Koshikimine Tokubetsu Junmai-shu
Mastering the Flavor of Sake Through Pressing: All Sake Pressed in a Traditional 'Fune' Press
The name 'Senkonari' is steeped in auspicious history. It traces its origins to the 'sennari byōtan' or 'Thousand Gourd' horse banner of the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the former lord of the Nihonmatsu domain and predecessor to Lord Niwa. This legacy is combined with a phrase meaning 'to achieve a thousand merits,' giving the sake a name that truly feels like a harbinger of good fortune.
The heart of the brewery's local fame is its most popular brew, the 'Senkonari Kimpyo,' a gently sweet standard-grade sake. Crafted using a special four-stage fermentation process where a small amount of homemade amazake is added at the finish, it is a treasure deeply loved by the people of the community.
But the true soul of this brewery lies in its dedication to the art of pressing. The entire production is placed in bags and pressed slowly and gently in a traditional trough press, or 'funé.' "This method doesn't crush the rice, resulting in a clean flavor free from impurities," explains President Kazuya Saito. Among their offerings, the most special is the 'Daiginjo Fukurozuri.' For this, bags filled with sake mash are hung, allowing the liquid to drip out naturally by the pull of gravity alone. When you take a sip, you are softly enveloped in an even more brilliant and elegant ginjo aroma.
Finally, after the funé pressing is complete, the sake lees, or 'kasu,' remain. Because the pressing is so gentle, these lees are rich with the delicious essence of the sake. From the sake enjoyed by adults to side dishes like 'kasuzuke' pickles for children, the spirit of Senkonari has become deeply woven into the fabric of daily life.
Himonoya Shuzoten