Christmas special! KURAND SAKE MARKET

Christmas is just around the corner!  Enjoy Sparkling Sake at KURAND SAKE MARKET. From December 1, 2018 to December 25, 2018, All “KURAND SAKE MARKET” (Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Omiya, Funabashi, Shinbashi) offers you KURAND original sparkling sake with cute apple decoration.

When sake is pored into the glass, the special cutting apple open like a blooming rose.

you can enjoy all-you-can-drink plan, price (3,240 yen / tax included). No time limits, Bring Your Own Food. If you need more food, you can pop out to get more.

DATE AND TIME

2018/12/01(Sat) – 2018/12/25(Tue)

Weekday
17: 00 ~ 23: 00 (22: 45 LO)
Saturday and Sunday
12: 00-16: 00 (15: 30 LO)
17: 00 ~ 23: 00 (22: 45 LO)

– You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

KURAND SAKE MARKET All stores (Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Omiya, Funabashi, Shimbashi, Yokohama)

Ikebukuro

5 Min from Ikebukuro station West Exit

Shinjuku

Shinjuku Sanchome station Exit C6

Shibuya

Dogenzaka, only 5 min from Shibuya station Hachiko Exit

Ueno

6 min from Ueno station

Omiya

5 min from Omiya station West Exit

Funabashi

3 min from Funabashi station

Shimbashi

Shimbashi station West Exit

Yokohama

2 min from Yokohama station

Web site

For more information visit, KURAND

“Mansaku no hana” & “Shimeharitsuru” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

 

You can taste Mansaku no hana, Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd. from Akita prefecture, and Shimeharitsuru, Miyao Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd. from Niigata prefecture.

Mansaku no hana (Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd.)

Hinomaru Jozo is located in Masudamachi, in Yokote city in the picturesque snow country of Akita, Japan. Akita has long, harsh, snowy winters. In the height of the winter season, Hinomaru Jozo’s touji (sake master) Ryoji Takahashi can be found with his hands buried deep in cold, mashed rice, preparing it for fermentation.

Like many older breweries and distilleries, Hinomaru Jozo follows traditions that date back to when it was first founded almost 330 years ago, in 1689. Something the Hinomaru Brewery is proud of is the usage of the “rising sun” imagery, 200 years prior to its official association with the Japanese flag and government. The logo and name were created by the feudal leader of the region at the time: Lord Satake.

But there is more to a distillery than a name and a logo. Their motto, coupling “quality first” with “challenging spirit,” reflects the rigorous process involved in concocting the perfect sake mix. Still to this day, everything is done by hand: the rice growing, harvesting, mashing, steaming, transferring, and bottling. One of the key elements that helps Hinomaru’s sake stand out is the usage of small, 1.8-liter bottles to store and age the sake, as opposed to more common practice of storing and aging sake in massive, 500 to 1000–liter barrels at other breweries. There is no better example of Hinomaru’s quality nihonshu than the Mansakuno Hana brand: named for the mansakuno flower and created to commemorate a popular NHK TV drama that was set in Akita, it can be found at restaurants around the world. An even more refined variety of this sake is the Mansakuno Hana Daiginjo, whose beautiful pale gold color matches its fruity aroma—like that of apples or pears.

The Akita snow is a crucial indirect ingredient: keeping the building cold and frosty creates a specific flavor and texture known only to Hinomaru’s brand-name sake. A crisp, sweet, fruity winter taste dominates their flavor profiles, and complements the famous sour pickled vegetables of the north. Winter in Akita is suddenly much less cold when it’s paired with a bottle of sake from Hinomaru Jozo.

The Yokote Kamakura Festival (横手の雪まつり, Yokote no Yuki Matsuri) has a history of about 450 years. It is held every year in mid-February. The festival features many igloo-like snow houses, called kamakura, which are built at various locations across the city. Along Yokote River, hundreds of small kamakura the size of lanterns are made. These mini kamakura are illuminated by candles from dusk until around 21:00 and create a lovely sea of lights.

During the Festival, you can enjoy walking around while enjoying Akita’s local delicacies and sake.

Hinomaru Jozo Co., Ltd. Home page



Booking.com

 

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Mansaku no hana Bekkaku Daiginjo 金賞受賞蔵!秋田のお酒、まんさくの花 別格大吟醸 720ml(四合)瓶 桐箱入

 

Shimeharitsuru (Miyao Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd.)

The flavor of Shimeharitsuru is crafted with the brewers’ dedication to making supreme sake, and is best defined as rich yet light. Established in 1819, Miyao Sake Brewing is situated in Murakami, one of the finest rice producing areas of Niigata that cultivates a variety of quality sake rice such as Gohyakumangoku. The brewery’s well taps into the pristine underground water that flows from the Asahi mountain range via the Miomote River which is famous for its salmon run. This delicate and almost sweet soft water is used in brewing, and shapes the flavor of our sake. Genuine devotion to sake brewing is another important aspect that has been passed down in our brewery. Using outstanding rice and crystal clear water, we dedicate ourselves to brewing delicious sake to the satisfaction of our customers.

The Murakami city is located in the north of Niigata Prefecture, Japan, which is a castle town still having signs of its former days. In the center of the city, there are spots you can feel city’s the history such as rows of “merchant houses” of those days and “Maizuru Castle Ruins” famous for cherry blossoms blooming there.

Murakami specialty: Murakami Beef

Murakami beef is praised for its vivid red meat with beautiful marbling along with a soft juicy texture, which makes for an unmistakable taste. Carefully selected high quality breeding cattle are raised from a plenty of Koshihikari rice straw and hay for additional two years and brought up to maturity as Wagyu, with the farmer’s generous love, unstinting labor and time in the majestic nature in Murakami, Niigata, Japan, where the traditional culture is still alive.

Murakami is easily accessible from Tokyo via Shinkansen. Enjoy Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ), Sukiyaki and Shabushabu with exceptional Japanese Black Wagyu Beef while tasting Niigata sake.

Edosho: http://www.edoshow.com/index.html
Open: 11:00~14:00
Reservation required 81-254-50-1181

Google map

You can taste Murakami Beef on a Budget at Yamashin. Outside the restaurant, they sell deep-fried croquets and Menchi Katsu (minced meat cutlet) with Murakami Beef. You can buy some and eat them while strolling the city.

Yamashin: http://www.bishokuya.com

Shop Open: 9:00-18:00
Meal order: 10:00-17:00
Close: Wednesday
e-mail: info@bishokuya.com

Google map

Miyao Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd. Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Shimeharitsuru Tasting 720ml x 3 bottles set Yuki -Snow Tsuki -Moon Hana -Flower【人気地酒蔵】新潟 〆張鶴飲み比べ 720 ml×3本セット 〆張鶴月 〆張鶴雪 〆張鶴花 11

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/29 (Thu)~2018/12/05 (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

“Tatenokawa” & “Yukinobosha” & “Koshinohakuro” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Tatenokawa, TATENOKAWA, Inc. from Yamagata prefecture, Yukinobosha, Saiya Shuzouten Co.,Ltd. from Akita prefecture and Koshinohakuro, HAKURO SHUZO co.Ltd. from Niigata prefecture.

 

 

Tatenokawa (TATENOKAWA, Inc.)

In 1832, when the head of the Uesugi clan first visited the Shonai area he was so amazed by the quality of the water that he recommended sake production to first generation Heishiro.

And so, in 1854, Heishiro began making sake. In the following year 1855, the visiting Daimyo of the Sounai Clan, Sakai Tadakatsu was presented with the sake and in return christened the brand “TATENOKAWA” (English Name: CASTLE BROOK).

In 2005 they began establishing contracts directly with local farmers. The raw ingredients of Junmai Daiginjo are rice and water. The rice plays a huge part in determining the quality of the end product and yet so many breweries rely on rice suppliers and brewer’s associations for procurement.

In 2010, here at TATENOKAWA, Inc. they began Junmai Daiginjo only production under a new “TATENOKAWA” 100 year vision

In order to realise this vision they have increased the tempo of their overseas exports, which they began in 2008, with a view to their sake becoming a luxury item that has fans all over the world.

Their goal is to make sake that appeals to and is recognised by people globally.

TATENOKAWA, Inc. Home page

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楯野川 純米大吟醸 上流 Tatenokawa Junmai Daiginjo More detail JOURYU 720ml (専用カートン付)

A part of the Ryu (stream) series, is named after its high quality and high specifications. Made with 40% polished Yamada Nishiki sake rice and only the best part of the sake pressing nakadori (middle cut). A sake with a stable balance of flavour and aroma, a nose of ripened fruits, and a high quality Japanese candy like elegance, topped off with a clean finish.

 

 

Yukinobosha (Saiya Shuzouten Co.,Ltd.)

Saiya Shuzo is located in Yurihonjo City, Akita prefecture, founded in 1902. It is multiple awarded brewery and top class sake in Akita.

Yurihonjo City is in the southwest of Akita Prefecture. It has a graceful mountain, Mt. Chokai, in the south, and, the western part of the city is on the Japan Sea. It is a city spreading out along Koyoshigawa, a class A river with headwaters coming out of Mt. Chokai. It is filtered down through the mountain. This is semi-soft water, which is very good for sake brewing.

Saiya Shuzo doesn’t allow high demand to speed up their production. The brewery has always put a strong focus on using their own in-house yeast and milling rice properly. Saiya Shuzo was the first brewery in Akita prefecture to culture its own yeast. By isolating and re-culturing the healthy and hardworking yeast out of moromi (fermenting mash) tanks, the master brewer has discovered a strain of yeast that can survive under a strenuous environment of low temperature and higher alcohol content as the fermentation progresses in the tank. The master brewer, Touichi Takahashi is keep researching sake yeast and touching sake koji, therefore his hands are still soft youthful skin.

Akita Pure rice Sake Bar Tokyo station ~秋田純米酒処~東京駅店
It may be hidden gem in a far corner of the second floor of Tokyo station’s building (near the Yaesu north exit). You can taste Akita sake and Akita food in Tokyo station.

2F, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku.
Nearest station: Tokyo.

Akita Pure rice Sake Bar Tokyo station Google map

Akita Pure rice Sake Bar~秋田純米酒処~東京駅店

Non-smoking establishment

SAIYA SHUZOUTEN Co.,Ltd. Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Yuki no Bosha Junmai ginjo 雪の茅舎 純米吟醸 (秋田) 720ML 1本

 

Saiya Shuzouten Co.,Ltd. Home page


Koshinohakuro (HAKURO SHUZO co.Ltd.)

Since its foundation in 1751, HAKURO SHUZO has been playing a part of sake culture surviving rapid changes in history in Echigo-Nagaoka, present Nagaoka city, Niigata prefecture. In 1882, given over a brewery owned by the lord of Nagaoka clan, the MAKINO family, it started to use the family’s crest, “Mitsu-Kashiwa” and succeeded a brand name “HAKURO”. As time goes by, people engaged in sake production have changed, but our posture to “produce delicious sake to please many people” has been maintained till now.

Beyond the peaks of the Iides, the Mikuni mountains, and the peaks of the Tateyamas, our rich field spreads. The snow melts to flow on this rice producing area in spring and summer, wets Echigo Plain and brings about a rich harvest in autumn.

HAKURO SHUZO now has introduced modern methods of sake production. While maintaining the merits of traditional Japanese sake, for further improvement, they always strive to research on new technology to apply to the change of times and to develop new products as well as to maintain the quality control. A good combination of matured techniques of the local Echigo-Toji and young craftsmen’s energy in addition to the modern facilities, produces high quality hand-made “HAKURO”.

Niigata Prefecture has over 90 sake breweries. With 17 of those in Nagaoka, the city has the most breweries in the prefecture and second most in Japan.

Inside JR Nagaoka station, Ponshukan is a sake “theme park” where you can sample leading local sake brands, purchase sake-related goods. In the sake tasting corner, for only ¥500, you get five coins, each of which gives you a full shot of rice wine. Simply insert the coin into the small sake vending machines, press the “start button,” and watch the wine flow. Ponshukan offers over 100 different brands of sake produced by renowned breweries all over Niigata. Don’t miss it!

Ponshukan Nagaoka Google map

Open: 9:00~20:00

HAKURO SHUZO co.Ltd. Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Koshinohakuro Chotokusen Daiginjo 越乃柏露 超特選 大吟醸 720ml

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/28 (Wed)~2018/12/04 (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