Sake No. 012 "Fudo, Tsurushi-shibori, Muroka, Junmai-ginjo, Nama-Genshu"

Hello. It is New Year holidays soon.

There is culture a Japanese pay a visit to the Shinto shrine Buddhist temple in the beginning of the year called the Hatsumoude (初詣) in Japan.

In many cases, everybody goes to the religion facilities such as a temple or the Shinto shrine. However, many Japanese think about nothing, and the religious concept performs it without most for the act willingly now.

It was origin of Hatsumoude that prayed the Shinto shrine which became the local protective deity whom oneself lived in, but it was given a broad interpretation of now, and it originally became mainstream to pray at the popular Shinto shrine and temple of some distant places.

New Year's visits to a Shinto shrine of the neighborhood of Tokyo include Senso-ji Temple (浅草寺) or Meiji Shrine (明治神宮) there about the famous Shinto shrine and the temple. In addition, a popular spot called Kawasakidaishi is in neighboring Kanagawa. Further, Fushimiinari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) is in Kyoto and Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (住吉大社) is in Osaka, and they are famous for the kind, too.

One of those famous spots has Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (成田山新勝寺). In addition, this temple is in famous Narita in Narita Airport.


I introduce "Fudo, Tsurushi-shibori, Muroka, Junmai-ginjo, Nama-Genshu" which brewery in the neighborhood makes this time.

"Fudo, Tsurushi-shibori, Muroka, Junmai-ginjo, Nama-Genshu". This is a simple label, but has characteristic taste.

When I translate this Tsurushi-shibor literally, it becomes hang and squeeze.

In other words that means that a bag with Moromi is hanged and is squeezed. It is shown with a thing same as a Sake of Fukurozuri which I introduced in the last time.

The composition of Moromi does not fail because the Sake of this Fukurozuri is not increased power and squeezed. So it is completed to a thing of very clear quality.

Outline

As previously described, this Sake is manufactured from Nabedana-brewery (鍋店) in Narita, Chiba.



Speaking of Narita, if you are the person who came from the foreign country, has at least 1 degree not been to the city? However, there is little interested in too much in this city to aim at Tokyo equally when everybody gets off an airplane. Originally Narita is a city with the history that prospered as Monzen-cho (門前町) of the above-mentioned temple in the Edo era not the city of the airport.

This is Narita-Airport. I went to Taiwan then from here.

Monzen-cho is kind of an old town of Japan, and it is the town where cityscape was formed around a temple or a Shinto shrine. Nagano with Zenko-ji is an example similar to it, too.

The Naritasan is a relatively big temple having the temple of the group to several places of whole country. By the way, the Fudo of the name of this Sake is taken from the name of the enshrined deity of this Naritasan.

Naritasan-Shinshoji of the beginning of the year is crowded with the second crowds very much in the all over Japan.

Narita is the place where it is easy to visit very much when you do going and returning from Japan because it is neighbor to the Airport-tation. The temple is a range on foot from the Narita-station, too. Please challenge to drink because the tasting is possible in Nabetana-brewery close to the temple. It is a recommended spot so that you see the sights of the city such as Sawara (佐原), Kashim (鹿嶋), Choshi(銚子) which you went ahead through from Narita to the east side a little.

It is cityscape of Sawara called Suigo (水郷). It is the spot that a lot of old houses stay there, and has a good atmosphere.

Character

Name: "Fudo, Tsurushi-shibori, Muroka, Junmai-ginjo, Nama-Genshu"(不動、吊るししぼり、無濾過、純米吟醸、生原酒)
Place: Nabedana (鍋店), Narita, Chiba
Class: Junmai-ginjo
Rice: Akita-Sakekomachi (秋田酒こまち)
Rice polishing rate: 55%
Yeast: Unknown
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: No
Other characteristics: Tsurushi-shibori (吊るししぼり)
Alcohol content: 17%
Sake meter: +1~+3
Acid meter: 1.3~1.5
Price: JPY 2,850 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://www.nabedana.co.jp/
My rating: A

One way is written to this description.

Taste

At first a sweet fragrance to hark back to fruit entered with my nose. The fragrance is the impression that it is very delicate, and is noble.
Translucent sweetness influenced it over a tongue to the first share. There was little sharpness taste, and slight acidity gathered sweetness in the taste.

It is the taste of the type that this unique translucency drinks with the thing which Fukurozuri comes from and is not tiring at all. However, it is not that taste is light, and I received the refined impression that removed extra added flavor in the course of the brewing.

In many cases, the Fukurozuri is more expensive than the normal Sake, but recommends it by all means because this Sake is considerably more inexpensive than them.

How to buy (or drink)

I think that it is the quickest to buy in brewery in front of the temple of Narita when you use Narita Airport. You can buy it in Suzuden-shop (googlemaps) of Yotsuya if you want to buy it in Tokyo.

There are few bars stocking it, but there is not no it.
When you want to drink them in the bar, please search it with the word "不動　鍋店　日本酒" in the following sites.

http://tabelog.com/

Sake No. 011 "Sagaminada, Miyamanishiki, Tokubetsu-Junmai Funabazume"

Hello! This year is ending in a few days.

Does everybody complete the preparations for New Year holidays?

When you are busy, you need relaxation. In the case of the relaxation, let's find your favorite Sake by all means.

By the way, a Sake which I introduce this time is "Sagaminada, Miyamanishiki, Tokubetsu-Junmai, Funabazume". I introduced Okunokami which was the Sake of Tokyo last time, but this was made in the neighboring prefecture.

"Sagaminada, Miyamanishiki, Tokubetsu-Junmai Funabazume". It is characterized by a label being filled with letters closely.

A meaning of words of Funabazume (槽場詰め) in the end of the name is that the traditional compression method with the tool called the Fune (槽) was used.
The Sake is provided by the Moromi being squeezed. When Funabazume is performed, it is squeezed up in a bag one by one, and Moromi is spread all over Fune. And it is pressed by the top and is squeezed, but, as for it, the thing that an automatic compressor was used in the present age is mainstream because it takes time very.

However, power increases generally too much when an automatic compressor is used. In addition, the adjustment that a handmade product is smaller is easy to work. So, unlike a thing squeezed by machine, the thing obtained from there becomes the Sake of polite taste.

Furthermore, the squeezed Sake is referred to Shizukudori (雫取り) or Fukurozuri (袋吊り) without adding power as much as possible. In the case of these, things dropping naturally are only collected by the Moromi packed in a bag. However, there is little quantity that is gathered because it is not squeezed, and the price rises.
It is written on an article of Kazenomori which I introduced before. At the same time, look.

Difference between Fune and Fukurozuri. It is a compression method traditional both.

In addition, in Funabazume, it has a property of the Jikagumi substantially because a direct bottle is a done meaning in Funaba. Speaking of the Jikagumi, taste such as the juice carbonate is impressive the Sake. This Sagaminada was taste same as it, too.

Outline

There is Kubota-brewery making Sagaminada in the city called Sagamihara of Kanagawa.


Kanagawa is famous for Yokohama trade port or Yokosuka naval port. So, if anything, as for me, there is strong in the impression called the place with the sea. And the neighborhood is a place of an urbane atmosphere because a city area is connected from Tokyo.

The state of the port of Yokosuka.

By the way, Sagaminada of the name of this Sake has a meaning called Nada (灘, is the sea where a wave is rough) of the Sagami (相模, is the Western part of Kanagawa) district.

This is Sagaminada seen at from Jogashima, Miura. In the coast, it is eroded by waves.

However, there is this Brewery near a mountain approximately 40km away from the shore. Tanzawa mountain range is near, and this neighborhood is the place where there are many hikers because it is the place that is relatively near from Tokyo. And I have climbed this mountain several times, too.

There is Mt.Hirugatake which is the highest peak of the Tanzawa mountain range. It is a perfect prospects place to view at Mount Fuji because this neighborhood is close in it.

There is the place that it is easy to go approached by a train from Tokyo in around one hour. I suggest that you go there when you wanted to breathe delicious air as a change.

Character

Name: "Sagaminada, Miyamanishiki, Tokubetsu-Junmai Funabazume"(相模灘、美山錦、特別純米、槽場詰め)
Place: Kubota-brewery (久保田酒造), Sagamihara, Kanagawa
Class: Tokubetsu-Junmai
Rice: Shinshu-Miyamanishiki (信州美山錦)
Rice polishing rate: 55%
Yeast: No.9
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: No
Other characteristics: Funabazume (Near to Jikagumi)
Alcohol content: 17-18%
Sake meter: +3
Acid meter: 1.7
Price: JPY 2,800 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://www.tsukui.ne.jp/kubota/
My rating: AA

The explanation is listed all in a frontal label.

Taste

The fragrance is not so strong in it, but a plump sweet fragrance is felt to me subtly.

The relatively stronger sweetness got wide to a tongue when I drank first. It was not the thing which was totally unpleasant for me because the sweetness was accompanied by a refreshing feel. The sharp taste and the acidity appear next and they concentrate the whole tightly and direct the end powerfully. The taste is thick generally, but is a splendid Sake having the taste that there is not of drinking, and getting tired.

This is a Sake which sweetness and balance of the sharp taste have very good. The strong taste told to have used the Fune will be compared to the full-bodied wine. Because this is the taste that I can recommend to anyone, please drink.

How to buy (or drink)

This is a product made in small brewery, but it is sold in relatively many shops if there is Tokyo.
As for it, it can most easily obtain it to buy Machida-ya (googlemaps) of Nakano if you want it because it is stocked by there.

There are several bars stocking it.
When you want to drink them in the bar, please search it with the word "相模灘　日本酒" in the following sites.
http://tabelog.com/

Sake No. 010 "Okunokami, Junmai, Origarami"

Hey! Long time no see!

I was busy for a while, and I was not able to add this page for a while from summer. I intend to write favorite Sake as before from now on because I became slightly free recently. But it may be low-frequency.

By the way, I took only mountain climbing in this summer. The following movie is a mountain range of the Northern Alps in Nagano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwgqZRECD5g

Meanwhile, I'd drunk a lot of liquor. There were 30 kinds when I counted it.
I want to introduce my favorite liquor from them.

By the way, Japan approached at the end of the year, and winter began.
At this time that anyone is cold, and is hard, it is the time when a lot of Shinshu (New-Sake) is sold.

In addition, I like Sake which was usually cooled, but I feel warmed Sake deliciously in this season.

Naturally the Japanese drinks the Sake for New Year holidays because there is culture to drink the Sake at the time of celebration in Japan. Everybody will decide favorite Sake to drink for New Year holidays!


The Sake which I introduce this time is "Okunokami, Junmai, Origarami". Some cloudiness precipitates at the bottom because this is Origarami. Surely it will be found to you by a photo.
The detailed commentary about Nigori and Origarami look at a lecture (link).

"Okunokami, Junmai, Origarami". It was a calm label in old days, but has changed into a yellow loud design for some reason this time.

You should drink it after your making two or three times of shakes and stirring it when you drink Origarami. It exhausts carbon dioxide consistently because the yeast in the Origarami is active particularly lively .It is a state same as juice carbonate. Please be careful because you let you overflow it at the time of opening when you shaked it too much,


The Origarami is a meaning called Ori (澱, lees)-Karami (絡, mix), and real nature of Ori is sake lees. It is the part that normal Sake is removed to make taste better. However, it is popular technique because there are unique taste and flavor.
The thing which this Ori was put in more than Origarami is called Nigori. It is the Sake sold a lot in a winter season mainly because the Sake which Ori was put in is easy to go bad when not heated.

Outline

Toshimaya-Brewery making Okunokami is in Higashimurayama, Tokyo. There is distance approximately 20km from Shinjuku which is the greatest downtown in Japan. There is near to approximately 30 minutes by a train.

What does everybody imagine when you heard it with Tokyo? Probably it is the imagination that a lot of buildings take.

This is a building street of Shinjuku. I live in Tokyo since I was born, but there is not so many that I see the sights of Tokyo.

Tokyo is distinguished from Special-wards-of-Tokyo in the cities, towns and villages except it. The former is the image, but the latter is the area where is different from Tokyo before the early modern times, and breeding is different. Of course there are many houses and city areas in there because it is near from Tokyo, but there is the area where there is relatively much nature such as a mountain or the field.

This is Mount Kumotori at the westernmost tip of Tokyo. There is the place far apart from such a city among them even if we say Tokyo unconditionally.

Higashi-murayama is classified in the latter, but there is the place that is relatively near in Tokyo center. This brewery is built in the residential area. In addition, the station of Higashi-murayama is close in Kawagoe with the origin of brewing of the Sake called Kagamiyama which I introduced before. It will be good to stop by incidentally when you see the sights of Kawagoe.

This is Higashi-Murayama Station. It is the station which goes when we go to Kawagoe from Shinjuku.

As for the Japanese, there are many people having the image in the local area in the Sake brewery. They are usually surprised  when I tell them this Brewery in Tokyo. But the brewery was one even at least in one town in the Edo era. They which there were in Tokyo a lot were lost by rapid urbanization. Of course it influenced that consumptions of Sake decreased.

In Tokyo, there is Ozawa brewing to make Sake named Sawanoi (澤乃井) in the west mountains. For a commoner, this is more famous. There are many people that it is imaged when asked "Sake of Tokyo".

This is  Ozawa-brewery near a mountain. It is slightly far from the downtown area, but is the place that it is easy to go for you because it is in front of a station here. Unlike a common Sake brewery, the offer of the food is provided here.

Water and the rice are important for Sake, but the western part is hilly areas in Tokyo, and there is the area where high quality underflow water is intaked. About the rice, it does not have a problem with the making of the Sake at all because it is ordered from far away now, and is made becomes common sense.

Okunokami is liquor of a little in Tokyo. However, in late years it is the Sake got well-received rapidly. I think that added value as Sake of maid in Tokyo having been known to people and good pure taste have been accepted by the Sake-fan.

Character

Name: "Okunokami, Junmai, Origarami" (屋守、純米、おりがらみ)
Place:Toshimaya-brewery (豊島屋酒造), Higashimurayama, Tokyo
Class: Junmai
Rice: Hattan-nishiki (八反錦)
Rice polishing rate: 50% (Used for the yeast), 55% (Main)
Yeast: Unknown
Filtration: No
Heat treatment: No
Water addition: No
Other characteristics: Origarami
Alcohol content: 16%
Sake meter: 0
Acid meter: 1.6
Price: JPY 3,009 (1,800ml)
Official website: http://www.toshimayasyuzou.co.jp/
My rating: A

This is a manual drawn the lizard in the back on. You may see lees at the bottom of the bottle.

The painting of a pretty lizard is described in a back caption.

Okunokami of the name is transcribed into "Oku (屋), no (の), Kami (守)". "no (の)" is a conjunction in Japanese.
And it becomes "Ya (屋), Mori (守)" when the reading of the Kanji (the chinese language) changes.
The word Yamori has the meaning called a lizard saying in Japan.
In addition, Japanese many as a creature protecting (守) a house (屋) according to meaning of the Kanji have a favorable impression about Yamori in Japan.

Taste

A fragrance such as the fruit was felt to me because Rice-polishing-rate was low in this Sake. If anything, it was a fragrance such as the refreshing apple and pear because this was still the new Sake,

There was the much strong Sake of the carbonic acid because the Shinshu often was still shipped in the state that yeast was active, but was not so strong in this respect. It drank from a beginning and reached the time.

By the way, about the taste, it was felt to be sweet first. Coarse taste and sharp taste characterizing Origarami stimulated my tongue later. A sharp taste finally fixed other taste and played the good end, but it was calm sweetness last that won through up to my tongue.

The balance was so good, and it was taste without words.

How to buy (or drink)

Okunokami is the Sake of Tokyo, but is not sold anywhere if it is Liquor-shop of Tokyo. This is because there is extremely little amount of production. The shop which is received regularly in that is Masushin-shop (google maps) in Ikebukuro.

There are not many even bars in the place stocking it.
When you want to drink them in the bar, please search it with the word "屋守　日本酒" in the following sites.

http://tabelog.com/