Enjoy the local sake of Iga, a sake place in Mie! Introducing "Iga Shusenkaku Treasured Country Set"♪

[Mie take-out gourmet introduction report: Iga Shusenkaku Treasured Country Set]

Introducing a comparison set of local sake from 5 breweries in Iga, Mie's sake producing region.

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IgaCity, a sake restaurant in Mie. I heard that there is a liquor store in IgaCity City where you can enjoy local sake, so I immediately went to talk to them about it.

The only liquor wholesaler that deals directly with all sake breweries in Iga.

Kikuno Shoten Co., Ltd., located in Ueno Nojin-cho, IgaCity City, was founded in 1909 and is the only liquor wholesaler that does direct business with all 11 breweries in the Iga region (IgaCity and NabariCity).

They are actively working to spread the appeal of Iga and sake, such as planning and selling original products under the trade name "Iga Sake Senkaku" and holding Iga local sake classes at their stores.

A store that sells alcoholic beverages from all over Japan, including Mie Prefecture. Other than alcohol, sake lees is also a popular product these days. In the past, koji was sold wholesale to major food manufacturers as a raw material for Narazuke, but in recent years the health benefits of koji have been reconsidered and it has become popular.
Nowadays, the number of locals and tourists who buy sake lees is increasing. Iga sake lees is said to have more moisture and a richer flavor than the national brand products sold at major supermarkets.

As for how to eat it, it is delicious not only as amazake (sweet sake), but also as a grilled plate or as a soup with lees.
*Please note that Iga sake lees has a limited distribution volume and is not sold throughout the year.

This time, we asked Yoshihisa Kikuno, the fourth generation owner, about the characteristics of Iga as a sake brewery and about Iga's breweries.

A place where you can experience Iga's sake culture

Kikuno Shoten also holds sake tasting events and sake tasting experiences for tourists.

The seven sake breweries in IgaCity are located far apart from each other, making it difficult for tourists to visit them all. However, they want people to learn about the charm of Iga's unique breweries, so they have started offering sake-tasting experiences in addition to providing tourist information about Iga.
It has been about three years since this initiative started, and it has now become popular content for tourists, with many tourists visiting throughout the year.

During the sake tasting experience, the alcohol offered changes depending on the season. We offer freshly squeezed and turbid sake during the cold months of November to March, and seasonal sake in early spring. From May to August, you can enjoy regular sake, and in early fall, you can enjoy seasonal sake that matches Iga's sake brewing cycle.

Iga's climate makes delicious sake

It is said that the important elements for sake brewing are ``rice,'' ``water,'' and ``climate.'' According to Mr. Kikuno, the Iga climate has all the conditions to make this delicious sake.

First of all, rice. Yamada Nishiki, a representative brand of rice suitable for sake brewing, is used to make sake, and it is said that it requires skill to grow because its grains are larger than rice. . Most of Mie's Yamada Nishiki comes from Iga. There are farmers in the Oyamada area and other areas with outstanding techniques who produce high-quality sake rice.

The soil in which the rice is grown is also important. The land of Iga, which is said to have been the bed of Lake Biwa 4 million years ago, is called the ``Old Biwa Lake Layer,'' and the soil is very fine and clay-like. This kind of land is suitable for making pottery and rice, and it is the raw material for pottery such as the famous Iga-Yaki, and supports Iga's rice production.

Looking at the water system, the source area of the Yodogawa River, which flows into Osaka Bay, is where clean water with few impurities moistens the land. This water comes from the abundant clean water that flows from the mountains in all directions and seeps into the Iga Basin, turning it into soft underground water containing high-quality mineral components.

The climate is inland, surrounded by mountains, and has large temperature differences. Winters can be bitterly cold. It is said that alcoholic beverages must be fermented at low temperatures, with a maximum temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius, so a climate as cold as possible is required. Also, the colder the temperature, the less bacteria will grow and the better to produce sake with less unpleasant taste.

All sake breweries in the Iga region are made in cold weather. The preparation work, which takes place late at night in winter when the basics are at their lowest, is not easy, but in order to produce high-quality sake, each sake brewery seems to have inherited the tradition of cold brewing.

As you can see, Iga's land is very suitable for sake brewing, and many sake breweries in the area have been brewing unique sake for a long time.

Representative sake from five breweries in IgaCity

The ``Iga Shusenkaku Treasured Country Set'' that we introduced this time is a product designed to help people learn about the charm of Iga's unique breweries. Contains 300ml sample size sake from five breweries in IgaCity.
Mr. Kikuno gave a lecture on the characteristics of each and recommended ways to drink it.

Voice of Fortune Junmai Ginjo [Fukui Sake Brewery]
The sake is brewed in small quantities using underground water from the Nunobiki Mountains and sake rice from Mie Prefecture, and is characterized by its elegant taste, packed with umami. It is brewed with ultra-soft water with a hardness close to 0, so it is best to drink it chilled if possible. It is sweet and delicious even when drunk alone.

Junmai Dry Hanzo [Ota Sake Brewery]
Junmai sake with a slightly spicy and umami flavor. You will never get tired of drinking it, and it has a refreshing taste while still letting you feel the flavor of the rice. With its calm aroma and refreshing taste, this alcoholic beverage can be enjoyed with food.

Wakaebisu Honjozo [Wakaebisu Brewery]
It is characterized by a refreshing flavor. It has a clean, polished, high-quality flavor that is delicious, and has a sharp, authentic dryness.

Rumiko Sake [Moriki Sake Brewery]
Pure rice sake brewed by a female chief brewer. It has a pleasant aroma and a sharp taste, and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Basho [Hashimoto Sake Brewery]
Although it is a small brewery run by a family, its ability is proven. It goes well with light dishes, sashimi, soba, etc. Please drink this product cold.

We also recommend the sake tasting experience where you can listen to a lecture filled with the love of Iga and local sake by Mr. Kikuno, who is also the vice chairman of the Iga-Ueno Tourism Association, but first, please enjoy the charm of Iga's rich variety of local sake at home.

View product information for Iga Shusenkaku Treasured Country Set