Toryu Tokubetsujunmai
Dedicated Passion Aiming for a Jizake Unique to Shirakawa
There is a sake that is just brimming with vigor. It is 'Toryu' Tokubetsu Junmaishu, born in 2007 at Oyachuukichihonten. This is a sake crafted by the promising toji (head brewers), the Oki brothers. The name itself is a tribute to their alma mater, Shirakawa High School, and its fabled 'Toryu Kenji.' As the school was once an all-boys institution, this was the name given to the spirited, high-energy young men of the town.
And just as you'd expect, this sake is also bursting with that same spirit. It has a solid, structured body, yet finishes with a remarkably clean aftertaste. By increasing the koji ratio by about 5%, they were able to draw out a richer, deeper flavor while simultaneously pursuing a sake quality defined by its sharp, crisp finish.
"It's a delicious sake when served chilled. But once it was finished, we realized it had a flavor that was just fantastic as lukewarm kan (warmed sake)," says President Hiroo Oya, who is also a senior toji to the Oki brothers. In fact, some people say they discovered the true charm of warmed sake only after trying Toryu nurukan (lukewarm). The sake has grown so much in renown that it now stands as an equal, rivaling the brewery's longtime local favorite, 'Hakuyou,' for popularity.
"The rice for Toryu is locally grown Chiyonishiki, cultivated by our contract farmers," President Oya explains. "As a jizake brewery, we were uncompromising: the rice, the water, and the people—everything had to be from right here in Shirakawa." There is an old proverb that says, "Three heads are better than one." Here, it's a story of brewing by three toji. You can't help but watch to see what they'll do next.
Oyachuukichihonten
When you enter through the entrance next to the plaster storehouse that shines against the blue sky, you'll find the brewery "Oyachuukichihonten," which preserves a historical landscape centered around a brick chimney.
We asked the 5th generation owner, Mr. Hiroo Oya, who continues to protect the traditions established at the brewery's founding in 1879, about the passion behind their sake brewing. 💡
The signature brands of Oyachuukichihonten are the Junmai Ginjo "Hakuyou," which has been loved locally for many years, and "Toryu," which is now gaining popularity overseas. 🍶✨
The subsoil water from the Nasu mountain range, which continuously springs from the well on the premises, is soft water containing a moderate amount of minerals that aid fermentation, resulting in a smooth and mellow sake.
Looking up at the chimney stretching proudly to the sky, he said, "We can't use it anymore due to the effects of the earthquake, but we are preserving it while reinforcing it."
This is a tradition they stubbornly protect, refusing to be swept away by the wave of mechanization. It is supported by many, and now, "Hakuyou" as "White Sun" and "Toryu" as "Rising Dragon" are loved not only locally but also across the sea by international fans. 🌏💗
▶︎ Junmai Ginjo Hakuyou
▶︎ Toryu Tokubetsujunmai
🏘️: Oyachuukichihonten
📍: 54 Honmachi, Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture
Please try and taste the strong passion for preserving the art of Japanese sake brewing that their predecessors have cultivated! 😊
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