Kurosawa Izutsuchō Junmai Nigori

Kurosawa Izutsuchō Junmai Nigori (井筒長純米にごり) is a moderately cloudy junmai sake brewed with sake rice grown in Nagano Prefecture, including Miyamanishiki polished to 65%. Produced as a rich, full-bodied nigori-zake, it is coarsely filtered (荒ごし aragoshi) and bottled shortly after brewing, with a single pasteurisation, preserving much of the sake's fresh character and lively texture.

The sake is characterised by pronounced rice-derived umami and gentle sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity. Although creamy and substantial in texture, it is intentionally made less sweet than many nigori styles, resulting in a fuller yet relatively clean and easy-drinking profile. Notes of fruit and light vanilla may also appear alongside the soft rice character.

With an alcohol content of 15–15.3%, an SMV of -5 to -2, and an acidity of approximately 1.7, the sake combines richness with moderate dryness and a satisfying palate weight. The brewery describes it as a dense yet balanced nigori sake that retains the rice's natural flavour without becoming overly heavy.

Izutsuchō Junmai Nigori can be enjoyed either chilled or gently warmed. The brewery recommends serving it at around 10–15°C in a narrow, tulip-shaped wine glass, or warming it to approximately 35–40°C in a small ochoko. Its richer structure makes it particularly suitable for meat dishes, Chinese cuisine, and other strongly flavoured foods. As the sake has a delicate, lightly textured nigori character, it is recommended to refrigerate it after purchase.

Kurosawa Sake Brewery (黒澤酒造) is situated in Sakuho (佐久穂町), a small highland town in Nagano Prefecture. It lies near the upper reaches of the Chikuma River, the headstream of Japan's longest river system, which later becomes the Shinano River. The brewery sits at roughly 800 metres above sea level beneath the northern slopes of the Yatsugatake Mountains (八ヶ岳) and within sight of Mount Asama (浅間山). Winters here can fall to −15°C. Clear water from the river basin and the cold mountain climate have long shaped local sake brewing.

The brewery traces its origins to 1858, when the Kurosawa family began producing sake in this rural district of Shinshū (信州), the historical name for Nagano. It has remained a family enterprise for more than a century and a half. Today, the company is run by Kurosawa Kazuo (黒澤一男), the fifth generation of the family. The sixth generation, Kurosawa Yohei (黒澤洋平), serves as tōji, the master brewer responsible for production.

From the beginning, the brewery relied on local resources. Water from the Chikuma River basin serves as the basis for fermentation, while most of the rice used in brewing is grown within Nagano Prefecture. In recent decades, the brewery has worked with contracted farmers in the eastern Shinshū region, generally within a 35-kilometre radius of the brewery. A small portion of the rice is cultivated on the brewery's own fields, and all polishing is carried out in-house.

Leadership of brewing operations shifted in 2009, when Kurosawa Yohei became head brewer. He inherited the techniques and experience of the veteran brewer Nakazawa Tadashi (中澤忠), who had spent roughly 60 years in sake production and later served as a technical adviser at the company. Under this arrangement, the brewery has continued to produce sake rooted in regional tradition while maintaining small-scale production tied closely to local agriculture.

The brewery's main brand is Izutsuchō (井筒長). Its sake is associated with the cold climate and high-altitude conditions of the Saku region, where brewing benefits from stable winter temperatures and mineral-balanced water flowing down from the surrounding mountains.