Yoshidaya

Yoshidaya is a small-scale sake brewery located in Arié-cho, Minamishimabara City, committed to small-batch production. The brewery uses water from its own well fed by subterranean water from Mount Unzen.
The brewery is distinguished by its use of the traditional "hanegi-shibori" (lever pressing) method, a technique surviving in only a handful of locations across Japan. This ancient technique uses the principle of leverage to press the moromi, producing lower pressure and higher kasu yield, but the gentle pressing results in a soft, mellow flavor. Though extremely labor-intensive compared to mechanical methods, the incomplete pressing yields sake free of off-flavors with a pure taste.
The brewery also pursues sake-making with flower yeasts: the junmai daiginjo Seisen Sekijo wo Nagaru uses abelia flower yeast, while the junmai ginjo Fugen no Yume uses cherry blossom flower yeast. While preserving traditional methods, the brewery undertakes numerous new initiatives including original sake development with flower yeasts and collaborative products with other industries.