Take the Sanyo Main Line from Hiroshima Station and ride for about 40 minutes. When you get off at Saijo Station, you can see many chimneys stretching into the vast sky. Immediately east of the station is Sake Brewery Street, which is dotted with sake breweries. Walking along these cobblestone streets is especially wonderful. You can see the signboards with the brand name of each brewery on the white walls, black seaweed walls, and huge red brick chimney. Along the street, there are also a splendid jinya, a remnant of a post town, and an elegant Western-style building built in the Taisho period. You'll think it was worth the trip just to walk through this atmosphere.

The Saijo Basin, the largest in Hiroshima Prefecture, was a lake in ancient times. The Saijo Lake stratification that was deposited at that time produces high-quality groundwater and medium-hard water. Saijo is known as the ``sake capital'' due to its brewing methods devised by excellent brewers, high-quality sake rice, and a climate suitable for winter brewing. If Nada is a sharp men's sake, Saijo is said to be a mellow women's sake.

Kamoizumi Sake Brewery, home to Kamoizumi, was founded in 44 by Juichi Maegaki at the age of 1911 from his father's rice wholesale business. Founded a sake brewery. It was named ``Kamo Izumi'' because the sake was brewed using the place name ``Kamo'' and the famous water ``Myogashimizu'' from Sanyo Road, which is located in the mountain forest owned by our brewery. The second generation, Juzo Maegaki, was concerned about the sanzoshu (sake production method that added alcohol), which had become popular in order to increase production before and after the war, and from 23 he started using only rice and rice malt. Launched ``Honjikomi Kamoizumi'' with the aim of achieving pure rice brewing, which is the traditional method of sake brewing. The name ``Junmai Kamo Izumi'' spread throughout the country. Because it does not undergo activated carbon filtration, it is popular for its rich, mellow flavor and beautiful yellow color.

Yoshie Hiraide Select “Kamo Izumi” 2 Recommended Bottles

Kamo Izumi Junmai Ginjo Shusen Honjikomi　

Junmai Ginjo sake representing Kamoizumi. "It's characterized by its refreshingness and sharpness. You can enjoy the original taste and aroma of rice. It's good cold, but I like to drink it warm."

Type: Junmai Ginjo sake
Raw material rice: Hiroshima Hattan, Shinsenbon
Rice polishing rate: 58%
Sake level: +1
720ml 1,630 yen (excluding tax)

Kamoizumi Junmai Daiginjo Hisashi

Yamada Nishiki rice carefully selected from the local Zoga district of Higashihiroshima City is polished to its limits and fermented slowly at low temperatures. This is a limited edition product made using the bag-squeezing method, which uses only the weight of the mash. "It has a gorgeous ginjo aroma and a refreshing taste. It's perfect for sashimi, etc."

Type: Junmai Daiginjo sake
Raw material rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice polishing rate: 35%
Sake degree: +1.9

720ml 10,000 yen (excluding tax)

◆Kamoizumi Kamoizumi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.

2-4 Saijo Kamiichicho, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
082-423-2118

Toshie Hiraide

Born in 1962. Representative director of Corpo Kou Co., Ltd., which aims to internationalize sake and attract inbound tourists to regional areas. He is the sake samurai coordinator. IWC Ambassador. Shoryudo Ambassador (Inbound Ambassador for XNUMX Chubu Prefectures)

Premium X With pride in sake brewing. Sake and brewery selection recognized by the world

``Sake Samurai'' was started in 2006 by the Japan Sake Brewery Youth Council, a national organization of young brewers, in order to restore the pride of sake and spread the culture of sake not only within Japan but also to the world. Sake Samurai Coordinator Yoshie Hiraide, who is working to realize the dream of turning Sake into a tourism-based nation, will introduce unique sake breweries that Japanese sake lovers should visit at least once, and the sake they want to taste there.

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