Sweet, beginner-friendly sake “Koshi: Byakuya.” 

On the way home from work, it was raining like a waterfall. I was actually planning to go shopping for sake, but compromised and went to a nearby liquor store.

  1. Kinoene Byakuya
  2. Taste Kinoene Byakuya
  3. Today’s snack is Carrots with mayonnaise and boiled egg.

Kinoene Byakuya

Koshi: Byakuya

I bought this one by the packet. Koshi: White Night

Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya

The rice polishing ratio is undisclosed. I looked at the label and wondered if there was any point in hiding it. I looked it up and found it was KINOENE. Even Japanese cannot read this kanji. As usual, I am weak against the word “limited edition. I was thrilled and excited. I found out that it has a sake degree of -12.4 / acidity of 1.8.

Sake meter is a standard to indicate the sweetness or dryness of sake, with positive values indicating dryness and negative values indicating sweetness. Generally, a value of +3.5 or higher is considered dry and a value of -3.5 or lower is considered sweet. I heard that +6 or higher is very dry and -6 or lower is very sweet.

Acidity is a numerical value that indicates the percentage of acid components in a solution. In the case of sake, it represents the amount of organic acid, and an average acidity of 1.3 to 1.5 is a good guide.

Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya

This means that the sake is sweet and slightly sour. The label is also a mouse and a tortoise. It is an interesting label design.

Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya

Now let’s open the bottle. Fruity aroma. Like melon.

Gulp

Taste
Utashiro Narukami

Koshi: Byakuya
Koshi: Byakuya

It’s sweeter than the aroma. Personally, I find it quite sweet. Rice juice. It could be made into a kinky sorbet state. I would like to reduce the sweetness with temperature. It may be good for beginners and women, but for sake-loving drinkers, it is too sweet. It is quite sweet even at room temperature. It is not bad, but the sweetness will surprise you if you don’t know about it beforehand.

Kouji Junmai Ginjo Nama Shu RAIKOU〉The fresh and gorgeous aroma you feel the moment you put it in your mouth and the gaseous sensation you feel when it pops is truly a symbol of the Kouji of today. You will enjoy the change from the thunderbolt-like impact you feel immediately after opening the bottle to the body and roundness of the flavor that becomes more pronounced as the gaseous sensation gradually dissipates.
This is how the Iinuma family describes the taste.

Today’s snack is Beef tongue grilled with a crispy texture.

Beef tongue grilled with a crispy texture
Beef tongue grilled with a crispy texture
Beef tongue grilled with a crispy texture
Beef tongue grilled with a crispy texture

This time, even before eating the 7-Eleven beef tongue, I was anxious to see how it would go with the sweetness of the beef tongue.

After all, the pairing was not so good this time either. The fusion of fat and sweetness is very difficult to achieve.

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雅楽代 This kanji cannot be read even by Japanese.

Today, I found a sake that is rumored to be exclusively delicious in Japan.

  1. Utashiro Narukami
  2. Taste Utashiro Narukami
  3. Today’s snack is Carrots with mayonnaise and boiled egg.

Utashiro Narukami

Utashiro Narukami

I still go to the liquor store in a daze. Today is another dusty one person drink.
Today, Utashiro. The kanji is hard to read even for Japanese. It is not a big brand, but it seems to be famous in its own way.

Utashiro  Narukami

14.5 degrees alcohol. Not that high in degrees. Many sake breweries these days do not label their sake as junmai or junmai ginjo.

Utashiro  Narukami

A new brand of Tenryohai Sake Brewery released on May 1, 2019, the first day of the first year of the 2025 calendar year. It is named after Kamo Utayo, Sado City, where Tenryohai Sake Brewery is located.

Utadai means “land in lieu of a poem,” and it is said that when an emperor was exiled to Sado, he would read a waka poem and if he liked it, he would receive land as a reward.

Those who received the land and reached the height of their prosperity were proud of their own glittering days, and came to call themselves “Gagaku-dai” (meaning “a courtesan’s courtesan”), and today there are several people in Hokkaido with the surname of Gagaku-dai.

Manabi-De-Happiness-Dai (Time)“ 

We want our sake to ”create a memorable and enjoyable time for everyone”. We named our new brand “Garakudai” because the sake we want to produce matches the origin of the name, which is derived from the land where the Tenryo sake cup is located.

Utashiro Narukami

There is a family crest. It is a family crest or a Chinese character.

Utashiro Narukami

Cork open. Oh. When I opened it, gas came out.

Gulp

Taste
Utashiro Narukami

An orthodox sake with a sweet melon-like aroma.

Easy to drink for beginners. Easy to get bored with because of its strong sweetness.

Seems to be suitable as an aperitif. Too sweet to drink for a long time. A sweet sake with low alcohol content that may be popular among women.

Today’s snack is Carrots with mayonnaise and boiled egg.

Utashiro Narukami
Carrots

Good with the bitterness of carrots. Surprised that the bitterness of carrots goes better with sake than expected. The mayonnaise seemed to interfere a little. Next time, I would like to try other combinations of carrots and sake.

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When you think of Japan, you think of cherry blossoms. The label is cute, so I bought it. Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama.

Today, too, I wandered around in search of sake.
I bought a packet because of its cute cherry blossom design.

  1. The label is very Japanese.
    Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo
  2. Taste Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte
  3. Today’s snack is hashed potatoedamame.

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo

十九 桜 純米吟醸 無濾過生 Le cerisier rose m’ apporte
The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

A label that is uniquely Japanese.

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m' apporte
The label is very Japanese. Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

Alcohol content 16 degrees.
Made with rice grown in Nagano. Other than that, there is not much information here.

Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m'apporte

It says beware of blowing out when opening the bottle.

Will it blow out when opened?

Perhaps it’s slightly carbonated, with natural gasses.

The stopper says “mountain” on it.

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

Open the bottle immediately

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m' apporte
The label is very Japanese. Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

The schwizzle carbonation is amazing.
The aroma has a fruity feel.

Gulp

Taste
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte

Very easy to drink. The carbonation dilutes the flavor, but it is just right.

The sweetness of the rice is not bad. However, it is too sweet for those who like alcohol, and if you drink a lot of it, you may get tired of it. It is not very dry.

Today’s snack is Hashed potatoedamame.

The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m' apporte with hashed potatoedamame.
The label is very Japanese.
Jyukyu Sakura Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Le cerisier rose m’ apporte with hashed potatoedamame.

The oiliness of the hash browns and the slightly carbonated sweet sake was not a good pairing!

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The label is a cute cartoon monkey. The taste is a bittersweet “mountain monkey” for old men.

Today, Purchased a sake with an interesting name, Yamazaru

  1. Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai
  2. Taste Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai
  3. Today’s snack is Bread with edamame.

Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

山猿
Yamazaru

I bought it at work and received it.
Yamaguchi Prefecture Sake.

Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

Revival of a fantastic rice for sake in modern times.
Says it’s the result of our efforts.

山猿
Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

The stopper says “mountain” on it.

山猿
Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

The rice polishing ratio is 60%. The rice has not been cut down much.

Opening.

Slight fruity aroma

Gulp

Taste Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

Yamazaru Tokubetsujyunmai

I drank it cold, as it is, and it is fruity but complex to finish. I personally think junmai sake is best served hot or lukewarm, but it still has a distinctive finish.

Today’s snack is Bread with edamame.

Yamazaru with Bread with edamame.
baking a bread

Bread produced by quick freezing.
It can be defrosted naturally or baked in a toaster for 1 to 2 minutes. It is characterized by the savory taste of edamame (green soybeans).
It did not go well with sake, though. They should have been eaten by themselves. Each is good.
Pairing with bread is difficult.


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The pink label is reminiscent of cherry blossoms in spring. Slightly carbonated. Jozan Kasumisake

Today, too, I will linger and enjoy sake.

  1. Jozan Kasumisake
  2. Taste Jozan Kasumisake
  3. Today’s snack is German Fries

Jozan Kasumisake

Jozan Kasumisake

I still have a weakness for this label [seasonal product]. 
The pink label is pretty and reminds one of Japanese cherry blossoms. Now it is spring.

Jozan Kasumisake

The kanji (常山) “Jozan ” was created by the late Hideo Jozan VII, who was also the creator of Jozan . It is reminiscent of the manly spirit and deep pockets of the seventh generation, who loved his hometown and its sake with all his heart. When Yukiko Jozan , the eighth generation, succeeded as the female brewer after the seventh generation passed away, she changed the name of the brewery to a softer one. She has been with the 8th generation through many hardships and joys.
Now, as the ninth generation, Shinpei Jozan , takes over, the symbol established by the seventh generation has been raised to guide the way toward innovative yet essential sake brewing, while never forgetting the original intention.

It is made from 100% Japanese rice and has 15% alcohol. Sake from Fukui Prefecture.

Jozan Kasumisake

Bottle cap with family crest for a long time

Opening.

Jozan Kasumisake

Scent is not that great.

Gulp

Taste Jozan Kasumisake

常山Jozan
Jozan Kasumisake

Slight natural microcarbonation. Very drinkable and thin. Low alcohol content.
The drink is clean and refreshing. Suitable for beginners and women.
Drink a lot as an aperitif and you will get bored.

Today’s snack is German Fries

Jozan Kasumisake with German Fries

I tried to combine it with western style dishes.
As it turns out, they don’t match.
It does not go well with basil sauce.
Cheese still goes with it somewhat.
The sweetness of the alcohol and the acidity and saltiness of the basil,
The sweetness of the alcohol, the acidity of the basil, and the saltiness do not work with each other and are disjointed in the mouth.
They don’t work well together.
Overall, it is not a good match.

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Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu. Sake made by a sake brewer who loves sushi too much to pursue a sake that goes well with sushi.

I’ve been drinking less and less sake lately, and I’m thinking of wandering around drinking again.

  1. Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu
  2. Taste Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu
  3. Today’s snack is Potato Salmon Cheese Baked

Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu

日高見
Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu Basic label

Hitakami is the representative brand of sake from Hirataka Shuzo, located in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. It is made with the theme of pairing with seafood, and is characterized by its soft, clear, and crisp aftertaste.

日高見
Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu Basic label

Labels are very simple.

日高見
Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu

The bottle caps are black, too.

Opening.

日高見
Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu

Fragrance is light and sweet.

Characteristics
This brand name is derived from Ishinomaki City’s strong connection with “Hidakami-no-kuni” mentioned in the Chronicles of Japan.
The fifth-generation brewer, Takahiro Hirai, is a sushi lover who is known locally as the “Sushi Prince.
Hitomebore” is polished up to 60% and is a very dry Junmai sake.
It can be served cold or warmed up.

Gulp

Taste Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu

hitakami
Taste Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu

Fruity, drier and easier to drink than I expected. Taste that can be drunk for a long time. Suitable for intermediate drinkers. Dry to finish.

Today’s snack is Potato Salmon Cheese Baked

日高見
Hitakami Super dry Junmai-shu with Potato Salmon Cheese Baked

Potatoes Salmon Cheese Baked on Sale at Supermarket. Not a Japanese dish, but a Western snack with cheese. This time, the cheese and sake fought with each other and failed to extend the flavor in sync.

Introducing this brewery

The company was founded in the first year of Bunku era (1868) and started sake brewing in Ishinomaki City.
Ishinomaki City is a port town that opens at the mouth of the Kitakami River, which cuts through the Pacific Ocean and the northeastern part of Japan, and is famous as one of the three major fishing grounds in the world where warm and cold currents meet off the coast of Kinkasan.
Delicious seafood is landed here, and visitors can enjoy the bounty of the sea in each of the four seasons. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the area flourished as a rice depot for the Date and Nanbu clans, and goods were transported to Edo and Osaka from as far away as Tokyo. At that time, sake breweries were allowed to operate only one inn and one sake brewery under the permission of the clan, and it is said that there were as many as 16 sake breweries in Ishinomaki. This makes us imagine that Ishinomaki is not only one of the best port towns in Japan, but also has a very long history in the history of sake brewing in Miyagi Prefecture. Our representative brand is “Hitakami”. Hitakami” was developed in 1990 with the goal of creating a sake that would be accepted on a national level. The name “Hitakami” comes from an old legend that the legendary Land of Hitakami, a land blessed by the sun, which is mentioned in the Chronicles of Japan, existed in this region.
Hidakami” has won the gold medal at the National New Sake Competition a total of 18 times. We believe that the difference in taste and quality is the result of our commitment to the most important process in sake brewing, from the top layer to the shipping stage.