Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai
Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai
Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai
Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai
Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai
Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai

KURA ONE®

Iwanoi Yamada-nishiki Junmai

Title

Onjuku, Chiba, is mild all year round with a 2 km sweep of white sand that draws beachgoers each year. It is also home to Iwase Shuzo. Founded in 1723, the brewery uses groundwater, which is naturally filtered through shell strata to yield mineral-rich, ultra-hard water (hardness ~240). The water gives the sake a sharper edge from the first sip. Brewed with Yamada Nishiki sake rice polished to 70%, this hard-water sake resonates with a rare strength and sharpness, leaving a clear, lingering finish.
Title

Rice: 100% Yamada Nishiki from Chiba
Alcohol: 15%
Rice polishing ratio: 70%

Title

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

Area

Onjuku | Chiba

Arrive in Onjuku in the morning and the air already smells of the sea. Facing the Pacific on Chiba’s Boso Peninsula, the town stays mild throughout the year and has a way of making your shoulders drop.

 

Its centerpiece is a nearly two-kilometer sweep of white sand. Fine and smooth underfoot, the beach softens the heat beneath bare feet, while footprints disappear almost as soon as they are made. Along the shoreline, pale waves shimmer against the sand, making the blue of the sea look even deeper on clear days. It is easy to understand why so many swimmers return each summer.

 

Have local seafood by the shore at lunch, then spend the afternoon swimming or simply listening to the waves. As the sky turns red in the evening, the same road home somehow feels harder to leave. Onjuku makes a simple trip to see the sea feel complete.

Tasting chart

The intended style is medium to full-bodied, with restrained aroma and sweetness so the sake’s structure remains sharply defined. Iwase Shuzo deliberately polishes Chiba-grown Yamada Nishiki only to 70%, preserving the grain’s depth while using ultra-hard water to keep the sake driving forward.

 

The mineral-rich water, filtered through shell strata and measuring around 240 in hardness, vigorously supports fermentation. Acidity and a faint mineral bitterness form the core, creating power without heaviness. Sweetness stays restrained, while the finish resolves cleanly and quickly.

 

The sake is often described as structured, slightly dry, crisp, and pleasantly mineral, qualities that make it especially versatile with food.


Serve chilled for definition, or over crushed ice for an even tighter profile. As it warms slightly, the umami expands. Excellent with steamed shellfish, oysters, grilled fish with salt, and richer sashimi.

※ 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

Iwase Shuzo

Iwase Shuzo was founded in Onjuku, Chiba, in 1723 and has carried on more than 300 years of brewing history. A beam in the main house is said to have been made from the mast of a shipwrecked Spanish vessel, preserving a fragment of local memory within the brewery itself.

 

The brewery’s defining feature is mineral-rich groundwater filtered through shell strata. With a hardness of around 240, this ultra-hard water gives the sake immediate structure. Brewing Yamada Nishiki polished to 70% with this water creates exceptional power, crispness, and a remarkably clear finish.

 

Its quality has earned international recognition, including a Parker score of 95 and a Platinum Award at Kura Master 2025. The brewery continues to evolve its tradition through the i240 brand as it looks toward its next century.