From the soil, from the rice, from the sake

Deep in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture.
"Maenikko" is a mountainous region spread across the southern foothills of the Nikko mountain range.

This area, part of Nikko National Park, is characterized by vast mountainous terrain and lush forests.
It is bordered by several clear streams, including the Oarashi River, which boasts extremely high water quality and transparency, as well as the Omoigawa and Awano rivers, along which abundant greenery thrives.

Water so clear you can see the riverbed, and greenery that changes its expression with each season.

Nestled in the mountains of Maenikko is a small brewery called Maenikko Brewery.

Mitsuba Junmai Ginjo is an original sake brewed exclusively for Mitsuba at this brewery.

With this sake, Mitsuba aimed for:

"A drink born for dashi and fish."

Clear dashi, seasonal fish, crab, and shellfish.
A Junmai Ginjo that gently enhances the umami without overpowering the dish.

Utilizing the pure brewing water and cool climate of Maenikko,
we've created a transparent sake that can be enjoyed smoothly in a wine glass.

Mitsuba's discerning eye for ingredients ──

The rice chosen for this sake is Milky Queen from Yoshinari Farm in Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture.
It's rice carefully grown by owner Kunikazu Yoshinari using a low-pesticide method focused on compost and minerals.

Mitsuba deliberately chose Milky Queen, which they serve daily to customers at their restaurant, rather than one of the many sake-specific rice varieties, and brewed a Junmai Ginjo that captures the umami of that rice in a single bottle.

Yoshinari Farm's rice is cultivated in fields where ancient shell fossils (containing over 66 types of minerals) have been used as a soil conditioner for more than 30 years, making it highly nutritious and delicious rice.

*Yoshinari Farm's produce has been featured on TV twice. It was also showcased at the International Year of Soils held in Tokyo (National Diet Building) in 2015.

Yoshinari Farm's Milky Queen has a pleasant texture, rich sweetness and umami, yet a clean, crisp finish.

"We want to make sake that pairs well with dashi and fish."

To find the rice that could fulfill this desire, Mitsuba found Yoshinari Farm.

Mitsuba's head chef and artisans themselves visited Maenikko Brewery, overseeing every step from washing the rice, steaming, making koji, to stirring the mash, ensuring the entire brewing process with their own eyes and hands.

・Rice used: Milky Queen (rice polishing ratio 55%)

・Brewing method: Junmai Ginjo, small batch

・Sake quality: Mild aroma, emphasis on balance between umami and crispness

Watching the moromi (fermenting mash) change its character day by day in front of the fermentation tank,
we approach sake brewing as a single story.

We aimed not for a flamboyant Ginjo that overpowers with its aroma, but for:

"A Junmai Ginjo that enhances the deliciousness of dashi and fish."

The first sip is light and smooth ──

After that, the gentle sweetness characteristic of Milky Queen and an acidity that brings out the umami of the food quietly emerge.

A quiet star that concludes a dish  ──

Not for the sake to "stand out," but for it to make the food taste delicious until the last bite.

That is the role entrusted to Mitsuba Junmai Ginjo.

Mitsuba is thoroughly committed to everything from the soil, the rice, to the sake.
Please enjoy it with a supreme dish.