantage of this geographical blessing. It has earned high acclaim including gold for junmai ginjo Yamada Nishiki and bronze for junmai Yamada Nishiki at the IWC, with the junmai daiginjo also winning silver. It is a brand that all of Japan can be proud of, nurtured by the terroir and traditions of Hasami.
Kinsuisho
金水晶 🏆 9 EC
Kinsuisho is the flagship brand of tradition protected as the only one in Fukushima City. It features a sharp and high-aroma flavor created by brewing with pure hard water from the Arakawa River. This water, boasting top-class quality in Japan, brings out the maximum umami of Fukushima rice like "Yume-no-Ka" and "Fuku-no-Ka," creating a fresh yet solid profile. Aiming to be the "ultimate food-pairing sake" for any dish, it pursues a balance of gentle mouthfeel and crisp acidity. It is a proud cup that stays close to the hearts of Fukushima lovers and continues to walk with the community.
Tamano Hikari
玉乃光 🏆 9 EC
"Tamano Hikari" is the flagship brand embodying the brewery's spirit. Its name comes from the appearance of the "shining spirit (tama)" of Amaterasu Omikami, the main enshrined deity of Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine. As a pioneer of Junmai sake brewing, they use no brewing alcohol, sugar, or acidifiers. They brew with "handmade koji" using carefully selected sake rice polished in-house over 48 hours. Characterized by a crisp dry taste with a balanced harmony between natural acidity and rice umami. While protecting 350 years of tradition, they always pursue the "ultimate Junmai sake." It is a representative authentic sake of Fushimi, Kyoto.
Takanoi
たかの井 🏆 12Takanoi is the brand bearing the brewery's name, where its pride and tradition can be felt most closely. While mastering the 'Tanrei Karakuchi' standard of Niigata sake, its flavor bringing out the gentle umami of rice has long been loved by people in local Ojiya. Its greatest charm is the clean taste that one never grows tired of even when drinking daily, combined with a versatility that harmonizes with any dish. The stable quality that can be enjoyed across all temperature ranges, from chilled to warmed, proves the brewery's high technical skills. Filled with the brewery's sincerity, it is a bottle that stays close to daily life and warmly colors the dining table.
Daina
大那 🏆 8"Daina" is the flagship brand of Kikunori Shuzo, named with respect for the "Great Land of Nasu." With the goal of being the "ultimate food-pairing sake," it is characterized by a transparent quality that maximizes the flavor of dishes and never grows tiring to drink. Using local sake rice contract-grown at the foot of the Nasu Highlands and brewed with mineral-rich groundwater, its flavor elegantly harmonizes precise acidity with the mellow umami of rice. Enjoyable across a wide range of temperatures from chilled to warm, it is highly acclaimed for its pairing not only with Japanese cuisine but also with French, Italian, and other Western dishes. It is a sophisticated modern standard of sake, bringing the terroir of Tochigi to the world.
Sugisami
杉勇 🏆 8Sugisami is a traditional brand with 100 years of history, carrying the brewery's pride. As the name suggests, it features unwavering core strength like a cedar tree and the mellow, brave rice umami expanding in the mouth. Mt. Chokai's groundwater adds a refined crispness to its power. Its robust flavor, unaffected by trends, is loved across generations as a "celebratory sake" deepening regional ties and a "soulful sake" providing daily vitality.
Gokeiji
御慶事 🏆 12"Gokeiji" is the representative brand of Aoki Shuzo, meaning "the greatest joy" just as the name implies. It was named by the 3rd head of the family in commemoration of the wedding of Emperor Taisho. While inheriting the tradition since its establishment, they incorporate modern technology and pursue high-quality sake brewing. Junmai Ginjo using Ibaraki's sake brewing suitable rice "Hitachi Nishiki" has received high praise for its gorgeous scent and plump taste. It is familiar not only as a sake that colors the seat of celebration but also as a sake during meals that enhances the meal.
Ruka
流輝 🏆 7 EC
An exclusive brand created by the 6th generation brewer, known for its vibrantly fruity, floral aroma, gentle mouthfeel, and robust umami. The name "Ruka" was chosen from potential names for the brewer's own child, reflecting a heartfelt desire to nurture this brand with the utmost care.
Chiyomusubi
千代むすび 🏆 13 EC
"Chiyomusubi" is a flagship brand with a happy name, wishing for unchanging bonds for thousands of years. Featuring a rich and powerful taste that maximizes the characteristics of Tottori Prefecture's special sake rice "Goriki." The unique acidity and richness, and the sharp aftertaste go perfectly with the winter taste, Matsuba crab. It is a bottle highly evaluated as a food sake, where the humor and tradition unique to the brewery on Mizuki Shigeru Road breathe.
Gakki Masamune
楽器正宗 🏆 7 EC
Gakki Masamune is a brand carrying the passion of Oki Daikichi Honten, originating from an era when a court musician praised that "Brewing and musical performance are both offerings to the gods." Revived with a modern touch by the 5th generation Yuta Oki, it gained sudden limelight as a "rich and transparent Honjozo" that defies common sense. Using pesticide-free rice, its quality—where the sweetness of koji and the brilliance of yeast harmonize exquisitely—delivers a beautiful rhythm and joy as if playing a musical instrument.
Shinrai
神雷 🏆 8 EC
"Shinrai" is the flagship brand of Miwa Shuzo, brewed at the highest elevation in Hiroshima Prefecture. The name derives from a miraculous event where the brewery was struck by lightning but remained unharmed, and from the location name "Jinseki" (God's Stone). It embodies the wish that customers drink with "trust" (Shinrai). Using a unique method of differentiating between soft and medium-hard water, and Hiroshima's traditional soft water brewing method, it is a sake for meals that draws out the umami of rice. Traditional Kimoto brewing was also revived in 2018.
Eiheiji Hakuryu
永平寺白龍 🏆 8"Eiheiji Hakuryu" is Yoshida Shuzo's new flagship brand, evolved from the traditional "Hakuryu." With the concept of "Eiheiji Terroir," it is a Junmai sake committed to Eiheiji's rice, water, and people. Maximizing the inherent power of rice, it achieves both rich umami and crispness, with a taste that makes you feel the earth of Fukui and Eiheiji.
Kurikomayama
栗駒山 🏆 9Kurikomayama is the flagship brand of Chida Shuzo, named with gratitude for "water," which is the essence of local sake. Using the very soft and clear spring water of Mt. Kurikoma, it features a fresh, refreshing, and sharp taste. Brewed under precise data management, it has a reputation for quality stability and is highly rated as a sake served with meals that can be drunk continuously with food.
Wakamusume
わかむすめ 🏆 9 EC
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.
Born
梵 🏆 28 EC
"Born" is a sake brand that Kato Kichibee Shoten boasts to the world. It means "truth" or "purity" in Sanskrit and resonates with the English word "BORN" (birth/creation). While possessing historical honors such as being adopted for the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Showa, they pursue quality improvement through innovative technology. The transparently beautiful aroma and silky smooth mouthfeel are truly a work of art of sake. It is a superlative taste that colors special days.
Benten
辯天 🏆 28 ECBenten is the flagship brand of Goto Shuzoten, derived from the goddess Benzaiten of the Seven Lucky Gods, aiming for a quality that is sensorially beautiful. With a prestigious story of being allowed to carry the name by a Shinto priest in Kyoto, it achieves a silk-smooth mouthfeel and elegant aroma by polishing contract-grown rice to the limits. Fitting for the name of the goddess of arts, the flavor woven by delicate aesthetic sense and traditional skills is a supreme masterpiece that can truly be called "liquid art" that excites the heart as you drink.