An unofficial guide to Yamaguchi Prefecture and its nihonshu
The event I talked about last time sold a couple of limited edition sakes. This is one of them! It's a junmai tobingakoi, meaning it was filtered by being hung in cotton bags and funneled directly into a glass tank before it is pumped into the bottles. Harada Toji is filling bottles directly from a... Continue Reading →
This is not a Yamaguchi sake. I would also argue it's not a small, local sake at all, but it is one that deserves every bit of attention the world can give it. Oh, how I loved this sake. Noguchi Naohiko is a legend of sake brewing, often called "God of the Sake World." He's... Continue Reading →
Today's sake is a particularly special one, and one that I'm quite excited to share with you. But in order to explain why it's special, we need some cultural context. Heisei 31 , Tsuchi no Toi (the 36th year of a 60 year cycle), February 4thGokyo Junmai GinjoNamagenshu In the traditional Japanese calendar, the seasons... Continue Reading →
Shintani Shuzo Location: Tokuji, Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi PrefectureOpen to the Public: NoProduction: 50 Koku (9,000 liters), Shiki Jozo (year-round production) On January 19th, I had the pleasure of visiting Wakamusume maker Shintani Shuzo, and talking with Toji Fumiko Shintani. It was mostly a business meeting, but I did get to see the kura and talk... Continue Reading →
On January 19, I was finally able to get a sake tasting class together, after two failed attempts last fall. 6 drinkers gathered at Kokushu 国酒 in Shunan, Yamaguchi, where we tried a total of for sakes, before going on a tour of nearby Hatsumomiji Shuzo. Kokushu is a sake specialty izakaya with a great... Continue Reading →
Wakamusume is the prime label for a local small kura, Shintani Shuzo, that is making some waves with their own "revival narrative." Shintani is a venerable local kura that was on the verge of closing after its Toji retired, but the label founder's grandson Yoshinao Shintani decided to make a go of it alone,... Continue Reading →
Yamaguchi Sake 