Junmai genshu HOUKA sake from Okaya (Nagano prefecture) is produced by low-temperature fermentation, which brings out the flavour of the rice and the rich natural environment of Shinshu. It is brewed from local Shirakaba Nishiki and Yoneshiro rice. These two rices are rarely used to make sake, and you'll enjoy it all the more for that reason.
Aromatic and elegant, this sake is full-bodied yet well-balanced. It has a long finish and lots of umami.
Tasting notes: Poured into a glass, it has a lightly tinted colour and a mellow aroma with a nice acidity and a good smell of rice. On the first sip, it has a dry, slightly bitter taste that is refreshing. After the second sip, the mouth fills with a slight bitterness and then a lovely sweetness. The finish is refreshing and rich, making sake very easy to drink. If drunk over several days, the flavours of sweetness, astringency and bitterness develop, along with a slight spiciness, and become increasingly delicious, giving a refreshing impression.
Pairings: Meat, tempura, oToro (red tuna belly), wagyu (Japanese beef).
HOUKA Junmai Genshu Sake 豊香 720ml
Brewer : Toshimaya
Region : Nagano
Type :
- Junmai • pure rice sake
- Genshu • non diluted sake
Rice : Shirakaba Nishiki & Yoneshiro
Seimai Buai (rice polish) : 70%
SMV (sake grade): +4,0
Alcohol grade : 17%
Acidity : 1,4
Serving temperature : chilled or hot
Size: 720 ml
Storage: away from light and heat, ideally in a cool place. After opening, store in the refrigerator and consume within 4 to 5 weeks.
Toshimaya is a sake brewery that has created the "Houka" and "Miwatari" brands, with the slogan "The King of Sake" which is omnipresent in the Suwa region, as is the "Miwatari" brand, which is also important. The 'Houka' brand is limited to retailers, and many wine merchants in Nagano prefecture sell it with interest.
The brewery is located on the shores of Lake Suwa (Suwa-ko) in the central part of Nagano prefecture. This lake is famous for the 'O-Miwatari': a remarkable natural phenomenon. This is because the lake has a natural hot spring below the surface, so that when the top freezes in winter, the waters below are still warm and circulating. The result is the formation of pressure ridges in the ice like an icy mountain. According to local belief, these pressure ridges are formed by a god crossing the lake to join the goddess of 'Suwa-Taisha (the great Suwa shrine is over 1,200 years old and is one of Japan's renowned Shinto shrines. It consists of four shrines surrounding Lake Suwa). The brand name Miwatari comes from this phenomenon and an auspicious legend for Toshimaya.
