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

You can taste Kozaemon, NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD. from Gifu prefecture, and Kikusakari, Kiuchi Brewery from Ibaraki prefecture.

Kozaemon (NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD.)

NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING is located in Mizunami city, Gifu. Gifu is a perfect place for sake production with its pristine mountains & water flowing from the Japanese Alps. Southern Gifu is large flat plain that is ideal for growing rice. It makes stunning Gifu Sake! There are over 50 breweries in Gifu itself. With tranquil mountainous landscapes and streets lined with traditional Japanese-style houses, Gifu makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into the Old Japan.

Throughout the prefecture, there are countless natural fountains pouring out mineral-rich, bubbling-hot water, making it a veritable hot spring paradise. And traditional crafts have historically been a central and thriving part of Gifu’s culture.

 

Kozaemon is made by small brewery in mountainous Mizunami city, Gifu. NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING is a local sake brewery with over 300 years of history since 1702. The “Kozaemon” brand was launched in 2001, which has become popular at home and abroad. The use of the subsoil water flowing from Mt. Byobu as its source brings out the full flavor of the rice. You can taste the nature of the Mino region, southern Gifu and the brewers’ reflections when savoring the “Kozaemon” products. Based on the idea of making a good match with any dish, NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING is dedicated to producing “umakuchi” sweet-smelling flavors with body and depth rather than crispy and dry “tanrei” flavors. The product line-up varies from pure rice sake to liquors.

Mizunami is a town set in a rich natural environment, with 70% of its land area covered by forests. Mizunami has also been famous since ancient times as one of the localities where Mino-yaki ceramics are made. Although production has diminished in recent years, the tradition of Mizunami as a source of Mino-yaki remains strong. Because Mizunami is a ceramics town, it’s a place where visitors can find exactly the local wares they’re looking for, from sake cups and decanters to serving dishes for snacks.

Mizunami Buono Pork

Mizunami Buono Pork has twice as much marbling as other domestically produced pork, with a juicy flavor and the strong, sweetness of fat, giving you the joyful taste of meat. Local restaurants use their own ingenuity to serve Mizunami BuonoPork dishes.

You can enjoy a taste of delicious sake and Mizunami Buono Pork served in a Mino-yaki.

NAKASHIMA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD. Home page

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Mino-yaki Sake set Japanese Sake Ceramic Set Featuring 1 Tokkuri Bottle and 2 Ochoko cups 黒水晶 徳利 & グイ呑 2個セット 陶器 美濃焼

Kikusakari (Kiuchi Brewery)

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.

Kiuchi Brewery Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Kikusakari Junmai Ginjo【菊盛】 純米吟醸 720ml

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/21 (Wed)～2018/11/27 (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

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“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

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Ibaraki Jizake Matsuri in Asakusa

28 breweries will get together from Ibaraki. Tasting on the “Yakatabune”.

This event is one of the most popular sake tasting event. This year is held on the “Yakatabune”.

A yakatabune cruise is an unforgettable way to experience traditional Japanese culture. With origins from Japan’s imperial families and members, these ornate pleasure boats give you a unique way to explore Tokyo’s scenic views around the Sumida River, while enjoying some of the finest tastes of Ibaraki and Edo style tempura, just as the Japanese have done for over a thousand years.

Ibaraki is blessed with rich nature and good water supply from five water sources such as the Kuji River system / the Naka River system / Mt. Tsukuba water system / the Kinu River system / the Tone River system.

Since Ibaraki has the most suitable water, rice and yeast for making sake, the number of sake breweries in the prefecture is 40, the largest in Kanto area as of June 2018. Each sake brewery produces its own wonderful sake, optimizing great nature of Ibaraki. How about finding good-taste sake that best suits your palate on the Yakatabune.

Tasting at home by amazon
Ibaraki sake tasting set 300ml 5 bottles【日本酒/飲み比べ】茨城県地酒 ちょい飲みセットDX 300ml×5本


 

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/28(Fri)

18:30 – 21:00 (Reception start 17:30. Please be aware that you can not board the ship after the reception time of 18: 20.)

– You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Amisei　【吾妻橋乗船場】Sumida River Azumabashi
※ At Azumabashi, the staff are waiting with a flag.

Taito-ku, Kaminarimon 2-20-12

Google map

Access

3 minutes on foot from Toei Asakusa Line “Asakusa Station” Exit A 3
3 minutes on foot from Tobu Isesaki Line “Asakusa Station” Front Exit
1 minute on foot from Ginza Line “Asakusa Station” Exit 4
15 minutes on foot from Toei Oedo Line “Kuramae Station” Exit 5

Ticket

¥10,000

All-you-can-drink Ibaraki sake.

※Soft drink is also available.

Note: For those who participate in the group, they will take seats as close as possible, but there are cases where you will be required to board on ship separately.

Advance ticket Link
e-plus

Web site

For more information visit, 茨城県酒造組合