Kozaemon Junmai Ginjō Banshu Yamadanishiki

Kozaemon Junmai Ginjō Banshu Yamadanishiki (小左衛門 純米吟醸 播州山田錦) is made with Yamadanishiki rice grown by Masatoshi Yamada in Taka District, Hyōgo Prefecture. He is a direct descendant of Seizaburō Yamada, who developed Yamada Nishiki in the early Shōwa period by crossing Yamada-hō and Tankan Wataribune, a step that led to its wide use in sake brewing. The rice was brewed and pressed in early March, then aged slowly at near-freezing temperatures. The sake is pasteurised and focuses on the natural character of the rice and a clean, straightforward brewing style.

Aromata are moderate and clean, with notes reminiscent of pineapple and muscat grapes. On the palate, the sake shows a firm but clear umami structure, followed by a light, crisp finish. The overall impression is fresh, transparent and well-defined. It is best enjoyed lightly chilled. The sake pairs well with seasonal vegetables, tempura, grilled vegetables, and summer fish dishes such as conger eel, horse mackerel preparations, sweetfish tempura, and dengaku-style foods.

Nakajima Shuzō was founded in 1702, when Nakajima Kozaemon Yonobu (中島小左衛門用信) established a small brewery in the area that is now part of Mizunami, Gifu. The Nakajima family kept the craft going across the Edo and Meiji periods, adjusting to changing tastes and new brewing standards while holding on to the house style that defined their sake. By 1953, the twelfth-generation head, also named Nakajima Kozaemon, took the step of incorporating the business, signalling a shift from a long family tradition into a more modern company structure.

The brewery's direction changed noticeably in the late 1990s, when it began experimenting with aged sake and looking for ways to place its products in a different cultural setting. This led to the introduction of labels featuring artwork by the painter Paul Klee, whose gentle lines and colours gave the bottles a distinct identity. Under the Shiroku (始禄) label, Nakajima released three sakes with their own moods and stories: Hansen (帆船), Ayumi (歩み) and Wasureppoi tenshi (忘れっぽい天使). Each marked a slight departure from convention while still staying true to the family's brewing roots. The launch of the Kozaemon brand in 2000 continued that process, giving the brewery a clear, recognisable name for its core line.

A more practical change came in 2018, when Nakajima completed a new brewery building. The updated facilities enabled them to move away from the old winter-only brewing cycle and adopt year-round seasonal production. With that shift, they began offering a wider range of limited- and seasonal-sake offerings, reflecting the character of each brewing period while maintaining the steady, careful approach that has carried the family brewery through more than three centuries.