Kinkon Daiginjō is the finest sake produced by Toshimaya Honten, one of Tokyo's oldest breweries, founded in 1596 in what is now Kanda. The brewery's flagship daiginjō, it is brewed exclusively from Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Hyōgo Prefecture and polished to 35% before undergoing slow, low-temperature fermentation. The sake forms the basis of Toshimaya Honten's entries to the Annual Japan Sake Awards (Zenkoku Shinshu Kanpyōkai) and reflects the brewery's highest level of craftsmanship.
The Kinkon ("Golden Wedding Anniversary") brand was introduced to commemorate the golden wedding anniversary of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, and has since become one of the brewery's most prestigious labels. It is also known as one of the sacred sakes offered at Meiji Jingū and Kanda Myōjin, linking it closely to Tokyo's cultural and religious traditions.
The sake displays an elegant ginjō bouquet with notes of melon and subtle herbal nuances. On the palate, it is full-bodied yet remarkably refined, combining a velvety texture with gentle sweetness, balanced acidity and a restrained bitterness that carries through to a clean, crisp finish. Despite its richness and an alcohol content of around 17–18%, it remains composed and well balanced. Best enjoyed well chilled at 5–10°C, Kinkon Daiginjō pairs naturally with refined Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi and sashimi, while its depth also allows it to accompany richer seafood and meat dishes.
Appearance: clear and lemon-green
Nose: clean, medium
Aroma: rice, melon
Sweetness: slightly sweet
Acidity: medium
Alcohol: medium+
Body: full
Flavour intensity: medium+
Flavour characteristics: fruity (melon), rice
Finish: clean, crisp, medium
Quality level: excellent
The Kinkon ("Golden Wedding Anniversary") brand was introduced to commemorate the golden wedding anniversary of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, and has since become one of the brewery's most prestigious labels. It is also known as one of the sacred sakes offered at Meiji Jingū and Kanda Myōjin, linking it closely to Tokyo's cultural and religious traditions.
The sake displays an elegant ginjō bouquet with notes of melon and subtle herbal nuances. On the palate, it is full-bodied yet remarkably refined, combining a velvety texture with gentle sweetness, balanced acidity and a restrained bitterness that carries through to a clean, crisp finish. Despite its richness and an alcohol content of around 17–18%, it remains composed and well balanced. Best enjoyed well chilled at 5–10°C, Kinkon Daiginjō pairs naturally with refined Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi and sashimi, while its depth also allows it to accompany richer seafood and meat dishes.
Appearance: clear and lemon-green
Nose: clean, medium
Aroma: rice, melon
Sweetness: slightly sweet
Acidity: medium
Alcohol: medium+
Body: full
Flavour intensity: medium+
Flavour characteristics: fruity (melon), rice
Finish: clean, crisp, medium
Quality level: excellent