Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo
Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo
Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo
Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo
Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo
Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo

KURA ONE®

Kawatsuru Yamada-nishiki Junmai-ginjo

Title

Kannonji in Kagawa, where breathtaking sunsets sink into the tranquil Seto Inland Sea, is the home of Kawatsuru Shuzo. Founded in 1891, the brewery combines medium-hard spring water (hardness ~100) from the Zaita River aquifer and locally-grown Yamada Nishiki sake rice in a low-temperature fermentation to craft delicious sake. The water gives the sake an elegant aroma while the Yamada Nishiki adds a generous depth—both beautifully balanced to create a powerful profile with a refreshingly clean finish.
Title

Rice: 100% Yamada Nishiki from Kagawa
Alcohol: 15%
Rice polishing ratio: 58%

Title

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

Area

Kanonji | Kagawa

Step out of Kanonji Station in the morning and the green of the mountains arrives together with the scent of the sea. The feeling of a port town and the quiet of satoyama share the same air. Start with a bowl of udon scented with local iriko broth.

 

Ariake Beach stretches in a long arc of white sand and green pines. Walk through the grove and the black pines move in the wind, turning an ordinary stroll into something almost meditative.

 

At sunset, orange light melts into the calm Seto Inland Sea and the silhouettes of offshore islands slowly deepen.

 

At night, visit Kotohiki Park, part of Setonaikai National Park, and the viewpoint on Mt. Kotohiki. Below, the enormous Kan'ei Tsuho coin-shaped sand drawing appears quietly in the darkness.

 

The next morning, look out from Takaya Shrine’s “torii in the sky” on Mt. Inazumi. Sea, town, and fields connect in a single view. Kanonji is a place where you carry home sunset, prayer, and a little more room to breathe.

Tasting chart

The intended style is a broad-shouldered Junmai Ginjo with clearly more than medium-bodied weight. Sweetness is moderately restrained and the balance leans dry, but the central impression is not sharpness—it is the generous volume and fullness of 100% Kagawa-grown Yamada Nishiki.

 

Rather than cutting through the palate with strong acidity, the sake places savory depth at its center and pushes forward with weight. Aromas remain clean and free of heaviness, while the mid-palate retains a substantial density and the core of flavor holds through the finish.

 

Medium-hard spring water from the Saita River system and the refined aromas of low-temperature fermentation bring precision to that power. The refreshing finish does not come from lightness, but from the way the sake settles cleanly while retaining its depth. Serve chilled for definition; as it warms slightly, the umami grows. Especially good with grilled fish, salt-grilled chicken, and dishes seasoned with soy sauce.

※ 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

Kawatsuru Shuzo

Kawatsuru Shuzo began brewing in 1891 beside the Saita River in Kanonji, Kagawa. Its founder had moved in search of clean water while working in indigo dyeing, and the brewery’s name is said to have come from a dream of a crane descending onto the river.

 

The brewing water is spring water from the Saita River system, where fireflies appear in summer. Beside the brewery is an experimental rice field where staff take part from planting through harvest, using Yamada Nishiki to understand the character of each year’s crop.

 

Sanuki Cloudy, a low-alcohol nigori made with white koji and a higher proportion of koji rice, was created with a sweet-tart profile reminiscent of a cultured milk drink and designed to pair with Kagawa’s hone-tsuki-dori. It received the top prize in a Kagawa prefectural products competition. The brewery also develops NORA, pursuing additive-free sake through kimoto and yamahai methods, with recognition including IWC Silver and Kura Master Gold.