Jotambo Junmai Ginjo
Developing specialty products for Bandai Town together with the community
Bandai Town spreads at the foot of Aizu's magnificent peak, Mt. Bandai. In this land blessed with abundant nature and water, Bandai Shuzo operates its brewing business, crafting a rare sake, "Aizuzakura," which uses ancient black rice as part of its raw ingredients.
The catalyst for this sake's creation was a visit from a Bandai Town farmer, who brought black rice to the brewery and said, "Please make sake with this rice." After repeated trial and error, the sake was born in 2002. True to its name, the cherry-blossom-colored (sakura-iro) sake is popular for its gentle sweetness and acidity. In addition to "Aizuzakura," Bandai Shuzo also brews its flagship "Bandaisan" series. This line is a full-bodied type with a rich aroma, characterized by a taste one never tires of.
In recent years, alongside the Bandaisan brand, the brewery has launched the premium brand "Jotambo," which uses sake-brewing rice grown in Bandai Town. They also collaborate with the local community to develop specialty products for Bandai Town, such as selling "Bandaisan Apple × Sake," a sake-based apple cocktail made from 100% Bandai Town apple juice, created under the supervision of a director of the Nippon Bartenders' Association (a resident of Bandai Town).
"We brew sake that our customers will love, with passion, sincerity, and creative ingenuity, under our company motto 'WAJYO RYOSHU' (Harmony in brewing creates good sake)," states President Dai Kuwahara.
Bandai Shuzo
Bandai Shuzo is located in Bandai Town, a gently rolling highland town at the foot of the famous Mt. Bandai, in the northeastern part of the Aizu basin!
"In Fukushima Prefecture, where competition is fierce, we must make sake that only we can create." That's the motto! We chatted with the 5th generation brewery president, Mr. Dai Kuwahara, about Bandai Shuzo's brewing, which is filled with pride for Bandai Town and deep respect for local producers, all poured into a single cup.
It's all about "being thoroughly dedicated to local sake brewing rooted in the community." They use sake-brewing rice from trusted local contract farmers in Bandai Town and Aizu, and brew using traditional methods with underground water from Mt. Bandai. Their flagship brand is even named "Bandaisan" 🏔️!
Their "Apple Sake" (Ringo-shu), popular even in Taiwan, is specially made with sake as a base and uses apples grown by Bandai Town's own apple farmers. Plus, their "Jotambo" Junmai Daiginjo, which uses Fukushima's "Utsukushima Kirameri yeast" for a high-quality ginjo aroma, is highly recommended! Try it chilled this season with a hot pot meal 🍶✨
▶︎ Bandaisan
▶︎ Jotambo Junmai Daiginjo
🏘️: Bandai Shuzo @bandaishuzou 📍: 2568 Bandai Kanauebatake, Bandai Town, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
"WAJYO RYOSHU" — Harmony in brewing creates good sake. Their company philosophy is: "We want to provide a peaceful time for customers who enjoy our good sake." Mr. Kuwahara is also focused on training the next generation. A young female Toji (master brewer) in her fifth year, and his son, the 6th generation, will take on parts of the brewing process, bringing a fresh breeze to Bandai Shuzo. "We're not just making 5,000-6,000 liters of sake; we are making the single cup of sake that someone will drink." With this spirit, Bandai Shuzo's sake is being brewed again this year. We should savor every single cup! 😊
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