“Kikusakari” & “Hiraizumi” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Kikusakari, Kiuchi Brewery Inc. from Ibaraki prefecture, and Hiraizumi, Hiraizumi Honpo from Akita prefecture.

Kikusakari (Kiuchi Brewery Inc.)

Kiuchi Sake brewery was established in 1823 by Gihei Kiuchi who was the village headman of Kounosu village, Naka County.

The water that gives life to KIKUSAKARI, is natural spring water from the well in our sake brewery. This water is soft water (close to medium hardness) which does not contain iron, organic matter etc. – the inhibitors of fermentation. There is a place named SAKAIDE about 1 kilometre east from our sake brewery, where there is an old legend that sake gushed out of a well there.

The plateau of Naka where Kiuchi Brewery is located is land rich in water and greenery between Kuji River – famous for its sweetfish – in the east and Naka River – famous for its salmon – in the west. Delicious sake was almost certainly brewed with this good quality water from long ago.

In recent years, their sake has been brewed with the young sensibility and original techniques of our master brewer while also continuing to use their inherited traditional techniques of Nanbu-Toji. By fusing the spirit of tradition and enterprise, they also challenge the new and the unconventional. They work every day by trial and error to brew a Japanese Sake that will be loved worldwide. The sake brewers of Kiuchi Brewery are also following their dreams.

Tasting at home by amazon

Kikusakari Junmai Ginjo【菊盛】 純米吟醸 720ml

Kiuchi Brewery Inc. Home page

Buying proxy service (Goods from Japanese online shops and auctions). Buy from Japan with Zenmarket.Jp!

  • Check your country’s customs duties and postal method’s size/weight restrictions in advance.
  • Choose EMS.
  • ATTENTION – Due to recent updates to the Japan Post terms they can no longer ship bottles with an alcohol content of higher than 24%. They can also no longer ship to countries where import is restricted, such as USA and Canada, regardless of the alcohol content. Please check the International Mail conditions for your intended destination. (2018/09)

 

Hiraizumi (Hiraizumi Honpo)

Brewery History and Background:
They are Akita’s oldest and even in Japan 3rd oldest brewery, having been founded in 1487 in the middle of the Muromachi era. Originally, the company was a wholesaler of goods sent by ship, with sake brewing just a side business. But in the early Meiji period, sake brewing became the main business. We have since then been staunchly brewing sake in the old yamahai-shikomi method. Our current brewery dates from 1883.

Origins of the name:
The name is a combination of the name of the business when we were a wholesaler, Izumiya, and the name of the immediate region, Hirasawa, and was shortened from “Hirasawa Izumi no Sake.” Also, there is the theory that a local painter sent our sake to Monk Ryokan of the Echigo region, calling it “jumping, good, white water,” and the name and characters are a play on that expression.

Hiraizumi is Gold Prize winning sake in the Annual Japan Sake Awards 2015.

Tasting at home by amazon

Hiraizumi Junmai Ginjo 飛良泉 純米吟醸酒 720ml

Hiraizumi Honpo Home page

Buying proxy service (Goods from Japanese online shops and auctions). Buy from Japan with Zenmarket.Jp!

  • Check your country’s customs duties and postal method’s size/weight restrictions in advance.
  • Choose EMS.
  • ATTENTION – Due to recent updates to the Japan Post terms they can no longer ship bottles with an alcohol content of higher than 24%. They can also no longer ship to countries where import is restricted, such as USA and Canada, regardless of the alcohol content. Please check the International Mail conditions for your intended destination. (2018/09)

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/12 (Wed)~2018/09/18 (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

“Amanoto” & “Aizuhomare” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Amanoto, Asamai Shuzo from Akita prefecture, and Aizuhomare, Homare Sake Brewery Co.,Ltd. from Fukushima prefecture.

Amanoto (Asamai Shuzo)

Founded in 1917. Asamai Shuzo is located in center of the Yokote Basin in southern Akita Prefecture. Yokote Basin is known in Japan as an area of heavy snowfall, and for agricultural products, mainly rice, but also for apples and asparagus, etc. In Yokote city itself has got 5 sake breweries.

The major ingredient of sake, rice, differs from region to region, but breweries tended to use both local rice and rice from other regions, the difference between various regions’ rice varieties has not been given much thought. Recently, however, the sake industry has been increasingly favoring local rice and therefore creating regional differences in sake. This requires an increased interest in the way that growing conditions affect the rice and, therefore, the regional expression of each sake.

Asamai Shuzo takes their sake rice seriously. They brew sake from only by local rice within 5 km from their brewery site. Since 2011 they produce only Junmai sake, which is sake made from only rice, water, yeast, and koji. Sake brewing process is more complicated than wine’s one and 80% of sake is water, because of that it is not very significant characteristic of terroir as much as wine. But Asamai Shuzo’s sake is a kind of sake “terroir”.

Tasting at home by amazon

Amanoto Junmai Daiginjo45 天の戸 純米大吟醸45 720ml 1本 【秋田県】

Asamai Shuzo Home page

 

Aizuhomare (Homare Sake Brewery Co.,Ltd.)

Founded in 1918. Homare Sake Brewery marked the 100th anniversary in September 2018. It is located in Kitakata.

Kitakata is a small town, surrounded by mountains and rice fields in the Aizu region of Fukushima prefecture. Renowned for its traditional storehouses, kura, and ramen, it also boasts eleven sake breweries. Strolling around town, these are easily identifiable from large balls of cedar hanging outside, known as sugidama or sakabayashi, which mark the production of a new sake. When the green needles turn brown, it’s said that the sake has aged enough to be ready for drinking.

The natural geography of Kitakata, and indeed the entire Aizu region, lends itself to the production of high quality sake. The cold climate allows a slower fermentation process and rice has plenty of growing space. Crucially, though, there’s an abundance of water from nearby Mount Iide. This is soft water, which also slows the fermentation process, yielding a sweeter taste.

Fukushima prefecture has become one of the most acclaimed sake-producing regions in Japan. FUKUSHIMA – Fukushima Prefecture was home to the largest number of award-winning sake brands for the sixth year in a row, marking a record in an annual competition, the National Research Institute of Brewing in 2018.

Tasting at home by amazon

Aizuhomare Junmai Daiginjo Kiwami 会津ほまれ純米大吟醸 極 720ml [福島県/中辛口]

 

Homare Sake Brewery Co.,Ltd. Home page

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/13 (Thu)~2018/09/19 (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

“Jokigen” & “Azakura” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Jokigen, Imayo Tsukasa Sake Brewery from Ishikawa prefecture, and Azakura, Azakura Co.,Ltd. from Akita prefecture.

Jokigen (KANO SYUZOU CO.,LTD. )

Founded in 1819. Kano Shuzo is located in Kaga, Ishikawa. Kaga is in the Hokuriku region in south-western Ishikawa Prefecture is blessed with grand nature and natural hot springs.

Kutaniyaki, a Japanese ceramic ware that flourished in the beginning of the Edo era (1603-1867) and is still prominent today, has its origins at Kaga area. Wealthy samurai of the Kaga clan supported the development of the regional arts. You can recognize this style by its distinguishable patterns and use of vivid colors — particularly bright reds, greens, yellows, purples and blues. It was exported to Europe in large quantities after 1873.


In March 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) opened its line going from Nagano to Kanazawa, providing convenient access to the Kaga area. About 2 hours 55 minutes (from Tokyo to Kanazawa: about 2 hours and 30 minutes, from Kanazawa to Kaga Onsen: 23 minutes), changing from Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki to limited express Thunderbird at Kanazawa Station.

This area is also famous for foods from the mountains and the sea and attracts many people. Why don’t you stay Onsen (Hot Springs) Ryokan and taste Ishikawa? Of course Sake set is with Kutaniyaki.

Tasting at home by amazon

Jokigen junmai Ginjo Fujin 常きげん 純米吟醸 風神 1800ml 化粧箱入り

“Jokigen” means jubilance.

It is also a commodity that has been served at the Nobel Prize winning party in 2012. To clear taste a sense of transparency firm body. Everyone is worth just enjoy the tricks that will appreciate is the ultimate drink can feel the goodness sake.

Kutaniyaki sake cup 九谷焼 ぐい飲み 招き猫 縁起 猪口コレクションNO.7

KANO SYUZOU CO.,LTD. Home page

Azakura (Azakura Co.,Ltd.)

Azakura is a well-established brewery, founded in 1886 in a snow deep city of Yokote, Akita. From Tokyo Station, take the Akita Shinkansen to Omagari Station and switch to the Ou Line. From there, Yokote Station is one stop. Approximately 3 hours, 40 minutes from Tokyo.

“Akita style kanjikomi” sake brewing begins with the arrival of winter, and be at its peak when it gets most cold. During this cold and snowy period, the air is purified, and the snow surrounded brewery is able to maintain ideal room temperature for making sake. This results in great tasting sake. Using only rice locally produced in Akita, Azakura’s sake is a harmony of splendid aroma and mild taste. The pleasant flavor is never sedated.

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.

Tasting at home by amazon

Azakura tasting set 300ml×5 bottles「阿櫻」 のみくらべセット 300ml×5本



Booking.com

 

Azakura Co.,Ltd. Home page

DATE AND TIME

2018/08/22 (Wed)~2018/08/28 (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