Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daigingō Sōfū

Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daigingō Sōfū (雨後晴水 純米大吟醸 蒼風) is made of Hattannishiki grown in Hiroshima Prefecture and milled to 50%. Ugo no Tsuki (雨後晴水) is a series of sake from the same tank, released four times a year to enjoy the change in taste with each season. Following the release of the first instalment, called Seiran (晴嵐), the second one is called Sōfū (蒼風). The sake brewed in winter is pressed, then stored at low temperatures in tanks and periodically checked for any changes or abnormalities in the quality of the sake. This process is called "Nomikiri" (呑み切り), and the first one, which takes place around this time of year as we enter early summer, is called "Hatsunomikiri" (初呑み切り) and is a term used to describe the four seasons of sake. "Hatsunomikiri" is also used as a ceremony-like expression, as in previews to check the maturation of the stored sake for the first time.

Ugo no Tsuki offers a delightful ginjō aroma reminiscent of fresh fruit. Its flavour is subtle and clear, like cool water. Compared to the first "Seiran," this sake boasts a hidden depth that creates a harmonious balance. Perfect for summer, Ugo no Tsuki is best enjoyed chilled with refreshing dishes like cold tofu or conger eel.

Aihara Brewery in Kure is surrounded by mountains on three sides and by the Seto Inland Sea. Nigata is a small town located east of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known for the underground water of Mount Noro (膳棚山), considered among the most exceptional waters in Japan, and for Nigata Harbor, which grew prosperous as an essential sea transport route. Blessed with the advantages of geography and fertile soils, during the Meiji Era (1868-1912), the town was home to nine saké and ten soy sauce breweries. The saké brands Ugo No Tsuki and Houken are still produced in the city today.

Aihara Shuzō was founded in 1875, and by 1895, it was brewing saké from 1,700 koku of rice – one of the top three yields in the prefecture. Although operations were suspended during wars, the company has continued to produce saké throughout its history. The company underwent significant changes in 1988 when Junichiro Aihara became president. Determined to make saké of the kind that was delicious to him, he was dedicated to quality above everything else. The company was transformed into a brewery that produced high-quality ginjo saké.

Ugo no Tsuki (雨後の月, the "Moon after the Rain") is the most recognizable of the saké brands produced by the brewery. The second-generation Aihara Itaru coined the brand and derived it from a short essay titled "Nature and "Life", published" by the author Tokutomi Kenjirō (徳富健次郎, 1868-1927) in 1900. Tokutomi Kenjirō wrote, "Clear and "brilliant in the sky after the rain; the moon shines its light on everything around me."