What kind of sake brand is Hitakami? 日高見

05/05/202202/27/2023

Savior of the brewery that was on the verge of closing down! look into the secret of Miyagi’s famous sake “Hitakami"

“Hitakami" of “Heiko Sake Brewery" which is now loved in the national district. Did you know that this sake is actually a brand that was just born about 20 years ago?

Contents

About “Hirako Sake Brewery"

The secret of the deliciousness of Hitakami

About “Hirako Sake Brewery"

“Hirataka Sake Brewery" was founded in 1861 (first year of Bunkyu) in Shimizu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. They started the sake brewing industry by separating from “Kikunotsu Sake Brewery", which is famous for the Seven Lucky Gods and Kikunotsu.

Shimizu-cho, where Hirataka Sake Brewery is located, is famous as a place where famous water springs out, and the first owner thought that it was the best for sake brewing, so he chose this land.

At Hirataka Sake Brewery, two brands of sake are currently on sale.

The ordinary sake, “Shinseki" has been familiar to us for generations. And as a specific name sake, “Hitakami" has been on sale for about 20 years.  “Shinseki" is a simple sake that is popular locally, meanwhile, “Hitakami" is made with the aim of being loved in the national district.

Sake that changed the brewery

At Hirako Sake Brewery, “Shinzeki" was brewed for generations, but that alone was not enough to keep the business running. When the fifth generation owner, Takahiro Hirai, succeeded, he was on the verge of closing down.

However, with the abolition of the Japanese sake classification system as a good opportunity, he decided to start a new brewing under the Hitakami brand. After 10 years of preparation and commitment, “Hitakami" was born in 1990.

Of course, not everything was smooth sailing, but it is a good direction for Hitakami, such as the start of a serialization called “The Age of Hitakami" in a local newspaper and a program on TV about the country of Hitakami. There were a lot of events going on, and the status of the current brand was established.

By the way, the origin of the name of Hitakami is an ancient city that is also listed in “Nihon Shoki". It is described as a fertile land blessed with the sun, and it seems that it was deeply related to Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, where the brewery is located.

Efforts of the fifth generation owner

It is said that the efforts of the owner, who did not study anything about sake brewing until he returned to his parents’ house, were not ordinary.

In particular, when making “Hitakami Super Dry Junmai Sake" as a sake that goes well with Edomae sushi, he ate up the so called sushi that was all over Tokyo and became proud of being a “a brewer who talks about sushi more passionately than sake". that’s right.

The secret of the deliciousness of Hitakami

Spring water from the Oshika Peninsula is used as the water for Hitakami. Yamada Nishiki, Kura no Hana, Hitomebore, etc. are used for rice.

Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo Sake, Junmai Sake, all of them are almost “Ginjo-zukuri", but the price is relatively reasonable.

Also, because they are aiming to produce sake that goes well with fish dishes, the aroma is moderate and  devised ways to not interfere with the taste of the dish when you eat fish.

The refreshing taste that resets the mouth after eating is attractive. Why don’t you enjoy it as a sake during meals?