Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daiginjō Senbon Nishiki Muroka Namagenshu

Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daiginjō Senbon Nishiki Muroka Namagenshu (雨後の月 純米大吟醸 千本錦 無濾過生原酒) is a limited seasonal release from Aihara Shuzō in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, available only in March each year. The sake is brewed using Yamada Nishiki rice for the kōji and Hiroshima-grown Senbon Nishiki (千本錦) rice for the main mash. Developed in Hiroshima, Senbon Nishiki is valued for producing elegant, refined sake with a clear, clean profile and restrained richness. The rice is polished to 50%, and fermentation is carried out with Kyōkai No. 901 yeast, known for creating expressive ginjō aromas and bright acidity.

Bottled as an unfiltered, unpasteurised, undiluted sake (muroka namagenshu), it is released without charcoal filtration, heat treatment, or dilution, preserving the freshness and character of the newly pressed sake.

According to the brewery, the low protein content of Senbon Nishiki results in fewer amino acids during fermentation, giving the sake a refined, transparent character with notes reminiscent of white grapes. The brewery also notes that the sake pairs particularly well with food.

The Senbon Nishiki release forms the final instalment in Ugo no Tsuki's annual muroka namagenshu series, following the Yamada Nishiki release in January and the Omachi release in February. The sake can be enjoyed well chilled, at room temperature, or gently warmed, and pairs especially well with delicately flavoured dishes such as white fish, shellfish, and grilled chicken, as well as Japanese cuisine in general.

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 Harbour, 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, "Moon after the Rain") is the most recognisable of the brewery's saké brands. 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."