Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized
Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized
Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized
Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized
Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized
Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized

KURA ONE®

Garyubai Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo Unpasteurized

Title

Shimizu in Shizuoka is a land of clear streams famed for ayu (sweetfish). Brewing since 1686, Sanwa shuzo uses spring water from the Okitsu River, whose soft profile lends mellow roundness that layers with the inherent savory nuances of Yamada-nishiki, the “king/queen of sake rice.” Expect a radiant aroma, deep flavor, and a fresh, lively finish typical of namazake—a quintessential Shimizu expression of Yamada-nishiki.
Title

Rice: 100% Yamada Nishiki from Shizuoka
Alcohol: 16%
Rice polishing ratio: 55%

Title

Volume: 200mL
Size: 5.8 × 5.8 × 9.9 cm

Area

Shimizu | Shizuoka

Arrive at the port and the scent of the sea comes together with the presence of the mountains. Shimizu opens onto the blue of Suruga Bay, with Shimizu Port serving as the city’s gateway.


Begin with a cruise. Glide across the calm harbor and, if the timing is right, a wild dolphin may suddenly break the surface—the kind of moment that turns a trip into a story.

 

Next, take the water bus toward Miho no Matsubara. Mt. Fuji seen from the water can feel quieter and more moving than any photograph.

 

Then head a little inland. At the clear waters of the Okitsu River, a stream famous for ayu sweetfish, it becomes clear that this coastal city is also a city shaped by water. Shimizu is a place where sea, clear river water, and Mt. Fuji can all be experienced deeply in a single day.

Tasting chart

The intended style is a savory sake with medium-bodied depth, moderate sweetness, floral aroma, and a rounded expansion of rice flavor.


Soft spring water from the Okitsu River system gives the palate a mellow texture, while Shizuoka-grown Yamada Nishiki supports the mid-palate with umami. Acidity remains gentle, keeping the overall profile clean.

 

Toward the finish, the freshness characteristic of nama sake becomes more vivid, resolving with a light crispness and a clear aftertaste. It is often described as mellow and clean, floral yet never heavy, with an appealing balance of richness, smoothness, and definition.


Serve well chilled for a sharper outline. As it warms slightly, the rice sweetness opens gently. Especially good with sashimi, lightly salted white fish, and grilled chicken with salt.

※ The tasting chart is not an evaluation by a celebrity sommelier or sake professional. It represents the flavor profile the brewery set out to create. Use it as a guide and enjoy the sake as though you were in conversation with the brewer.

Brewery

Sanwa Shuzo

Sanwa Shuzo in Shimizu, Shizuoka, was founded in 1686. According to local legend, the founder was searching for good water when, under a full moon, a bush warbler led him to a clear spring beneath a plum branch. That story became the origin of the brewery’s historic Uguisushuku Ume name and its flagship Garyubai.

 

The brewery draws spring water from the Okitsu River system and ferments in small 600 kg tanks over long periods at low temperatures. The result is a clearly defined aroma and flavor with a clean finish that pairs naturally with sashimi and lightly salted dishes.

 

Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki won the Grand Prix in the Ginjo category at the 2025 U.S. National Sake Appraisal, while the brewery’s Junmai Daiginjo received Platinum at Kura Master 2025. Its sparkling sake became Shizuoka Prefecture’s first awa-sake certified by the Awasake Association in 2020 and won Gold at Kura Master 2024.