“Daishichi” & “Tentaka” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro


You can taste Daishichi, DAISHICHI SAKE BREWERY CO., LTD. from Fukushima prefecture, and Tentaka, Tentaka Shuzo Co., Ltd. from Tochigi prefecture.

Daishichi (DAISHICHI SAKE BREWERY CO., LTD.)

Established in 1752, Daishichi is located in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima. Fukushima sake will never let you down. Daishichi makes rich, mellow sakes whose outstanding reputation comes from an insistence on a strictly orthodox brewing tradition: the kimoto method. All Daishichi products are superb examples of kimoto sake.

KIMOTO is the older “traditional” brewing method, where nature is left to take its course. Brewers wait patiently as naturally occurring Lactobacillus (lactic acid bacteria) grows within the shubo to fight off unwanted bacteria.

The rice and koji for the shubo are mixed and crushed into a puree in order for them to work properly together and saccharify (convert rice starches to sugars). This involves the labor-intensive “yamaroshi”, a manual mashing and stirring of the puree with oar-like paddles in order to speed up rice saccharification. Requires a longer time for the yeast to begin fermentation.

No lactic acid or yeast added, but forms naturally in the brew. All Natural, Hand Crafted.

Because Kimoto allows more wild yeasts and bacteria to become a part of the brew, the flavor tends to have higher sweetness and acidity, with richer, deeper, significantly more pronounced flavors.

Daishichi seeks depth of flavour: sake that grows and matures over time, flowering into exceptional quality. They continue to cherish hand-crafted brewing techniques that combine the best of nature’s bounty with their own expertise and experience.

The annual night time lantern festival of Nihonmatsu is from the 4th to 6th of October and is one of the most spectacular events to see in Japan. The festival has a long history of over 300 years and is one of the 3 largest lantern festivals in Japan. Pick from countless delicious festival food stalls and kanpai with sake in the high-energy festival.

DAISHICHI SAKE BREWERY CO., LTD. Home page

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Daishichi Minowamon Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo 大七酒造 大七箕輪門 生酛 純米大吟醸酒 720ml (箱入り)

Tentaka (Tentaka Shuzo Co., Ltd.)

Tentaka is located in a nature-rich city, Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture. Through the year, the area is blessed with sunny weather, and the warm summer and the ideal coldness in the winter are suitable for sake brewing. As the city is on the delta between the Naka River and the Hoki River, rice has been actively grown since a long time ago. The abundant subsoil water from Mount Nasu in the most northern part of the prefecture enables us to secure clean water which is necessary for sake production. Rice, water, and climate – all conditions are met and that is why the city is perfect for sake brewing. Because of that, there are 6 sake breweries in Otawara, the largest number in Tochigi.

In Otawara, there is Unganji Temple. It is a beautiful place, with peaceful and stunning gardens all year round. In the Edo period, haiku poet Basho also visited here during his long journey to north. He is one of the most famous travelogues ever, “Oku no Hosomichi”, or “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” inspires Japanese art and visitors to Tohoku.

Basho composed following poem in Unganji.

啄木鳥も庵は破らず夏木立
kitsutsuki mo io wa yaburazu natsu kodachi

Even the woodpeckers
Have left it untouched,
This tiny cottage
In a summer grove.

Unganji Google map

In the same city, Daoji is a Soto Zen temple that is more than 600 years old; it was established in 1404. The thatched buildings are amazing and the statues and gardens are really interesting. At Daioji Temple, you can practice Zen meditation under the guidance of a Zen priest.

Daoji Google map

Daioji: http://www.daiouji.or.jp
Zen meditation contact form http://www.daiouji.or.jp/inquiry.html
Tel: 81-287-54-0332

Tentaka Shuzo Co., Ltd. Home page

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Tentmaker Organic Junmai Daiginjo Gohyakumangoku 天鷹 有機 純米大吟醸  天鷹五百万石 720ml

 

DATE AND TIME

2018/11/22 (Thu)~2018/11/28 (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

“Dewazakura” & “Matsunokotobuki” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro

You can taste Dewazakura, DEWAZAKURA SAKE BREWERY CO.,LTD from Yamagata prefecture, and Matsunokotobuki, Matsui Breweries Co Ltd. from Tochigi prefecture.

Dewazakura (DEWAZAKURA SAKE BREWERY CO.,LTD)

Dewazakura Sake Brewery was founded in 1892. It is is located in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. Tendo city is in the middle of Yamagata Prefecture. Situated in between mountains, it’s the perfect place for a quick getaway from a big city like Tokyo. If you’re planning to visit the Tohoku region, this is a perfect place to start. If you like soba, beef, delicious fruits and Shogi (Japanese chess- Tendo is the main producer in the whole country), Tendo is your perfect getaway destination.

Situated in the Yamagata Basin and surrounded by high mountains, Tendo City is hot in summer, often exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, and in the winter can receive considerable snowfall, often exceeding one meter in depth. These natural features, including the climate, have made the region a major production center of rice, fruits and other products. Using this great rice, they have been making sake by hand. For example, they use small tanks enough to handle manually. It makes precision temperature control possible, which in turn allows us to brew high-quality sake in small quantities.

Since the Edo era, Tendo has played an important role in the production and manufacture of Japanese “Shogi” chess pieces. Many events and games are organized through the year to celebrate the traditional game. The most famous is in spring when people dress up as human chess pieces for “Ningen Shogi” and play the game out on a human scale. Sit amongst the blooming trees and watch the human pieces play out games of Shogi.

Why don’t you watching “Ningen Shogi” while tasting Sake?

Tasting at home by amazon

Dewazakura Oka Ginjo 出羽桜酒造 出羽桜(でわざくら) 桜花 吟醸酒 720ml

DEWAZAKURA SAKE BREWERY CO.,LTD Home page

Matsunokotobuki (Matsui Breweries Co Ltd.)

Shioya is a town located in near Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, in the northern Kanto region of Japan. Matsui Breweries is founded in 1865.

There is Shoujinzawa in Shioya district. It is famous for the beautiful stream and beautiful water spring. Shoujinzawa spring water is selected as one of the 100 exquisite and well conserved waters of Japan and the spring water representing Tochigi Prefecture. The temperature of the water is constant, around 11℃ even in summer. It is good spot to take a mystical photo in Shoujinzawa. Bring your tripod and camera with you and you can capture the sun light-beams through the trees in summer early morning.

On the hill behind the brewery also springs out natural water. It is super soft water. They use the water for brewing sake which makes their sake soft texture and fresh aroma.

Matsuno kotobuki Junmai ginjo Omachi is warded a Platinum medal in the Junmai Daiginjo & Junmai Ginjo category at the Kura Master 2018.

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Matsunokotobuki Junmai 松の寿 純米酒 720ml 1本

 

Matsui Breweries Co Ltd. Home page

DATE AND TIME

2018/09/06 (Thu)~2018/09/12 (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

Summer Tasting at Nishibori Brewery Garden 2018

Founded in 1872, in Meiji era, Nishibori brewery has been brewing refined sake for more than 140 years in Oyama City, Tochigi Pref. The sake brewery is registered tangible cultural properties. You can feel the history while tasting sake.

You can taste delicious sake (more than 10 kinds) and limited sake, it’s all you can drink.

Original special appetizer bento included!
A memorial glass present etc,.

Mongaifushutsu Black Label

It is dry junmai ginjo sake with light taste and rich aroma.

西堀酒造 純米吟醸「門外不出」黒ラベル Mongaifushutsu Black Label 1800ml

DATE AND TIME

2018/8/3 (Fri)
2018/8/4 (Sat)
2018/8/5 (Sun)
2018/8/24 (Fri)
2018/8/25 (Sat)
Each day 18: 00-20: 00 (opening 17: 30)

– You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Nishibori Shuzo

1452 Awanomiya, Oyama-shi, Tochigi-ken 329-0201

Google map

Access

10 minutes by taxi from JR Utsunomiya line “Oyama station” or “Mamada station”

Ticket
A plan (Meet at Nishibori Shuzo): ¥3,800 (tax included)
B plan (Meet at JR Mamada Station West Exit 17: 00): ¥4,200 (tax included)

Advance ticket Link

8/3 (Fri) 18: 00 ~ 20: 00 (opening 17: 30)
8/4 (Sat) 18: 00 ~ 20: 00 (opening 17: 30)
8/5 (Sun) 18: 00 ~ 20: 00 (opening 17: 30)
8/24 (Fri) 18: 00 ~ 20: 00 (opening 17: 30)
8/25 (Sat) 18: 00 ~ 20: 00 (opening 17: 30)

Each day capacity is 36ppl.

Web site

For more information visit, ひと夏の蔵ガーデン2018