Shirataki Sake Brewery Co,. Ltd. – We have more than 150 years of brewing experience in Echigo Yuzawa

Shirataki Sake Brewery is renowned both in Japan and around the world for the quality of our sake. We use only the finest rice and natural mineral water as ingredients. Our brewing techniques have been refined and perfected during 150 years experience of sake production.

Shirataki Sake Brewery is based in Echigo Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture, an area renowned for its heavy snowfall. In spring the snow melts to provide an abundance of clear natural mineral water a prime ingredient for sake, which consists of 85% water. The molten snow passes though a coal seam when running downhill from mountain peaks: thus a natural charcoal filtration process further accentuates the taste and quality of the water.

The other main ingredient for sake is rice: the abundance of clear natural water provides irrigation for rice-paddies – creating the best quality ingredients for sake. Echigo Yuzawa is home to “Koshihikari” the most famous, high-quality rice brand in Japan.

Shirataki Labels

• Jozen Mizunogotoshi
  The style of this label is to provide a light, clear sake that is easy on the palette, but offers a background of subtle tasting notes. Jozen is an ideal accompaniment for a variety of foods, and for beginners to the world of sake, this is an ideal introduction. As such, Jozen is one of the most popular sake labels in Japan.

• Minatoya Tosuke
  This label is named after the founder of Shirataki Sake Brewery. In keeping with the venerable traditions associated with such a name, the Minatoya Tosuke label offers the deep flavour and characteristics of traditional sake for a modern age.

• Uonuma
  “Uonuma” is a local area of Niigata Prefecture famed for its natural beauty. The kura-bito have a long history of affection for the Uonuma area due to its production of excellent rice crops, and this is shown in Uonuma sake. This rich, deep sake is a manifestation of the wealth of experience of sake making in this area and is as much enjoyed by locals of Uonuma as sake-lovers around the country.

• Shingono Ippon
  Only the very best Yamada-nishiki rice is used in the creation of this sake, which is brewed using the traditional cotton moromi pressing technique. The traditional techniques make for an elegant sake with strong, complex flavours and a powerful aroma.

• Shirataki International
  Sake shows the essence of Japan, yet is enjoyed around the world. Our International label highlights a sake style highly popular in international markets. The distinctive label design was created by a French artist, who painted the rice paddy files of the Echigo Yuzawa area.

Tasting Tours
We would be pleased to arrange tasting tours free of charge at the sake showroom in our offices. Our offices are only a 5minute walk from Echigo Yuzawa train station. Please feel free to contact us in order to reserve a time.
Our sake tasting showroom is open Monday to Friday from 9am-12pm, and 1pm-4pm. The showroom is closed on national holidays.

Due to the highly delicate nature of the sake producing process, we are unable to escort customers into the kura brewery itself.
If you would like to book a sake tasting tour, please fill out this form and mail to us.

The legal limit for drinking alcohol in Japan is 20 years of age: we cannot allow sake tasting tours for persons under this age.