Brands

Yuten is a Junmai Ginjo brand that is a crystallization of DHC Shuzo's passion, pursuing the ultimate taste over about three years. It was born to aim for the 'most delicious dry sake' and to open up a new standard for Niigata sake. Its greatest charm is that while it is a sharp and clean dry sake, the richness and umami of rice and a calm and dignified aroma are harmonized at an incredibly high level. From chilled to room temperature, and even lukewarm, it shows different fascinating expressions depending on the temperature range. Its perfection, also told by the achievement of winning gold awards, makes gourmets both domestic and international groan as the best 'premium in-meal sake' that enhances the taste of food.

Echigo Karakuchi Taro is a unique dry brand of DHC Shuzo, putting a friendly character in the foreground. It modernly arranges the traditional Niigata light and dry style, and its greatest characteristic is the sharp and powerful dry taste as the name suggests. Using Niigata-produced rice such as Gohmanyakoku luxuriously, it achieves an ultimate sharp finish and refreshing aftertaste. As indicated by the name 'Taro,' it boasts overwhelming popularity at izakayas and home drinking as an unpretentious daily drink. Enjoy the sharpness by cooling and taste the umami of rice by warming. It is an honest bottle dedicated to all who love dry sake.

Utashiro is an up-and-coming brand created by the new system of Tenryohai Shuzo as a 'flagship brand for the era to come.' The brand name is derived from a place name that once existed in Sado, containing a determination to connect history to the future. Its greatest feature is its amazingly beautiful transparency. By thoroughly eliminating miscellaneous tastes, the pure umami of rice, fruity acidity, and pleasant sweetness coexist in perfect balance. If you take a sip, you will roll your eyes at its freshness and want the next glass. It is a next-generation sake that nestles most in today's sophisticated food culture, condensing Tenryohai Shuzo's passion and philosophy.

Tenryohai is a brand bearing the traditional store name of the brewery, which has protected the history and tradition of Sado for generations. Harbouring the pride of Sado, which was a territory directly controlled by the shogunate, in its name, it is characterized by a deep-pocketed taste that has walked along with the regional food culture. Under the new system, while based on the traditional style, the quality has dramatically improved, adding modern 'purity' to the light and clean style typical of Niigata. It is a bottle with a sense of security and dignity that gently nestles in any cuisine and reminds one of the rich climate of Sado as the glass is stacked. Even if the times change, it embodies the unchanging spirit of the brewery that continues to be with the people of Sado.

Shinryo is a flagship brand that has supported the long history of Henmi Shuzo. They were quick to adopt a manufacturing method close to 'unfiltered' that does not involve excessive filtration or coloring after filtration, packing the original golden brilliance of rice and the mellow umami into the bottle without exception. Its taste is truly like 'rice juice.' The gentle sweetness of rice that spreads the moment you sip it, the solid body that follows later, and the pleasant sharpness that quietly disappears are beautifully harmonized. It is a traditional bottle with both a strong core and gentleness, nurtured by Sado's severe winter and pure water, that makes one want to continue drinking forever.

Itaru is a brand symbolizing the philosophy of Henmi Shuzo, born out of the pursuit of 'attaining' (Itaru) the essence of sake. Through Sado's cool climate and careful brewing over time, it achieves amazingly sophisticated transparency and softness. It is a brand that can be called the brewery's treasure, which has been passed down as a 'phantom sake' among some enthusiastic enthusiasts. Its greatest feature is the overwhelming softness of the mouthfeel and the gentle drinking comfort as if it soaks into the body. Rather than relying on flashy aromas, it carefully polishes the original pure umami of rice and pursues the ultimate balance. It is a magic-like sake that invites you to a truly 'blissful time' where excitement spreads with every sip.

Kikunami was a flagship brand symbolizing the former Kikunami Shuzo. Its taste, created through sincere sake brewing using Sado's pure water and locally produced rice, had a simple charm that nestled in the daily lives of the island's people and never made one tired of it. Due to its closure, it has become a phantom brand that cannot be obtained now, but the sake quality, as clear as a chrysanthemum and as calm as a wave represented by the name 'Kikunami,' once colored many dinner tables. As a brand that embodied the strength and gentleness of Sado's local sake, it still shines in people's memories.

Karakuchi Sankei is a Junmai brand boasting one of Japan's best sharpness, specialized in the ultra-dry style that Obata Shuzo is proud of. Along with the feelings contained in the name 'Sankei,' it is brewed with thorough commitment for dry sake enthusiasts. By carefully polishing Gohmanyakoku and Niigata-produced rice and slowly fermenting them at low temperatures, it has achieved an amazing dryness of a sake meter value of +14 to +16. However, it is not just dry. Within the soft mouthfeel produced by Sado's pure water, the original flavorful umami of rice is firmly alive. The clean and clear aftertaste is the ultimate dry Junmai sake that upgrades the daily dining table.

Gakkogura (School Brewery) is a brand symbolizing the innovativeness of Obata Shuzo, brewed at a brewery that regenerated the closed former Nishimikawa Elementary School. The school building, once called 'the elementary school with the most beautiful sunset in Japan,' has been reborn as a base for sustainable sake brewing. Using 100% Sado-grown rice (such as Toki-certified rice) and brewing with clean energy from solar power. As students and local people are also involved in the brewing, it is full of charm as a 'Sake Special District' that goes beyond a mere production base. Its taste is characterized by a fresh and pure transparency reflecting the terroir. Winning numerous awards at international competitions, it is a brand full of hope that conveys Sado's rich nature and warm community to the world.

Ichiho is a special Junmai sake that is a confident work of Obata Shuzo, directly bringing out the deliciousness of Sado-produced rice. This brand, born from the thought of 'giving thanks to a single ear of rice,' is a bottle that is unpretentious but gives a sure sense of satisfaction. It is characterized by a balanced taste in which the softness and gentleness of rice are melted. Rather than relying on flashy aromas, it balances the modesty as a 'side player of meals' that makes one feel relieved with one sip and the quality that one never tires of drinking and wants to have another glass. It is a friendly Junmai sake born from Sado's terroir that nestles in the daily dining table and makes ordinary dishes taste even more delicious.

Sashu Masamune is a legitimate brand of Obata Shuzo, crowned with 'Sashu' (the ancient name of Sado Province) and inheriting the traditional honorific title for sake, 'Masamune.' It condenses the history of sake brewing nurtured in Sado and the island's identity into a single bottle. Based on the spirit of 'Shiho-Wajo (Rice, Water, People, Sado)' which forms the basis of Obata Shuzo, it pursues a classic sake quality rooted in the region. The core umami of rice and the refreshing throat-feel, which are not swayed by trends, are just like the terroir of Sado itself. While protecting traditional brewing techniques, the attitude of continuing to nestle in the life of the island has a weight that can be called Sado's cultural heritage.

Manotsuru is the flagship brand carrying the more than 120-year history of Obata Shuzo and is a world-renowned brand Sado is proud of. This sake, a fruit of Sado's rich nature as 'the island where crested ibises fly' and the passion of the brewers, can be called a treasure representing Niigata and Sado. Winning numerous gold awards at the National New Sake Competition and receiving gold medals at the IWC (International Wine Challenge), its quality is recognized as among the world's best. Provided in special spaces such as Air France's first class and TRAIN SUITE SHIKISHIMA, it has fascinated many executives. The fresh and elegant taste, symbolized by the 'Miku' series using 'Toki-certified rice,' achieving both environmental conservation and quality pursuit, is the ultimate expression of Sado's terroir.

Oiran no Sato is a brand with a naming that symbolizes Japanese traditional beauty and elegance. As the name suggests, it is characterized by a gorgeous and glamorous aroma and a sophisticated taste that makes one feel a dignified inner strength. Based on traditional Sado sake brewing techniques while incorporating modern sensibilities, this sake's charm is the elegant aroma that spreads the moment it is poured into a glass. It is a sake for enjoying Japanese aesthetics with all five senses, suitable for dinner on special days or as a gift for loved ones.

Hokusetsu is the flagship brand that most purely embodies the spirit of Hokusetsu Shuzo. Aiming for harmony between 'Sado's nature, water, rice, and people,' it boasts a diverse lineup from traditional Daiginjo to innovative products using centrifugal separators. In particular, 'Daiginjo YK35' is an ultimate bottle created by polishing Yamada Nishiki, a variety of rice suitable for sake brewing, to 35% and slowly fermenting it at low temperatures for a long time. The mellow aroma like pear or melon and the throat-feel as smooth as water give an impact enough to overturn the concept of sake. It is a brand that has firmly established its position as 'World's Hokusetsu,' having both a dignified beauty nurtured in Sado's severe winter and world-standard quality.

Kiraran is a brand symbolizing the modern side of Hokusetsu Shuzo, which looks great in modern dining spaces and casual scenes. As the name with a light and popping sound suggests, it is characterized by an easy-to-drink and refreshing taste. This is a new-sensation bottle that would be recommended for those who want to start enjoying sake or those who want to enjoy pairing it with Western food or sweets. While utilizing the characteristics of Sado's pure water, it pursues a light mouthfeel that does not feel heavy. It is a playful sake born from free ideas that adds a sparkling color to daily life.

Tsubame Bunsui Sakura Matsuri is a stylish limited brand of Hokusetsu Shuzo, specially brewed to commemorate the 'Bunsui Oiran Dochu' (Oiran Procession), a spring tradition in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture. The scene of the gorgeous festival, where an Oiran dressed in a glamorous costume marches under the cherry blossoms in full bloom, is sealed into a single bottle. It is characterized by a gorgeous and fresh aroma that makes one feel the arrival of spring and a gentle and light mouthfeel. It is very popular not only for cherry blossom viewing parties but also as a gift to celebrate a new start. It is a special sake for delivering the memory of Niigata's beautiful spring to the whole country and the world along with the ultimate taste played by Sado's prestigious brewery, Hokusetsu.

NOBU is a premium brand released to the world by Hokusetsu Shuzo, crowned with the name of the world-renowned charismatic chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa. This series, loved and drunk at 'NOBU' restaurants all over the world, has established its position as 'the best sake that complements dishes' across borders and cultures. Each lineup, including Ginjo, Daiginjo, and top-class products using centrifugal separators, pursues the ultimate balance to support diverse gastronomic experiences, from delicate Japanese cuisine to powerful fusion dishes. The taste, which has captivated celebrities all over the world including Robert De Niro, is a global standard born from Sado's rich terroir.

Kintsuru is the only brand representing Kato Shuzo Ten and is a brand deeply loved by Sado islanders as a daily sake. The essence of the brewery, 'using local ingredients and making sake loved by local people,' is condensed into this single bottle. While following the royal road of Niigata sake, 'Tanrei Karakuchi' (light and dry), it is characterized by an exquisite balance that pulls out a plump umami instead of completely erasing the sweetness of rice. It demonstrates its ability in all temperature ranges from cold to warm, and nestles supremely in home-style dishes such as seasonal fish dishes and simmered dishes. It is a sake like the sincere spirit of Sado itself, having won trust only with quality without putting out any flashy advertisements.