Shirayuki Konishi Shuzō Junmai Nigorizake

Shirayuki Konishi Shuzō Junmai Nigorizake (白雪 小西酒造 純米にごり酒) is a nigori sake meant to be savoured slowly, offering a gentle sweetness. It features a clean, refreshing taste, yet is characterised by a rich depth of flavour and a soft, lingering finish. Best consumed chilled (5-10°C) or slightly chilled (10-15°C). Recommended food pairings include grilled meat, slightly spicy Korean food, grilled eel, and spicy food like curry.

Awards:

• 16th Kanzake Contest 2024 (16th), Special Warm Sake Category Nigorizake, Aged Sake, Barrel Sake, Extremely Sweet Sake, judging temperature: 45°C, Highest Gold Award

Konishi Sake Brewery, founded in 1550, is one of Japan's oldest sake producers, with a continuous history stretching back over 470 years. Based in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture—the birthplace of clear sake (seishu)—the brewery has long been at the forefront of sake innovation and tradition.

The Konishi family began brewing alongside their medicinal herb business during the late Muromachi period . In 1600, brewers in the Kōnoike district of Itami developed clear sake, a major advancement from the cloudy doburoku that had been common until then.

In 1635, the second-generation head of the Konishi family named their sake Shirayuki ("White Snow"), inspired by the majestic sight of Mount Fuji during a journey to Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Shirayuki remains one of the oldest existing sake brands in Japan. By 1694, the Konishi family had expanded their influence to the capital, becoming the first sake producers to establish a wholesale business in the Kayabachō district of Edo.

In 1933, the Itami brewing operations were incorporated as Konishi Brewing Company, ushering in a modern era for the family business. Decades later, in 1988, the company diversified its portfolio by importing Belgian beer to Japan, taking advantage of the sister-city relationship between Itami and Hasselt, Belgium.

Further expanding its cultural outreach, the brewery opened the Shirayuki Brewery Village Chōjū-gura in 1995. This facility includes a museum, restaurant, and shop. In 2020, the story of Itami's sake—encompassing traditions like Itami Morohaku and Nada no Ki-ippon—was officially recognised as part of Japan's cultural heritage, further cementing Konishi Brewery's legacy as a cornerstone of Japanese brewing history. Throughout its long history, Konishi Sake Brewery has continued to innovate while preserving tradition, contributing to Japan's sake culture and broader international beverage exchanges.