What kind of sake brand is Shinshu Kirei?信州亀齢

06/05/202205/30/2023

The National New Sake Appraisal gold medal awardee, “Shinshu Kirei"

From the name itself, Shinshu Kameji is a sake brewed in “Shinshu", and it is made by a sake brewery that is rare in Japan, where a woman is currently serving as 杜氏Toji.

What kind of liquor is Shinshu Kirei?

What is “Shinshu Kirei"?

What is Okazaki Sake Brewery and 杜氏Toji Ms. 岡崎美都里Midori Okazaki?

Recommended variety of “Shinshu Kirei"

What is “Shinshu Kirei"?

Shinshu Kirei is a sake brewed by Okazaki Sake Brewery in Nagano Prefecture.

Founded in 1665, it is a brewery with a long history, and has a strong commitment to brewing sake that brings out the original taste of rice using traditional methods and water from the Alps of Nagano Prefecture.

Let’s see what kind of sake is Shinshu Kirei.

Sake that goes well with Soba!

“Shinshu Kirei" is a sake with a very transparent and beautiful taste. There are many dry sakes with a light taste, and it can be said that it is easy to enjoy with a wide range of sake from cold to lukewarm. It is recommended to eat Shinshu Kirei as a light drink, and it can be used as a sake during meals. In particular, Shinshu Kirei is made with the aim of making sake that goes well with soba noodles.

In the Edo period, the soba shop was a place where craftsmen went to drink. It seems that it was the pleasure of the common people to go home quickly without staying long while enjoying alcohol and rice.

Okazaki Sake Brewery, which makes Shinshu Kameji, is still brewing sake to make the most of the delicious taste of soba. We suggest you to enjoy the pairing of sake and Soba.

Shinshu ･ Alps water

“Water" is very important in making sake. Since 80% of sake is made up of prepared water, the quality of water has a great influence on the quality of sake.

Nagano Prefecture has many mountains that produce famous water. Mountains such as the Hida Mountains (Northern Alps), Kiso Mountains (Central Alps), and Akaishi Mountains (Southern Alps), well-known in Japan and from the roof, rise, and the water flowing from the mountains for a very long time. It crosses the earth and flows out to the ground as underflow water.

Shinshu Kirei uses high quality water from Nagano prefecture, so you can make sake with a beautiful taste!

Sake rice certified as “Gentle agricultural products of Shinshu"

Shinshu is also an environment where you can harvest abundant rice suitable for sake brewing.
Shinshu Kameji is brewed using “Miyama Nishiki" and “Hitogokochi" raised in Shinshu, and “Yamada Nishiki" which is the best in Japan.

In addition, Okazaki Sake Brewery cultivates sake rice “Hitogokochi" in its own “terraced rice terraces".
Rice terraces for “safety and security", where sake rice is cultivated with low pesticides and low chemical fertilizers, have been certified as “Environmentally Friendly Agricultural Products in Shinshu", which is a certification system of Nagano Prefecture.

You can fully feel the commitment of the brewery..

What is Okazaki Sake Brewery and 杜氏Toji Ms. Midori Okazaki?

Since 2003, Okazaki Sake Brewery has been served by “Woman Toji" and Midori Okazaki, who are said to have only 25 people in Japan.

Aiming for the best sake brewing

Ms. Okazaki studied brewing at Tokyo Agriculture University and then got a job at a major liquor sales company.

Currently, in order to preserve the 350-year tradition that Okazaki Sake Brewery has inherited, while protecting the company as a manager, she is protecting the taste of sake as Toji.

The motto of Ms. Midori Okazaki, who is Toji (brewer), that “the best sake brewing that can be done in nature in Shinshu". Sake made with refreshing summer, harsh cold winter, delicious air and clean water can only be made in Shinshu.

Ms. Okazaki is conducting research every day while valuing delicious sake made from the nature of Shinshu and traditional techniques that have continued for generations.

Recommended variations of “Shinshu Kirei"

信州亀齢ひとごこち純米酒 Shinshu Kirei Hitogokochi Junmaishu

A dry pure rice sake with a faint aroma and a light taste that is suitable for sake during meals. You can enjoy a wide range of things from cold to lukewarm.

信州亀齢美山錦純米吟醸無濾過生原酒 Shinshu Kirei Miyamanishiki Junmai Ginjo Murokanamagenshu （Unfiltered Raw Sake）

The mouthfeel taste is refreshing, and when you put it in your mouth, you can feel the gentle aroma and the harmony of the taste of rice. It is recommended to save the bass as soon as possible.