
Rarak Junmai Daiginjo 35
Ibaraki Sake Brewery LLC | Hyogo Prefecture
Ibaraki Sake Brewery
A sake brewery in the western part of Akashi City called Nishinada. The Nishinada region, blessed with famous water and a cool climate, flourished with over 60 sake breweries at its peak around the Meiji period, but only six remain today.
Ibaraki Sake Brewery's ``Kuraku'' has been known as a representative brand of Akashi ever since that time. The origin of the sake name comes from Confucius's Analects, ``I am a friend, come from afar, and am not happy again.'' The name symbolizes the joy of sharing sake with friends, and the symmetrical letters represent the fact that there is no two sides to the heart.
All processes are done by hand by the 9th generation brewer, the brewer, and a small group of brewers. They use Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, and other rice grown locally in Hyogo Prefecture that is suitable for sake brewing. The series, which uses flower yeasts such as Abelia and Gekka Bijin, is popular among women for its fruity aroma that makes you want to drink it in a wine glass. The non-alcoholic amazake made only with rice and rice malt is also popular.
The brewery, which has been designated as a tangible cultural property by Hyogo Prefecture, is open to the public for rakugo performances and brewery openings, and other interactions with the local community are also popular. In particular, the ``Kairaku Shikomi-no-kai'' is a must-see event for sake lovers, where you can experience everything from planting, preparing, and squeezing sake rice (fees apply; two bottles of sake made at the event are included).