Saturday San’nomiya Stroll

Sometimes, venturing out and encountering a sake you’ve never tried before is a delight. Asano Nihonshuten in Sannomiya, Kobe, is a fantastic sake store with an excellent selection where you can enjoy a drink on the spot.

Nanbu Bijin

We tasted three different sakes from two breweries, six in total! Nanbu Bijin in Iwate; I knew what I wanted even before I arrived. Starting from the right in the photo, the first one, the sake with a muted orange label, designed with this year’s zodiac animal, the snake, as its motif, has a sweet and juicy flavor reminiscent of white peach. The second sake, with a motif of a grain of rice on the white label, has an elegant yet well-structured flavor with citrus notes with an elegant ricey sweetness. This one I enjoyed the most! The third one, the green label, is one of the brewery’s most iconic products, and I have tasted it multiple times. This sake’s firm and settled flavor with a heavy center of gravity, umami, riceyness, and pleasant bitterness, create a comforting experience. This sake has multiple certifications; GI Iwate, Kosher, and Vegan!

Sisora

It was my second time to encounter Sisora. The brewery is also located in Iwate Prefecture. The three sakes are made with the same style, junmai ginjo, but with different rice varieties. From the right of the photo, the first one with red cursive letters on the label, brewed with the sake rice Ginginga, has a well-structured flavor and sharp scents on the nose, yet soft and round on the palate. The second one (Ginga no Shizuku), with dark gray letters, attracts an intense acidity and banana scent. The third one (Akita Sakekomachi), with a colorful array of pastels in the cursive letters on the label, is soft and light like air but finishes with pleasant bitterness.

It was a fantastic experience to encounter new sakes, especially the elegant Tohoku-style ginjos. Tasting while exchanging impressions with friends added an extra layer of enjoyment.

- Tasted at Asano Nihonshu Ten (Kobe, Hyogo) in February 2025.

On the Label

Nanbu Bijin Flight

Brewer: Nanbu Bijin in Ninohe, Iwate

Product Name: Nanbu BijinTokubetsu Junmai Eto Label 2025 Mi-Doshi 南部美人 特別純米 干支ラベル 2025 巳年
Type: Tokubetsu Junmai, ABV: 15%
Rice: Gin’otome (55% polishing ratio)

Product Name: Nanbu Bijin Junmai Daiginjo Shinpaku Yamada Nishiki 南部美人 純米大吟醸 心白 山田錦 (GI Iwate certified)
Type: Junmai Diaiginjo, ABV: 16%
Rice: Yamada Nishiki (50% polishing ratio)

Product Name: Nanbu Bijin Junmai Ginjo 南部美人 純米吟醸 (GI Iwate, Kosher, Vegan certified)
Type: Junmai Ginjo, ABV: 15%
Rice: Gin’otome for kōji, Miyama Nishiki for kakemai (50% for kōji/55% for kakemai polishing ratio. )

Sisora Flight

Brewer: Shiwa Shuzōten in Shiwa, Iwate

Product Name: Sisora Junmai Ginjo Heart Label 紫宙 純米吟醸 ハートラベル
Type: Junmai Ginjo, Nama, ABV: 15%
Rice: Ginginga (55% polishing ratio)

Product Name: Sisora Junmai Ginjo Star Label 紫宙 純米吟醸 スターラベル
Type: Junmai Ginjo, Nama, ABV: 15%
Rice: Ginga no Shizuku (55% polishing ratio)

Product Name: Sisora Junmai Ginjo Asagao (Morning Glory) Label 紫宙 純米吟醸 朝顔ラベル
Type: Junmai Ginjo, ABV: 15%
Rice: Akita Sakekomachi (55% polishing ratio)