“Hanzo” & “Yoshinogawa” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro


You can taste Hanzo, Ota Sake Brewery from Mie prefecture, and Yoshinogawa, Yoshinogawa co,Ltd from Niigata prefecture.

Hanzo (Ota Sake Brewery)

Currentry, there are 34 sake brewaries in Mie. The sake produced in Mie’s breweries always performs well in the Annual Japan Sake Awards and other contests, and its delicious taste is gaining increasing attention. The reasons why it tastes so delicious are Mie’s rich food culture rooted in the locality, its climate, clear spring water, and high-quality sake rice. Based on these factors, the breweries produce a variety of high-quality sake that complements well with all kinds of cuisine.

The products of Ota Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. are largely hand-made according to traditional production techniques. The brew master, or “Toji”, is the most important person in the brewing process. He controls the quality of the sake by deciding at what temperature the fermentation process takes place. He also supervises all the other workers. The most important period in the sake making process is from November to April, since the low winter temperatures benefit the sake quality.

During this time, the brew master is always present in the brewery, continuously checking the temperature of the raw sake, even during the night. Many experienced brew masters are originally from the Tohoku area of Northern Honshu.

The brew master at Ota Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., Mr. Hisamitsu Fujii, 71, comes from Iwate Prefecture, also located in Tohoku, and is a member of the “Nambu Toji” Brew Master Guild. His skills, combined with 50 years of sake making know-how at Ota Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., where management and staff is working together as a team with the determination to only produce the highest quality.

Hanzo Junmai Daiginjo was selected for G7 Ise-Shima Summit. Because of that Hanzo Junmai Daiginjo Yamadanishiki Migaki 40 (Seimaibuai 40%) was short supply.

Ota Sake Brewery Home page

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Hanzo Junmai Daiginjo 【Kami No Ho】大田酒造 半蔵 純米大吟醸 神の穂 720ml

Exclusively made with the “Kami No Ho” variety of sake rice, especially developed over 12 years for the Mie area, which was described as “God’s country” in Japanese legends. It features a fresh, particularly smooth flavor, the way sake should taste.

Rice: Kami No Ho
Seimaibuai (The degree of polishing rice): 50%
The degree of Sake: +2
Alcohol: 15%
How to serve: Under 15℃ is good, but best is chilled at 7-10℃
Suitable for both Japanese and Western style meal

 


Yoshinogawa (Yoshinogawa co,Ltd)

Yoshinogawa is located in Settaya, Nagaoka city, Niigata. Nagaoka is famous for Fireworks. The Nagaoka Festival is held from August 1st to August 3rd around the Shinano River. Its main attractions are the portable shrine float parades and folk dance processions during the day with large-scale fireworks displays in the evening on the final two days. It is one of the three great fireworks festivals of Japan.

It is said that over 1 million spectators attend over the three days every summer. It is really a big event, you need an early reservation for transport and accommodation.



Booking.com

Settaya is a village in Niigata known for many years as a place specializing in fermentation. There are swarms of breweries such as Sake, Mirin (sweet sake; used as seasoning) and Soy sauce in the 500 square meters and you can see many wooden and old style buildings. On of the old building has existed ever since the Edo period. This quaint town still retains the atmosphere of old bygone days.

Mikuni Kaido (三国街道) was an ancient highway in Japan that stretched from Takasaki-juku (present day Gunma Prefecture) on the Nakasendo to Teradomari-juku (present day Niigata Prefecture) on the Hokuriku Kaido. Settaya area was along the Mikuni Kaido and convenient location in Edo period. Moreover, there were abundance of high quality underground water from Ota river and Shinano river also produced rice and soybeans. Therefore sake, miso and soy sauce brewing industries developed in this area.

Yoshinogawa is founded in 1548. It is the oldest brewery in Niigata where the one of Japan’s leading sake producing areas. They have 470 years brewing history.

Yoshinogawa co,Ltd Home page

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Ginjo Gokujo Yoshinogawa 吟醸 極上吉乃川 720ml

 

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/08 (Thu)~2018/11/14 (Wed) 10:00~20:00

You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store B1F

1 Chome-1-25 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 171-0021

Google map

Access

Directly connected to “Ikebukuro station”

Web site

For more information visit, 東武百貨店 池袋店 日本酒催事スケジュール

“Dassai” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Dassai, ASAHISHUZO co.,ltd. from Yamaguchi prefecture.

Dassai (ASAHISHUZO co.,ltd.)

Thirty minutes by car from Iwakuni City, deep in the mountains of Yamaguchi Prefecture, is the home of Dassai, a top-quality sake that has been highly acclaimed both at home and abroad.


The Nishiki River runs through Iwakuni City, and it is a place where you can find delicious sake thanks to the flourishing brewery industry. There are five breweries in Iwakuni, it is evidence that Iwakuni has good water for Sake. World wide famous Dassai is followed by Gangi, Gokyo, Kinkankuromatsu, Kinsuzume. These are the Sake to drink for any true Sake lover!

The city’s main attraction is the Kintai-bashi Bridge, one of the three finest bridges in Japan. You can take a boat from there and they offer you variety of Bento box menu. Of course you can order Iwakuni 5 breweries’s Sake on the boat.

In spring, the cherry blossom trees along the river banks in full bloom. You can enjoy their beauty in the day and also at night when the trees are lit up. In the summer, cormorant fishing and fireworks are held, in autumn you can enjoy the autumn foliage. You can enjoy an impressive and spectacular view from cruise boats.

On the other hand, the Nishikigawa Seiryu Line (錦川清流線 Nishikigawa Seiryu-sen, “Nishiki River Limpid Stream Line”) is a Japanese railway line connecting Kawanishi and Nishikicho stations, all within Iwakuni, Yamaguchi. As the name suggests, the line parallels the Nishiki River (Nishiki-gawa).

Occasionally, they have tasting event in the train. They operate sake tasting Train. You can enjoy a special time while looking at scenery full of nature from the train window.

ASAHISHUZO co.,ltd. Home page

Nishiki river cruise Kintaibashi : http://ukai.iwakuni-city.net Tel: 81-827-28-2877

Nishikigawa Seiryu Line: http://nishikigawa.com/index.php Tel: 81-827-72-2002

 


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Dassai tasting set 180ml×3 bottles 獺祭(だっさい) おためしセット 180ml×3本

 

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/01 (Thu)~2018/11/07 (Wed) 10:00~20:00

You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store B1F

1 Chome-1-25 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 171-0021

Google map

Access

Directly connected to “Ikebukuro station”

Web site

For more information visit, 東武百貨店 池袋店 日本酒催事スケジュール

“Rihaku” & “Fukuju” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro


You can taste Rihaku, Rihaku Shuzo from Shimane prefecture, and Fukuju, KOBE SHU-SHIN-KAN BREWERIES,LTD from Hyogo prefecture.

Rihaku (Rihaku Shuzo)

Shimane is part of the Chugoku Region, along with four other prefectures (Tottori, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi).

Shimane can be considered to be the birthplace of sake for its long and important history, which dates back to the time of mythology. Myths and records remain to tell us the deep connections between Shimane and sake. For example, Saka Shrine in the Izumo region enshrines a deity of sake brewery. The annual gathering of all of the deities of Japan so that they may hold meetings in Izumo is a widely known part of the folklore. After the meetings, most of the deities went back to their enshrined places, but some deities found sake so delicious that they stayed there and enjoyed sake for another six months. The place where they stayed and drank sake is believed to be the origin of Saka Shrine. The shrine is one of the very rare shrines where is allowed to brewer sake. In October, one month ahead to the brewing season, an important ritual takes place at Saka Shrine and people related to sake brewery pay a visit hoping they can make good sake for the upcoming season.


Rihaku Shuzo was founded in 1882 in Matsue City in Shimane, although it was not until 1928 that we adopted the name Rihaku. Rihaku was a famous poet in China, and is also known in English as Li Po. He is as important in Chinese literary history as Shakespeare is to people in Britain. Rihaku lived from 701 to 762, and was heavy drinker. He was a kind, open-minded, wandering poet that was famous for drinking a lot before writing. He was known to have said, “I drink a bottle, and can write 100 poems.” They make use of Rihaku’s poems and phrases in their brochures and on their labels, and quote him often. Several of their sakes are named with phrases from the great poet’s words.

Rihaku Shuzo Home page

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Rihaku Wandering Poet Junmai Ginjo Chotokusen【純米吟醸】【島根】李白 純米吟醸 超特選 720ml

 

 

Fukuju (KOBE SHU-SHIN-KAN BREWERIES,LTD)

One of the most renowned sake brewery areas in Japan,”Nadagogo.” The Fukuju brewery is located in there. Founded in 1751.

Considered one of Japan’s best sake-brewing areas, this coastal cluster of towns located around 12 kilometers from Kobe City and Nishinomiya City includes Nishigo, Mikagego, and Uosakigo. It is said that breweries began producing sake around 1330.

You can take a walk through the heart of the brewing area down Sake Brewery Street, which is home to many independent museums that shed light on the sake production process. Fukuju brewery offers tours and samples of their wares.

Recommended Route

Hanshin Uozaki Station → (Walk 10 min) → Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewery Museum → (Walk 10 min) → Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum → (Walk 15 min) → KOBE SHU-SHIN-KAN BREWERIES,LTD → (Walk 20 min) → Sawanotsuru Museum

The best sake rice and source water are brewed carefully. Because of the high quality sake from Nada was already famous during the shogun period. The water is rich in minerals and generates a clear and powerful sake profile. Therefore sake from Nada is called “Otoko-sake (men’s sake)”.

FUKUJU Chotokusen Daigin is awarded SAKE COMPETITION 2018 Ginjo GOLD. Fukuju Junmai Ginjo was served at the dinner and reception for the Japanese scientist who won the Nobel Prize in 2012. Since then it has become ultra popular in Japan and you cannot find it on the shelves anywhere.

KOBE SHU-SHIN-KAN BREWERIES,LTD Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Fukuju Junmai Ginjo 神戸酒心館 福寿 純米吟醸 化粧箱入り 720ml [兵庫県]


 

DATE AND TIME

2018/10/31 (Wed)~2018/11/06 (Tue) 10:00~20:00

You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Seibu Ikebukuro B1F

〒171-0022 Tokyo, Toshima, Minamiikebukuro, 1 Chome−28−1

Google map

Access

Directly connect
Ikebukuro Station South Exit, Exit 38, Exit 36

Web site

For more information visit, 今週の酒と肴