Ichinokura Junmai Ginjō

Ichinokura Junmai Ginjō (一ノ蔵 純米吟醸) is made of a rice variety developed and grown in Miyagi Prefecture, Sasanishiki, milled to 50%. By taking advantage of the characteristics of Sasanishiki and using two types of yeast, Ichinokura created a sake with a gentle scent that rises gently, a fresh and light taste, and a good aftertaste. It is a graceful mealtime sake with a pleasant, elegant flavour that goes well with dishes.

Recommended food pairings: toro salmon carpaccio, cheese pasta, salt-grilled white fish, tempura, sushi, soba.

Sasanishiki rice:

Sasanishiki is a type of rice not suitable for sake brewing but is perfect for everyday meals. The Osaki region of Miyagi Prefecture is home to the "Osaki Kodo," a paddy farming area designated as a World Agricultural Heritage Site. Sasanishiki is a popular variety of rice at sushi restaurants and Japanese restaurants due to its light texture, low stickiness, soft sweetness, and timeless taste. Although Sasanishiki can be used as a raw material for making sake, it is unsuitable for sake brewing because its rice grains are smaller and softer than other types of rice. The rice grains may crack or fall apart if the rice is polished to a polishing ratio suitable for sake brewing. Additionally, there are unique challenges in the sake brewing process when using Sasanishiki, such as steaming the rice and making koji.

Why does Ichinokura use Sasanichiki, a difficult ingredient for sake brewing? Following the concept of terroir, when making sake, the rice and water are sourced from the region where the brewery is located. Many varieties of sake rice are phased out over time. Preserving rice with a proven track record as branded rice is important: Sasanishiki is worth preserving to pass on to the next generation through sake brewing.

Awards:

• Recommended Sake IWC 2023 "Junmai Ginjo Sake Category"

Ichinokura Brewery (株式会社 一ノ蔵) is located in Ōsaki, Miyagi Prefecture, some 30 kilometres northeast of Sendai. In 1973, four sake breweries - Asami Shoten, Kachiki Shuzoten, Sakurai Shuzoten, and Matsumoto Shuzoten - merged to form Ichinokura Co., Ltd. The Matsuyama area of Ōsaki is in the centre of the Sendai Plain. Matsuyama has been well known from old times for its fine quality rice and has prospered as an agricultural and brewing town. Over 90% of the rice Ichinokura sake brewing is grown locally in Miyagi Prefecture. The brewery first began by securing growing contracts with local farmers. Starting in 2004, it established its own in-house Agriculture Department to promote sustainable agriculture, minimise the environmental impact, and help support local farmers through cultivating fine-quality rice. Ichinokura is currently growing its rice and aims to develop fine-quality rice best suited for sake brewing. Water is a raw ingredient that makes up 70-80% of sake and is, therefore, one of the essential elements in determining the taste of sake. Ichinokura has a drilled well on the brewery premises, bringing up underground water from a depth of 100 metres. There are 40 brewery workers at Ichinokura, under the supervision of the brewery tōji, who use the techniques of the Nanbu Tōji School to brew fine sake entirely by hand.

Ichinokura video: