Sake has become an international drink representing Japan, as the word “SAKE” is understood around the world. Many visitors to Japan may wish to drink authentic Japanese sake when they come to Japan. In this article, we will introduce recommended sake produced in the Kansai region. The sake introduced may be available at liquor stores, supermarkets, and drugstores, but if you want to be sure of buying it, go to the direct sales shops introduced in the article.
Hakutsuru
Hakutsuru started its sake brewing business in 1743 and has developed into a global company with branches in Europe. The sake Hakutsuru, which bears the company’s name, is made in Nada, Hyogo Prefecture. This is the largest producer of sake in Japan. Tokusen Hakutsuru Hisho is an authentic Nada sake suitable for both hot and cold drinking and has a rich flavor.
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Name: Tokusen Hakutsuru Hisho
Distributor: Hakutsuru Shuzo Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 2,347 yen (tax not included) / 1.8L (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 3-2-1 Mikage-nakamachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture (Hakutsuru Mikage MUSE)
Ozeki
Ozeki is a company that sells a series of sake called “one-cup,” which allows you to enjoy sake in easy-to-drink quantities based on 180 ml. The “Tokusen Ozeki Junmai Daiginjo” is a sake with a subtle sweetness of rice and an elegant aroma. It is recommended to drink it chilled, so keep it in the refrigerator when you drink it at your accommodation. 300ml small size is also available, so it is easy to try.
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Name: Tokusen Ozeki Junmai Daiginjo
Distributor: Ozeki Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 633 yen (tax not included) / 300 ml (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 3-3 Izaike-cho, Imazu, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture (Kanjyuan, a sweet and spicy shop)
Nihon Sakari
Nihon Sakari was founded in 1889 and is also involved in the production of cosmetics and other products in addition to sake. The company’s sake, “Tokusen,” is made from carefully selected rice and has a dry, almost dry taste.
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Name: Tokusen 1800ml
Distributor: Nihon Sakari Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 2,628 yen (tax included) / 1.8L (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 4-28 Yomi, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture (Nihon Zori Sake Brewery Street Brick Building)
Oimatsu
Itamatsu Sake Brewery, located in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, which is said to be the birthplace of Japanese sake, was a more prestigious sake brewery than ordinary sake breweries during the Edo period (1603-1867), and supplied Gomen-shu (sake made from rice wine) to the Edo shogunate. Gomen-shu is the name given to sake approved by the Edo Shogunate. Gomen-shu Old Pine “Junmai Ginjo” is a sake with a soft and refreshing taste.
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Name: Junmai Ginjo 300ml
Distributor: Itami Oimatsu Shuzo Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 550 yen (tax included) / 300 ml (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 3-1-8 Chuo, Itami-shi, Hyogo Prefecture (Head office)
Kizakura
Winner of the gold medal in the sparkling SAKE category of the “Wineglass Delicious Sake Award 2024,” a contest to promote Japanese sake to the world, Kizakura also produces sparkling sake and local beer. The “Tokusen Junmai Ginjo Kohzakura” is a slightly dry sake that can be enjoyed at room temperature, making it perfect for drinking at your accommodation.
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Name: Tokusen Junmai Ginjo Kouzakura
Distributor: Kizakura Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 1,250 yen (excluding tax)/720 ml (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 228 Shioyacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (Kizakura Kappa Country Kizakura Sake Shop)
Gekkeikan
Gekkeikan is the oldest sake brewery in Fushimi, Kyoto. Gekkeikan Tokusen” is the sake used in Kyoto’s ryotei restaurants and has been recognized for its quality at international sake competitions. It goes well with dishes from many different countries and can be enjoyed cold or warmed up.
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Name: Gekkeikan Tokusen
Distributor: Gekkeikan Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 997 yen (tax not included) / 720ml (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 247 Minamihama-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (Gekkeikan Okura Memorial Hall)
Sen no Rikyu
The Rikyu brewery that produces Sen no Rikyu Junmai-shu is located in Sakai, Osaka, which is one of the largest sake breweries in Japan along with Nada in Hyogo Prefecture and Fushimi in Kyoto Prefecture. Sakai sake is characterized by its sweet taste, and “Sen no Rikyu Junmai-shu” is a refreshing sake with a slightly sweet taste that is unmistakably Sakai. It is recommended for those who want to enjoy the unique sweetness of sake.
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Name: Sen no Rikyu Junmai Sake
Selling company: Rikyukura Ltd.
Suggested Retail Price: 1,210 yen (tax included) / 720 ml (1 bottle)
Direct sales address: 3-3-4 Kai-cho Nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture (Head office)
Harushika
Harushika” is a sake made in Nara, named after the famous Kasuga Taisha shrine and its sacred animal, the deer. Outside of Japan, it is popular in the United States, England, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, and other countries. It comes in a wide variety of flavors, including “Harushika Junmai Daiginjo” with its fruity aroma and sharp taste, and “Harushika Junmai Super Dry” with its dry richness and sharpness.
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Name: Harushika Junmai Daiginjo 720ml
Distributor: Imanishi Seibei Shoten Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 3,025 yen (tax included) / 720 ml (1 bottle)
Address: 24-1 Fukuchiin-cho, Nara City (Harushika Kura SHOP)
Summary
The taste of sake varies depending on the rice and water used. Some direct-sale shops allow visitors to compare the tastes for a fee, so if you would like to try different types of sake, please visit them.
