SHINSHU KIREI Sankeinishiki Junmai Ginjo

【Ranked 3rd Nationwide on Saketime】【One of Japan's Few Female Toji】【Award-Winning Brewery】【Rare Yamahai Nishiki Sake Rice (A Hybrid of Yamada Nishiki and Yumeshina) Locally Developed in Nagano Prefecture】

Origin: Japan / Nagano PrefectureRice: 100% Yamahai Nishiki, produced in Ueda City, Nagano PrefectureRice Polishing Ratio: 55% Yamada NishikiAlcohol Content: 15%Volume: 720mlProduction Date: May 2025

Tasting Notes: The sake opens with a delicate apple-honey aroma, followed by a sweet, pure flavor reminiscent of granulated sugar, derived from the sake rice. The flowing fragrance is adorned with a distinctive sweet aroma. In the mid-palate, acidity becomes more pronounced, and as astringency increases, it sharpens the flavor profile.

【New Sake Rice — Yamahai Nishiki】

Yamahai Nishiki is a unique sake rice variety developed at the Nagano Agricultural Experiment Station, named for the blessings of the region’s majestic mountains. It offers a rich aroma, a full-bodied texture, and a refreshing mouthfeel. Each sip delivers the crisp, fruity essence of Shinshu’s natural environment.

Established in 1665, Okazaki Brewery is located in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, along the historic Kita-Kokaidō, a once-thriving street during the Edo Shogunate era that still retains its traditional charm. The brewery’s flagship brand, “Kame no O,” symbolizes longevity, akin to a tortoise. However, due to a naming overlap with a brewery in Hiroshima’s Saijo region, it is known as “Shinshu Kame no O.”

The current toji (master brewer), Ms. Mitori Okazaki, has held the position since 2003. A graduate of Tokyo University of Agriculture with a degree in brewing science, she specializes in using Nagano’s premium sake rice varieties, such as Miyama Nishiki. Her philosophy emphasizes respect for Shinshu’s rice, water, and natural environment, including the preservation of terraced rice fields to contribute to the region.

Okazaki Brewery has achieved remarkable success, earning awards in the Ginjo category at the 2015 Kanto-Shinetsu National Tax Agency Sake Appraisal and a Gold Medal at the highly prestigious National New Sake Appraisal. Shinshu Kame no O consistently ranks among the top five brands on SAKE TIME nationwide, underscoring its undeniable quality. Committed to producing only the finest sake, the brewery refrains from expanding production for commercial gain, making Shinshu Kame no O an increasingly rare and sought-after brand.