Midorikawa Hokujō Ginjō

Midorikawa Hokujō Ginjō (緑川北穣吟醸) is brewed with Hokuriku No. 12, a rare sake rice cultivated under contract by local farmers whose fields are carefully monitored throughout the growing season. The rice is polished to 50% and matured for over a year in a modern, temperature-controlled cellar.

The result is a refined and composed flavour profile, combining gentle ginjō aromas with the clean, crisp character typical of Niigata's tanrei style. It has a full yet balanced taste, finishing with a sharp clarity. Best enjoyed either lightly chilled or gently warmed, it showcases the subtle elegance that only a brewery like Midorikawa, known for its dedication to the tanrei tradition, can achieve—certified by the Regional Appellation Association.

Midorikawa Brewery (緑川酒蔵), located in Uonuma's former Koide Town—an area famed for its pure rivers and quality rice—was founded in 1884 and relocated in 1990 to its current site surrounded by fields and mountains. This move, led by fifth-generation president Ōhira Toshiharu (大平俊治), was driven entirely by the superior local water: soft, low in iron, and abundant. The brewery uses its own well water and has constructed a fully temperature-controlled facility, which was uncommon at the time, to allow for low-temperature ageing that preserves freshness and refines flavour.

The brewery is known for its rigorous cleanliness and organisation, with tools precisely stored and operations regularly reviewed by outside experts. It uses only Niigata-grown rice, especially the rare Hokuriku No. 12 (北陸12号), revived from seed by the previous generation. Midorikawa partners with approximately 20 local farms, fostering long-term relationships to ensure the highest-quality produce.

Midorikawa has no website, mail-order sales, or sales team; instead, it entrusts its sake only to trusted authorised dealers. This service distribution system was developed over five years in the 1990s and has remained unchanged since. The brewery's sake is understated in both aroma and flavour, made to complement meals with elegance and subtlety—qualities the brewery has quietly championed for over a century.