Sake is poured into a basin, and there is Edamame beside

The sake in the western Japan area is “Powerful and dark blue”

醸 造 所

Sake made in the West Japan area is characterized by many powerful and dark winesis. Plenty of rice taste, and the complex flavor that is not monotonous feels dynamic. Speaking of wine, the expression that the body is firm would apply.

The West Japan area has more warm climates than the East Japan area.In an environment with high temperatures, the yeast fermentation becomes active, so alcohol fermentation progresses quickly and ripening after squeezing also becomes faster.. for that reason,"Powerful and dark blue"There are many things that are finished with a good quality.

Let me introduce the characteristics of sake in the West Japan area by prefecture.

~ Tokai region ~

Gifu Castle

·Gifu Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture, which is surrounded by 7 prefectures,Two areas, the mountainous region in the north, the Hida region, and the Kiso River basin and the Mino region in the southIt can be roughly divided into

Many of the sake in the Hida region are of the dark blue type, and the Mino region has a lot of freshness.The trend is in Gifu Prefecture. Depending on the climate and climate, different types of sake are born.

Speaking of brewing suitable rice representing Gifu Prefecture,"Hida Homare". It is said to be ideal for making high-quality sake such as Daiginjo.Liquor brewed using Hida-Homare is actively used in many sake breweries in the prefecture because it has a well-balanced finish of sweet, spicy, acid, astringent and bitter..

Also, Gifu Prefecture original"G yeast" TheCharacterized by gorgeous ginjo aroma and high fermentabilityIt is a popular yeast. In 2002, a multi-acid type was developed for the purpose of producing low-alcohol sake.

・ Aichi Prefecture

The history of sake brewing in Aichi Prefecture is extremely long, and there are records in literature such as Kojiki and Nihonshoki. In the Edo period, the sake brewing industry developed rapidly with the encouragement of the sake-loving Nagoya lord.

It was loved by the nickname “Onikoroshi” because of its high alcohol content..The sake brewed in Aichi Prefecture is characterized by many savory types. It goes well with a deep-flavored local dish using Hatcho miso.

In recent years, Aichi Prefecture originalSake brewing rice "Yumesansui" (Yumesansui)Successfully developed.

It is a variety that can be cultivated without difficulty in mountainous areas, and is named in this way because it wants to contribute to revitalizing the mountainous areas of the prefecture through high-quality sake rice production. When using "Yumeyamasui"Finished with a fragrant and beautiful liquorTherefore, it has also received high support from women.

·Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture has a warm climate facing the Pacific Ocean.In fact, the famous “Ginjo Kingdom”. "The refreshing and delicate taste has gained high popularity nationwide..

The driving force was"Shizuoka Yeast"The presence of.Yeast suitable for sake brewing in a warm climate, originally developed by Shizuoka Prefecture.

Due to the development of this “Shizuoka Yeast”, sake from Shizuoka Prefecture has been awarded a number of prizes at the National New Sake Review. Shizuoka Prefecture's reputation has risen all at once, and Shizuoka Prefecture's sake, which has been unknown throughout the country, has become a major player.

A pioneer in the success of yeasts developed by local governments, many other local governments began to develop original yeast.

"Shizuoka Yeast" was developed with the aim of producing a savory wine that has a gorgeous fragrance, a beautiful and round feel.. Sake made with this yeast has excellent acidity and elegant taste. It is ideal for simple fish dishes and other sake.

Although it is geographically Western Japan, it can be said that it has a taste close to the Eastern Japan area.

·Mie Prefecture

Mie Prefecture has a unique topography that extends from north to south and looks like a cross.The taste varies depending on the region, but the common one is sweet and plump.

Speaking of Mie Prefecture,A treasure trove of gastronomy. In addition to seafood such as Matsusaka beef, the world's leading shrimp, Ise shrimp, aseptic oysters in Matoya Bay, and Kuwana's sea bream, there are also abundant mountain foods such as matsutake mushrooms, sea bream, deer, and sea bream.

The sake breweries in Mie Prefecture have worked hard to make sake that goes well with dishes using these various ingredients, so many high-quality sake are being sent out to the world.. Since it was offered at the Ise-Shima Summit in 2016, its appeal and ability became even more widely known.

Mie Prefecture is also known for the development of various original yeasts such as “Mie Yeast”.Low alcohol yeastHas also produced.

~ Kansai region ~

The city where breweries are lined up

·Shiga Prefecture

Shiga Prefecture, where Lake Biwa occupies about one-sixth of the area.The water quality is excellent, and the typical rice source in the Kansai region has long been known as “Omi Rice”..

The cultivation of rice suitable for brewing is very popular,`` Tamaei '',`` Ginbuki snow ''Something unique to the prefecture. Also,"Nihonbare" (Nipponbare)Shiga Prefecture also boasts a high market share. As a characteristic of Shiga Prefecture sake,The mellow and delicious type tends to dominateYou can say.

Shiga Prefecture, which was also a key point of transportation, has had many lodgings along the highway, and many sake breweries have been built around it..

Speaking of Shiga PrefectureOmi Merchant. It is also famous for its important role of expanding the range of activities from Kyoto to Echigo and Kanto, and conveying Omi's high brewing technology to other lands.

Even now, there are still many breweries related to the Omi merchant throughout the country.

・ Osaka

Osaka, a place of gastronomy that was called “the kitchen of the world” during the Edo period. Sake brewing in Osaka has flourished with this excellent food culture.

Known as the best sake in the world, the famous sake brought to Edo from Sanshu, called Settsu, Kawachi, and Izumi, has become the world ’s most famous sake.. The people of Edo were greatly enthusiastic.

The taste of Japanese sake in OsakaWith a refreshing mouth, you won't get tired of drinkingThe feature. Many things with a deep depth can be seen, making various dishes even more delicious.

·Kyoto

Kyoto Prefecture is home to Kyoto City and Fushimi Ward, the country's top-class sake producers. This is an area where major manufacturers such as “Laurel Wreath” and “Shochiku Ume” make famous brands that are known even if they do not like sake.

Fushimi has been known for its rich water since the days of Manyo,We were endowed with high-quality underground water that was also described as "Fushimi". Sake prepared using Fushimi water, which contains moderate amounts of minerals,Finished with a mild and mellow flavorThe feature is."Fushimi woman's sake"The soft and smooth taste is called “Quality”.

Kyoto has a strong image of a traditional ancient city, but it also incorporates cutting-edge technology. In 2018, the Fushimi Sake Brewery Association will work with Osaka Gas and use Osaka Gas's original image recognition technology to make Japanese sake Daiginjo SakeDeveloped a new evaluation method for highly polished riceWas.

Utilizing an objective evaluation method can be expected to improve the quality of Daiginjo Sake, and will lead to the transfer of sake crafting skills to the next generation.

We have announced that we will continue to jointly develop evaluation methods in the future.

・ Hyogo Prefecture

Hyogo PrefectureJapan's largest producer of sake. In particular, the Sakai area consists of five regions: Saigo, Mikage-go, Uozaki-go, Nishinomiya-go, and Imazu-go.`` Tomogogo ''It is famous for being the representative sake of Japan.

The key to Sake ’s sake is`` Miyamizu ''The presence of.The underground water of the Rokko Mountains, the quality of medium hard water that is rare in Kansai is ideal for sake brewing.

Since the late Edo period, it has been known as an indispensable water for sake brewing in Tsugogo. The sake of sake brewed in Miyamizu,`` Men's sake ''It is a great attraction with a solid, dark and dry taste called.

To spread the charm of Sakai's sake more widely and effectively, the Sakai Gogo Sake Brewery Association has partnered with Hanshin Electric Railway since 2017.“Sake Brewery” Activation ProjectStart.

The Hanshin Railway operates a wrapping train “Go! Go! Gogo!”, And also has a variety of promotional activities aimed at acquiring a wide range of fans, such as attaching a sake-style sake barrel to the top of the strap. The

·Nara Prefecture

Nara Prefecture, the birthplace of sake. It is also called “Ogami Shrine”, the oldest shrine in Japan that enshrines the god of sake and the great lord Okami-sama.

At this sacred place, Ojin Shrine, every year on the 11 month 14 day, Kuramoto and Tsuji gather from all over the country."Brewing Prayer Festival"Held. Ojin Shrine is also the birthplace of cedar balls. After the brewing prayer festival, cedar balls are delivered to breweries throughout the country.

Nara's sake isThere is a tendency to have a lot of flavors that make you feel rich and delicious with a dark blue sweet taste..

In recent years, Nara Prefecture has been actively engaged in efforts to restore Nara's sake brewing, which once flourished. A typical example is a sake mother who can be said to be the prototype of sake.Bodhi (Bodaimoto)It ’s sake brewing.

Bodhi is a manufacturing method developed at Bodetsuzan Shogyoji Temple in Nara CityAlthough it has been interrupted for many years, it has undergone a trial and error based on old literature such as the “Misakano Diary” and successfully achieved its first revival in hundreds of years.

·Wakayama Prefecture

Wakayama Prefecture is famous for plums and tangerines, and the image of sake may be faint. However, in this area blessed with beautiful and rich nature registered as a World Heritage site, such as Kumano Sanzan and Koyasan, many sakes are also made.

Wakayama PrefectureThere are many sake breweries that used to be sold to coffee and Fushimi.was doing. Therefore, it was said that it was difficult to capture the taste characteristics.As a whole, rich and rich features that occupy the mainstream.

In recent years, cultivated by a young successor of Heiwa Sake Brewery (Hainan City)"Kido"Widely accepted by Japanese sake beginners such as women and young people, it gained national popularity. It greatly contributes to improving the status of sake in Wakayama Prefecture.

~ Chugoku region ~

Men talking with Chugoku region

·Okayama Prefecture

Okayama Prefecture consists of the 3 region of Bichu, Bizen and Mimasaka.This place has been known for its high-quality rice since ancient times.Has a long and deep history in sake brewing.

The word “Kibi no Sake” appears in the Manyoshu, and there is even a theory that the place name of Mimasaka is derived from “Umasa” or “Umaisake”. Sake made in Okayama PrefectureIt is characterized by many sweet and soft drinksYou can say.

Okayama PrefectureThe birthplace of popular rice brewing suitable rice "Omachi"Is also famous. “Omachi” is also called phantom sake rice because of its low yield.

This "Omachi" has a long history, and it has been cultivated since the Meiji period. The only brewery suitable rice that has existed since this time is “Omachi” Moreover, it is the only mixed rice that still exists today.

そ し て,Because of its quality, most of the roots of sake rice currently used nationwideIt has become.

·Hiroshima Prefecture

Saijo (Higashihiroshima City), the city of sake that Hiroshima Prefecture boasts,Shuto, one of the most prominent cities in the western Japan area, next to Sakai and Fushimi.

Sensaburo Miura, born in Akitsu-cho, created the end of the 19 century."Soft water brewing method". Most of the water that springs up in Hiroshima Prefecture is only soft and ultra-soft water, and it used to be unsuitable for sake brewing.

But,Development of this “soft water brewing method”, which was revolutionary at that time, to slowly ferment at low temperatures over a long period of timeAs a result, the quality of sake in Hiroshima has improved dramatically.

Hiroshima sake was born to enjoy a mellow taste and plump tasteIt is. This Hiroshima sake is said to have built the foundation of the current Ginjo sake,“Hometown of Ginjo Sake”It is also called.

In Saijo, every 10 month of 2 Saturday and Sunday"Sake Festival"Held. 20 As a big event crowded with over 10,000 people, it continues to attract Japanese sake fans.

·Yamaguchi Prefecture

Yamaguchi Prefecture, located at the westernmost point of Honshu, is the Sea of ​​Japan, the Seto Inland Sea, andA land blessed with seafood surrounded by the Kanmon Strait and three sidesis. The sake brewed in Yamaguchi Prefecture isThere is a tendency to drink many drinks that do not get tired of drinking, but have a good quality of liquor suitable for eating. It is in

Yamaguchi Prefecture, which advocates “local production for local consumption”, is also eager to grow rice produced in the prefecture.We have revived the phantom rice “Kuryo Miyako”, and improved it, Yamaguchi Prefecture's original sake rice “Saito no Shizuku” was born..

In addition, yeast isolated from cherry blossoms"Yamaguchi / Sakura Yeast"Successfully developed. It seems that he tried to separate 100 books from cherry blossoms because of his strong desire to combine Japanese cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms that symbolize Japan.

·Shimane Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture has been deeply connected to sake since ancient times, with stories about liquor appearing in Izumo mythology in the oldest Japanese history book “Kojiki” and “Izumo Kuni Fudoki”.

Susanono Mikoto was drunk to get rid of the great serpent Yamatano OrochiAs symbolized by the “Yashiori sake”, the rich taste of Japanese sake from Shimane Prefecture.

With a strong body and rich taste, you can enjoy a drink with plenty of sake. Also,Type that tastes great when it comes to porridgeMany things are also seen.

In Shimane Prefecture, the god of sake is crawling"Saka Shrine (Matsuo Shrine)"There is also a sacred place. There are still legends that Kusunokami served sake to the gods gathered from all over Japan.

By the way, this Saka Shrine and Izumo Taisha actually have a brewing license. As you can see, there is a deep connection between the shrine and sake that can't be cut.

・ Tottori Prefecture

Tottori Prefecture has the highest mountain in the Chugoku region, including Daisen. Thawed water from these mountains has been filtered through the ground for hundreds of years to become underground water,A land blessed with many famous waters.

The taste of sake in Tottori Prefecture isThere are many dry types that have a mellow taste and can be cut quickly..

Speaking of Tottori Prefecture, it's important to remember that it was born in Tottori Prefecture in the Taisho periodPhantom sake brewing suitable rice `` strong '' (Gouriki)Is the resurrection of.

Due to its height that grows up to 150 centimeters at the tip, it was difficult to cultivate, and this `` strong '', which had been forgotten for a long time, achieved a perfect revival as a sake rice in Tottori Prefecture. . Sake brewed using "strong"One of the attractions is that it has a unique acidity and can be very delicious even if it is a mochi..