Ichinokura Mukansa Honjozo Chokarakuchi

Ichinokura's Mukansa Honjōzo Chokarakuchi "Extra Dry" (無鑑査本醸造 超辛口) is the brewery's signature sake. Until 1992, Japan had a sake tax system where sake would be ranked by quality and taxed according to that rank. The best-quality sake would receive a high ranking and be subject to high taxes. However, in 1977, Ichinokura released "Mukansa" Honjōzo sake (mukansa means "without classification"), the second-class sake whose quality was equal to the grand class sake without distinction. At the time, Ichinokura stood up to the sake tax system and noted on their labels that it was the customer, and not anyone else, who would judge their sake. When the old tax system was abolished, the brewery maintained this spirit and the "unclassified" label.

Mukansa Honjōzo Chokarakuchi is a light and smooth sake with a moderate aroma of grain, cream nuts and mint. It is very dry with crisp acidity and balanced savoury flavor with a mild finish.

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 minimising the environmental impact and helping 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.

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