Japanese sake is one of the world’s most interesting alcoholic drinks. Known as nihonshu in Japan, sake is a fermented beverage made from rice with an ABV of between 13 – 16% on average.
Like wine, sake can be grouped into regional styles and explained with terroir – i.e. the environment that it’s made in and how natural ingredients contribute to the finished product.
How is sake made?
Sake brewing is a complex process with multiple steps. Some are optional depending on the desires of the brewery and here are the most typical steps:
Rice harvesting and polishing: Sake rice is harvested and then polished in a machine to a specific percentage. Proteins and fats are removed from the rice grains and the degree of polishing will impact the flavour of the drink.
Washing, soaking, steaming: The rice is washed to remove any sediment left over from the polishing and then it’s soaked and steamed to get it ready for the next stage.
Koji making: Koji mould spores are sprinkled onto the rice to help break down the starch for the process of turning it into alcohol. This process takes 48 hours.
Making the starter: The moto (yeast starter) is created by steamed rice, water and yeast being added to the koji.
Moromi (main fermentation): More koji, steamed rice and water are added to the mash over four days in a three-step process. This is where multi-parallel fermentation happens i.e. the koji and yeast work together to convert rice starch into sugar and then to alcohol.
Pressing: The moromi is pressed through a machine to separate the alcohol from leftover solids called sake lees.
Filtration: Sake is filtered to remove any impurities, which may remove the natural yellow colour to create a clear liquid.
Pasteurisation and bottling: The sake may be pasturised up to two times and bottled.
Types of sake
All sake is great sake and there are several categories worth exploring to discover different flavours and profiles.
Premium
Junmai, i.e. sake that doesn’t have any added alcohol:
- Junmai daiginjo: Sake with a minimum rice polishing rate of 50%.
- Junmai ginjo: Sake with a minimum rice polishing rate of 60%.
- Junmai: Doesn’t have a minimum polishing rate.
Non-junmai, i.e. sake that has added alcohol:
- Daiginjo
- Ginjo
- Honjozo: Sake with a minimum polishing rate of 70%.
Other categories:
- Futsushu: Table sake.
- Nigori: Cloudy sake.
- Koshu: Aged sake.
- Kijoshu: Dessert sake.
Now that you know the basics of sake, here are the regional styles to explore.
Hyogo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture is the largest sake making region in Japan and has many claims to fame. Firstly, it’s known as the birthplace of the legendary miyamizu hard water that comes out of places like the Nada district of Kobe City. This area of Japan is called the Nada-gogo (five villages of Nada), where some of the biggest sake breweries in the world are.
Secondly, Hyogo is where the most widely used sake rice, yamada nishiki, comes from. Yamada nishiki rice is favoured for its ability to absorb water easily and dissolve quickly in the brewing process. This means yamada nishiki is key to making high-quality sake.
Thirdly, Hyogo sake is traditionally called otozake, meaning masculine sake. The flavours are robust, dry and linger on the tongue.
Summary:
- Hyogo is the biggest sake brewing region in Japan and houses large breweries like Ozeki and Kenbishi.
- The region is famous for miyamizu hard water and yamada nishiki rice.
- Hyogo sake is known for having a generally dry and robust profile.
Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture is the second largest sake making region and has some opposite characteristics to Hyogo. For one thing, the region is famous for using soft water called gokusui that comes from the Fushimi district.
The Fushimi district grew out of the prosperity of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600). It became popular as a sake making district because of its strategic location at the junction between two rivers, the high-quality water and sake demand from locals. Today, popular sake breweries like Gekkeikan and Tamanohikari are showing why Kyoto sake is among the best in the world.
In terms of flavour profile, Kyoto sake is known to be delicate and aromatic. It’s why it’s traditionally called onnazake or feminine sake.
Summary:
- Kyoto Prefecture is the second biggest sake making region in Japan.
- The area is famous for having gokusui soft water and is where creative breweries like Gekkeikan are located.
- Kyoto sake is called onnazake because of its aromatic and delicate qualities.
Niigata Prefecture
Known as the third largest sake making region of Japan, Niigata carries many accolades. It has the highest number of sake breweries in the country, many of which have pushed the industry forward in new and exciting ways.
For example, several Niigata breweries played a key role in pioneering the ginjo (premium) sake boom of the 1980s. This was a shift towards highly-polished sake appearing in competitions, bars and restaurants across the country and has remained a fixture of the modern sake market.
Another interesting fact about Niigata is its rice. The region is known for producing gohyakumangoku, an adaptable type of rice that once reigned supreme until it was dethroned by Hyogo yamada nishiki in 2001.
When this rice is used with soft, clean water, Niigata produces a style of sake called tanrei karakuchi – a super dry, crisp sake.
Summary:
- Niigata is the third biggest sake making region in Japan and has the most breweries in the country.
- Popularised ginjo sake in the 1980s.
- Niigata sake is called tanrei karakuchi because of its super dry qualities.
Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima is the fourth largest sake brewing region and doesn’t get as much recognition as I think it should when compared to the ‘big three’ of Hyogo, Kyoto and Niigata. The region is home to over 50 independent breweries all making exquisite sake from soft, crisp water and high-grade rice.
In fact, Fukushima has its own rice varietal called yume no kaori. Produced in 1991 to compete with Niigata’s goyakumangoku, yume no kaori translates to dream incense. This provides a hint towards the taste of Fukushima sake, making it well-balanced and silky.
Some of the most famous sake breweries in the area include Daishichi and Hanaizumi. Daishichi follows traditional sake brewing techniques that stay close to the heritage of the family who run it. Hanaizumi also walks a similar path, with both breweries focused on championing a ‘Made in Fukushima’ mantra.
Summary:
- Fukushima is the fourth biggest sake making region and is a hidden gem in terms of style.
- The region has locally grown rice called yume no kaori.
- The taste of Fukushima sake is smooth and silky.
Akita Prefecture
Like Fukushima, Akita is another hidden gem when it comes to sake regionality. It’s the fifth largest nihonshu making region by volume whose history dates back to at least the 17th century. During this time, Akita went through a sake boom caused by the opening of several mines and a rapid rise in sake consumption.
Since then, Akita sake breweries have continued to grow and innovate. One example of this innovation is through the creation of the Number 6 sake yeast strain by the Aramasa brewery in 1935. Sake yeast is the unsung hero of sake production because it has a major impact on flavour and the Number 6 gives Akita sake a mellow, sweet taste.
Another production method that Akita is famous for is kimoto. This is a traditional sake making technique that introduces natural lactic acid into the process and requires a hands-on approach from brewers by grinding rice with a paddle.
Interesting Akita sake breweries to check out include Akita Meijo, Dewatsuru, Hinomaru, Kodama and Ryozeki.
Summary:
- Akita is the fifth largest sake making region in Japan.
- The area is famous for creating the Number 6 yeast strain and relying on traditional sake brewing methods like kimoto.
- Akita sake tastes sweet, mellow and rounded.
Ishikawa Prefecture
Called the ‘golden eagle’ prefecture after the bird that is the official symbol of the region, Ishikawa has been making gold standard sake for centuries. Ishikawa is one of few regions to have an distinctive sake geographical indication (GI) called Hakusan Kikusake, which relates to the breweries of Hakusan City.
Another thing Ishikawa is known for is producing large volumes of yamahai sake. This is a traditional brewing style like kimoto, only it skips the laborious process of grinding rice manually with a paddle.
When you try Ishikawa sake, you’ll get a taste of deep unami notes, high acidity and a sweet finish.
Summary:
- Ishikawa has a sake GI based in Hakusan City.
- The region is known for creating a lot of yamahai sake.
- The taste of Isikawa sake is acidic and umami-driven.
Yamagata Prefecture
No sake regionality guide would be complete without Yamagata. This remote, mountainous region is a staple of the sake industry and it’s famous for making high-quality ginjo. But Yamagata’s place as a sake powerhouse is a recent phenomenon. The sake of the region was considered to be provincial for centuries.
In the 1970s, the Yamagata Brewing Research Society was established to revitalise the sake industry and ginjo sake was the key. This led other prefectures like Niigata to follow in the ginjo boom and the first sake GI was officially registered in Yamagata in 2016 because of those early efforts.
Yamagata sake is championed by several innovative breweries. For example, Dewazakuru is a leading brewery that has a range of wonderful products to try.
Summary:
- Yamagata is an originator of the ginjo style.
- The prefecture was the first to receive a sake GI in 2016.
- The taste of Yamagata sake is light, clean and textured.
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