Sawaya Matsumoto Shuhari Gohyakumangoku

Sawaya Matsumoto Shuhari Gohyakumangoku (澤屋まつもと 守破離 五百万石) is made with Gohyakumangoku rice from Nanto City, Johana District, Toyama Prefecture.

Shuhari (守破離) stands for

• "Shu" (守), preserving tradition.
• "Ha" (破), breaking tradition with fresh sensibilities.
• "Ri" (離), cherishing both preservation and innovation to create new value.

The "Shu-Ha-Ri" sake first appeared at this brewery in 2013, created as part of the Sawaya Matsumoto brand collection. Four years later, in 2017, they expanded it into a proper series, and it has since become one of the brewery's most beloved ranges. These days, most sake breweries follow a fairly standard path - their brewers study at brewing research institutes or apprentice at other established breweries. The "Shu-Ha-Ri" series represents Matsumoto Brewery's approach to honouring their unchangeable traditions whilst simultaneously pursuing fresh innovations. It's their way of respecting what must be preserved about their craft while still pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities in sake-making.

A lively sake with bright citrus aromas and gentle effervescence that creates a refreshing impression in the glass. The pleasant effervescent sensation gives way to smooth texture, balanced umami, and a clean finish supported by elegant acidity. After three years of brewing with rice from various regions and varieties, the brewery has discovered that the same cultivar expresses distinctly different characteristics depending on its origin. While sake rarely emphasises terroir, they believe rice provenance holds fundamental value that deserves recognition.

This season marks their new agricultural venture in Hyōgo Prefecture's Special A-grade Tojo district, where they will cultivate Yamadanishiki rice themselves. Through hands-on farming experience and collaboration with local growers, they aim to understand what rice cultivation truly requires from a brewer's perspective. This integration of traditional rice farming with modern brewing sensibility embodies the Shu-Ha-Ri spirit.

Matsumoto Shuzō (松本酒造) has been part of Kyōto's landscape for more than two centuries. The brewery began in 1791, when Matsumoto Jihei I founded Sawaya in Higashiyama. At a time when Kyōto was not only the imperial capital but also a centre of commerce and taste, Sawaya quickly earned a name for sake that appealed equally to townspeople and the city's aristocratic circles, admired for its refinement and balance.

A decisive change came in 1922, when the seventh-generation head, Matsumoto Jihei VII, moved the brewery to Fushimi Ward. Fushimi is celebrated for its soft underground spring water, prized for producing sake with a gentle texture and elegant finish. The move also left a physical legacy: the wooden brewery buildings, brick storehouses and tall chimney constructed at the time are still standing and are now recognised as Tangible Cultural Properties and part of Japan's Industrial Modernisation Heritage.

During the Taishō and Shōwa eras, the brewery adapted to the changing tastes of the Japanese people: Matsumoto Shuzō refined its ginjō brewing techniques, striking a balance between fragrance and drinkability. After the war, the brewery's identity centred ever more strongly around its flagship label, Sawaya Matsumoto (澤屋まつもと). Unlike the powerful, muscular sakes that came to define regions such as Niigata or Hyōgo, Sawaya Matsumoto was unmistakably a Kyōto sake: graceful, approachable, and designed to enhance food rather than overwhelm it.

In recent decades, the brewery has pushed forward while also honouring its roots. Premium junmai daiginjō and daiginjō bottlings have been developed, showing off the expressive qualities of Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyōgo and Gohyakumangoku from Toyama. At the same time, traditional brands like Momo no Shizuku (桃の滴, "Drops of Peach") have been carefully preserved, carrying forward a taste of Kyōto refinement that generations of drinkers have cherished.

Today, under the guidance of the eleventh-generation head, Matsumoto Sōichirō, the brewery works with a clear philosophy: sake as a bridge between earth, people and heaven. By bringing together soft Fushimi water and rice from carefully chosen regions, they create sake that is understated yet memorable, gentle in texture but exact in character. Sawaya Matsumoto has become a favourite among chefs and sommeliers for the way it harmonises with food. At the same time, Momo no Shizuku remains a symbol of the brewery's continuity.