Midorikawa Yukimuro Chozōshu Midori Junmai Ginjō

Midorikawa Settō Chozō-shu "Midori" Junmai Ginjō (緑川 雪洞貯蔵酒「緑」純米吟醸) is made of Koshitanrei rice developed and grown in Niigata and milled to 55%. It is a seasonal sake available from late June to late October, pressed in winter, bottled, pasteurised, and stored for about six months in snow-covered domes that maintain a constant temperature of around 0°C. This method of storage slows the maturation process, producing a sake that retains a youthful freshness while developing a milder profile than freshly pressed sake. It is recommended to be served chilled.

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.