AWA SAKE SPARKLING TOYOKUNI
New-style sake brewing using the sake rice "Toyokuni"
Founded in 1862, Toyokuni is a venerable brewery with over 150 years of history. The fifth-generation head, Takuya Takaku, remains committed to traditional "handmade" (Tezukuri) brewing, striving for fermentation that faithfully follows the character of the raw ingredients. From standard sake (Futsushu) to premium sake, all are pressed using the Funa-shibori (trough press) method.
Focusing on local production for local consumption, he began cultivating the sake-brewing rice "Toyokuni" in 2020, procuring the seed rice himself. The suggestion to use "Toyokuni" reportedly came from a relative. This rice was previously cultivated only by a single brewery in Yamagata Prefecture and had not been widely used. Through the cooperation of local farmers and rice merchants, the rice was planted in June 2023 and finally harvested in October. Mr. Takaku speaks passionately of his intent to begin brewing with "Toyokuni" starting in 2024.
Furthermore, accompanying the post-COVID transition, he is focusing energy on overseas expansion. He actively participates in events and business meetings hosted by the National Tax Agency and JETRO. In October 2019, the brewery welcomed a young man from Norway for a three-day training period. In November, it invited restaurant owners and liquor retailers from Sweden for business negotiations and social gatherings. The brewery submits its sake to international competitions such as the IWC (UK) and Kura Master (France). Its "AWA SAKE SPARKLING TOYOKUNI" has achieved significant results, winning the highest honor, the Platinum Award, at Kura Master, repeating its 2020 success.
TOYOKUNI SHUZO LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Founded in 1862 (Bunkyu 2) in Aizubange Town, located just west of Aizuwakamatsu. Toyokuni Shuzo, which uses traditional handmade methods and the funa-shibori (trough press) technique, brews Japanese sake with rich aromas, beginning with its "Junmai Ginjo Toyokuni," and continues to receive high acclaim both domestically and internationally.
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"Great sake brewing requires rice, water, and people. The most important of these is water," says President Takuya Takaku. He believes the reason there are so many excellent breweries in Aizubange, an area also famous for its rice, lies in its water. The local water is soft, rich in minerals, and makes it easy to brew delicious Japanese sake.
On this fertile land, he is also taking on new brewing challenges with Mr. Koji Takaku, who is set to become the sixth-generation head brewer. Born from a fusion of tradition and innovation is their "Sparkling Sake," made using the same in-bottle secondary fermentation method as Champagne. Its refreshing taste, with a gradually emerging umami from the rice, was selected as an official toast sake for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
▶︎ Toyokuni Junmai Ginjo Genshu
▶︎ AWA SAKE SPARKLING TOYOKUNI
🏘️: TOYOKUNI SHUZO @aizutoyokuni 📍: 3554 Aza Ichinaka-1-Ko, Aizubange Town, Kawanuma-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
And now, they are undertaking another new challenge. For several years, they have been planting small amounts of a sake-brewing rice variety called "Toyokuni" 🌾—the same name as the brewery itself. This autumn, they were finally able to harvest enough to begin brewing sake. It is very exciting to see what kind of Japanese sake will be brewed from this first-ever batch.
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