An unofficial guide to Yamaguchi Prefecture and its nihonshu
There's a sake trend that I first noticed last year but has become increasingly common, and I'm actually quite unhappy about it. I'm not sure what the real name is, but I'm calling it "faux nama." In other words, there is a move toward sake that is actually pasteurized but retains many of the traits... Continue Reading →
Horie Sakaba （Link in Japanese, auto-translate is enabled) is the oldest running sake brewery in Yamaguchi. They've been brewing in the mountains outside Iwakuni City since 1764, and in recent years have been gaining a very serious reputation. Part of that is the relative rarity--even here in Yamaguchi, it can be hard to find bottles... Continue Reading →
Kinsuzume from Horie Sakaba in Iwakuni is getting a lot of buzz from local sake lovers, but the only reason I can get from anyone is that it's good. It is good! But I don't know why everyone is excited over goodness anymore. There is a ton of good Yamaguchi sake these days, so it... Continue Reading →
In the run-up to New Year's day, a big Japanese tradition is the "bounenkai," a party to put paid to the year's stress and frustration. They're common among work teams, circles of friends, and even neighborhoods. We ourselves hosted a small bounenkai with some friends, and I of course took it as a chance to... Continue Reading →
Yamaguchi Sake 