“Yamatan-masamune” & “Sawanoi” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Yamatan-masamune, Yagi Shuzobu from Ehime prefecture, and Sawanoi, OZAWA SHUZO CO.,LTD. from Tokyo prefecture.

Yamatan-masamune (Yagi Shuzobu)

The Yagi Shuzobu founded in 1831. It is located in Imabari city, Ehime. Imabari city is the second largest city in Ehime. In the center of the city lies Imabari Castle. It was built by Todo Takatora in 1604. The castle is unusual in that seawater is used in its moat. The coast around Imabari is very attractive, and the beaches along the Seto Inland Sea are good for swimming. They’re characterized by orangey-yellow sand, backed with picturesque pines that give off a pleasant scent in the heat of summer. Imabari city is the starting point of “Shimanami Kaido”. It is an extremely popular destination for cyclists from around the world. The series of bridges makes an approx. 70 kilometer-ride, links Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. The cycling on the bridges over Seto Inland Sea under the blue sky will make your journey memorable.

In the Yagi Shuzobu, they challenge to brew the fermentation process takes place in a Kame (large crock). Nowadays stainless steel tank is mainstream but Kame has got microscopic holes that allow them to breathe, which makes them great for fermentation.

The thick ceramic wall creates a more stable fermentation temperature, resulting in sake with a greater depth of flavor. On the other hand it is difficult to adjust temperature in the fermentation process and need to be handled very carefully.

Yagi Shuzobu is aiming to brew more delicious sake to revive traditional method.

Yagi Shuzobu Home page

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Yamatan-masamune Shizuku hime Junmai ginjo 山丹正宗 しずく媛 純米吟醸 720ml

Fruity fragrance and a gentle, mild flavor.

 

Sawanoi (OZAWA SHUZO CO.,LTD.)

Ozawa Shuzo is located in Ome City, in the western part of Tokyo (3 minute walk from Sawai station on the JR Ome line). There are spectacular views of mountains and the Mitake valley in Okutama as well as sake breweries, restaurants, shops, art museums, allowing visitors to enjoy a full day here.

There are guided tours of the factory followed by a free tasting of the final product at 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm each day. It’s free to take the tour, but participation is by reservation only, so you’ll need to call (or get a Japanese friend to call for you) to assure your place. At the start of the tour, you’ll be given an English pamphlet explaining the process of making sake. The tour itself though, is conducted entirely in Japanese. Even if you can’t follow everything, the tour should still be interesting. The oldest of the buildings dates back to at least 1702. You can also view the original spring from which Sawanoi’s product is produced. There are also the special tours (held a few times a month) which are whole conducted in English.

OZAWA SHUZO CO.,LTD. Home page

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Sawanoi Tasting set 720ml×3bottles 澤乃井 飲みくらべセット KS-370 (720ml×3本) [東京都]

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/10/03 (Wed)~2018/10/09 (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

“Gokyo” & “Aizuchujo” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Gokyo, Sakai Shuzo from Yamaguchi prefecture, and Aizuchujo, Tsurunoe Shuzo Co.,Ltd. from Fukushima prefecture.

Gokyo (Sakai Shuzo)

Sakai Shuzo is located in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture.

Here you will find a beautiful, curiously constructed bridge that is one of Japan’s Three Famous Bridges, which Kintaikyo is essentially made from five small bridges connected together in order to make a single massive bridge. The name of Gokyo (Five bridges) comes from Kintaikyo.

Water for brewing is drawn from Yamaguchi prefecture’s largest stream: A Nishiki River underground soft water stream leading to a well inside the brewery. This super soft water makes a feature of Gokyo tender and highly fragrance.

Sakai Shuzo Home page

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Gokyo Junmai Ginjo Saito no Shizuku 五橋 純米吟醸 西都の雫 720ml [山口県]

Elegant Ginjo aroma drifts gently.

 

Aizuchujo (Tsurunoe Shuzo Co.,Ltd.)

Founded 1794. Tsurunoe Shuzo is located on the Nanukamachi-dori street in Fukushima. Nanukamachi-dori Street is a nickname given to a street in Aizu-Wakamatsu City. The street is about 700m from Nanukamachi station. During Edo Period (1603-1868), Aizu-Gokaido road and Yonezawa road passed through the city, which abounded with shops and inns; this prosperity lasted until 1950s.

These days, you can see shops and buildings that built in kurazukuri style and western-style selling lacquerware and local cuisine. Taisho Roman (a trend of thought or cultural events that conveys the atmosphere of the Taisho period.) atmosphere is felt throughout the city.

The brewery is also traditional historical building. Yuri (Lily in Japanese) is characteristic of delicate flavor which is brewed by female Toji. In the brewery, you can taste sake. There are limited sake only you can buy in the brewery.

Tsurunoe Shuzo Co.,Ltd. Home page

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Junmai Daiginjo Yori 純米大吟醸「ゆり」720ml 白箱入り特約店浜田屋

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/26 (Wed)~2018/10/02 (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

“Oyama” & “Kuroemon” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Oyama, Kato Kahachiro Shuzo, Co., LTD. from Yamagata prefecture, and Kuroemon, Yukawa Sake Brewery co.,ltd. from Nagano prefecture.

 

Oyama (Kato Kahachiro Shuzo, Co., LTD.)

Founded in 1872 in Oyama, Tsuruoka city, Yamagata. It is a famous brewing district, and has been called “Little Nada of Tohoku.” Although it is small district, there ware 40 – 50 breweries at peak. However, at the present time only 4 breweries are all that remains including Kato Kahachiro Shuzo.

Designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2014, Tsuruoka is blessed with a diverse food culture thanks to the nature’s bounties brought by an ideal environment and irrigation in the Shonai region.

Thanks to local cuisine such as the local vegetarian Shojin Ryori favoured by the Yamabushi at Dewa Sanzan and the living cultural assets of almost 50 types of heirloom vegetables passed down through the generations, Tsuruoka’s UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) membership in the field of gastronomy is thanks to how its unique, singular food culture has evolved and survived in parallel with other cultural assets, such as Kurokawa Noh and Dewa Sanzan’s mountain area.

Oyama Shinshu Sake Brewery Festival

Every February sees 4 sake breweries (Haneda, Dewanoyuki, Fuji and Kato) in the Oyama area of Tsuruoka open their sake brewery doors to visitors hoping to imbibe the latest batches of sake on offer at each brewery. These include Food stalls ensure there is plenty to eat too for those making the trip.

 

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Oyama Tokubetsu Junmai Tomizu 大山 特別純米酒 十水 とみず 720ml

Kato Kahachiro Shuzo, Co., LTD. Home page

 

Kuroemon (Yukawa Sake Brewery co.,ltd.)

Founded in 1650. Yugawa is located in Kiso Village, Nagano. Kiso Village sits in a valley surrounded by 2,000m tall mountains.

The location of the brewery is at 936 meters above sea level, first or second in Japan depending on how you measure it. This freezing environment is hardly ideal for brewing where the temperature drops to minus 18 degrees Celsius during the intense cold of December to February. However, here and only here in the village of Kiso, sake overflowing with hardiness and kindness is made possible from being cultivated by the tough in the cold brewing technology and know-how.

The village of Kiso is located at the mouth of the Kiso River which flows all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This bountiful well water used in the early processing stage is a valuable asset blessed by the nature of Kiso and is still preciously used today.

Yugawa Naoko, the 16th generation current family owner, defines their craft as, “tradition that changes with the times and connects us all.” Basing their sake around the flavor of delicious, well-rounded rice with a pure, nimble aftertaste, they produce two brands: Kisoji and 16th generation Kurouemon. Kisoji’s concept is together with the ancient days of Kisoji and from now and into the future, the name remains the same. Kurouemon aims unforgettable sake staying in your memory along with the sensibility of the creators who made it.

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KISOJI Junmaidaiginjo Yamada-nishiki 35 720ml 木曽路 純米大吟醸 山田錦 株式会社湯川酒造店 長野県 杜氏と蔵人の技が凝縮された極上の純米大吟醸

The ginjo aroma is fluity and taste is well-rounded rice with a pure. Nimble aftertaste as well as clear is so great!

Yukawa Sake Brewery co.,ltd. Home page

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/27 (Thu)~2018/10/03 (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