Takizawa Sake Brewery in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, is currently working on "AWA SAKE," the pinnacle of sparkling sake, with the desire to "create sake at its peak." Why did they choose "AWA SAKE" as their ideal sake? What is "AWA SAKE," which the sake industry is promoting as the post-champagne? We interviewed Hideyuki Takizawa, CEO and brewery master brewer.

[Takizawa Shuzo] As the first brewery master brewer

Takizawa Sake Brewery was founded in Ogawamachi, Saitama in 3, and in 33, the brewery was established in its current location in Fukaya, Saitama. The 20-meter-tall red brick chimney on the premises still bears the scars of machine gun fire from air raids during the war, and is a symbol of the brewery that has survived through the ages. Hideyuki Takizawa, the sixth generation head of the brewery, was appointed as the chief brewer in 19.

- Before you became the head brewer, was someone else making the sake?
Takizawa-san: "Until then, a Nanbu Toji (master brewer) came to work here. The same person had been working here since I was a child. I had been brewing sake with him for nine years since I returned from Hiroshima (the former National Tax Agency Brewing Research Institute). When that Toji finally retired, I was asked to take over."

-That was the birth of Takizawa Sake Brewery's first master brewer.
Takizawa: "When the master brewer who had devoted himself to the business for over 30 years passed away and I became the master brewer, I felt a lot of pressure. Of course, there was the sake brewing aspect, but we also had to manage the business because we were a brewery, and because we were a small business at the time, I also had to do the sales myself, and being a local business means being involved in local organizations and so on. There were so many things going on at the beginning that we had a lot of failures in sake brewing."

"Kikuizumi" is a great supporting actor

-What are your thoughts when you approach sake brewing?
Takizawa-san: "When I first returned to my hometown, I felt the need to improve my standard sake brewing techniques rather than trying something different, so I wanted to be able to make Daiginjo sake that would win awards at tasting competitions. Of course, I still have that feeling, but in recent years, for the sake in Kikuizumi's regular lineup, I've been making sake that is like a great supporting actor. The juicy sakes that are popular on the market now are the main players with a strong impact, and are like idols in the case of celebrities. But our goal is to make sake that is like a supporting actor. It complements the food and has a subdued aroma. But when you drink it, it has a sharp taste, and leaves a bit of an impression after drinking it, like a cool actor. Like Matsushige Yutaka from "The Solitary Gourmet" (laughs)."

- A supporting actor, that's an easy-to-understand analogy!
Takizawa: "I'm aiming to make something that people will look back on and say, 'That's a great drink.' But sparkling wine is a different story."

"Kikuizumi Hitosuji" is "AWA SAKE" that opens up the world to Japanese sake

The "sparkling" that Takizawa-san is talking about is the "Kikuizumi Hitosuji" series. "Kikuizumi Hitosuji" is a special sparkling sake called "AWA SAKE".General Incorporated Association Awasake Association" is a toast drink that has fascinated the world. We asked Takizawa Shuzo about this "AWA SAKE," which is the brand they are currently focusing on.

-What kind of organization is the Awasake Association?
Takizawa: "Originally, just when our company was working on sparkling sake, Nagai Sake Brewery (Gunma Prefecture), which developed the world's first clear sparkling sake fermented in the bottle, approached sake breweries across the country, including ours, saying, 'We want to create an organization like the French Champagne Committee to promote sake that will be recognized around the world.' This prompted nine sake breweries to start preparations in 2013 and establish the organization in 9. Currently, we have more than 2016 member companies."

- There are many different types of sparkling sake, including those that are injected with carbon dioxide, those that are activated and have undergone secondary fermentation in the bottle, but what are the specific characteristics of "AWA SAKE"?
Takizawa: "There are strict standards, but the main thing is that it is a type that undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, and is characterized by a clear liquor due to a process called disgorgement, which is the process of removing the lees. This is the same method as champagne. One of the reasons why French champagne has an image of being very high-class is that it is a clear liquid. It is suitable for special occasions."

"Remuage" - Turning AWA SAKE upside down to drain the sediment

- Could you tell us why and how Takizawa Sake Brewery decided to take on the challenge of "AWA SAKE"?
Takizawa-san: "The idea for the current Kikuizumi Hitosuji came when I was working at Ishikawa Sake Brewery. At the time, I was entrusted with analyzing the ingredients of sake. I could check the changes in the fermentation every day, and there was a time when I thought, 'This is the best timing.' It was the climax of the balance of sweetness and sourness, and the effervescence caused by the gas produced by fermentation. I wanted to commercialize that, and that's how Hitosuji came about. So, the first product I worked on as a sparkling sake was a cloudy type called 'Sai no Awayuki.' Around that time, President Nagai of Nagai Sake Brewery approached me, and the 'Mizubasho Pure' developed by Nagai Sake Brewery was so sensational that I wanted to make a sake like that someday."

-What kind of sake is Kikuizumi Hitosuji today?
Takizawa: "There are many types of AWA SAKE from the Awa Sake Association, but most of them are light and dry. Among them, if you were to compare the AWA SAKEs of each company on a coordinate axis, Hitosuji's taste would be on another level."

-In terms of numbers, the sake meter value is quite negative, and the acidity is also very high.
Takizawa: "That's right. The sweetness and sourness are exactly what we're aiming for. We think of "Hitosuji" as an impactful "leading character."

- I imagine that each brewery has their own way of expressing their individuality within the constraints of rules, but are there any unique features of the production method at "Hitosuji"?
Takizawa-san: "We make four small batches of the same mash, and use three different types of yeast, A, B, and C, in each. Each yeast has a different fermentation ability, so for example, we extract the yeast with the strongest fermentation ability and use it as the sediment for the second fermentation. If we blended yeasts in one batch, the stronger one would win, so we use this method to make the most of the individual characteristics of each yeast. We also use much less sediment for the second fermentation than other companies. Normally, if there is less sediment, it is difficult for the gas pressure to increase during the second fermentation, but Hitosuji is sweet and has a lot of glucose, so there is a lot of food left for the yeast, which allows us to increase the pressure."

-This is the individuality that can only be achieved within the strict standards of the "AWA SAKE" brewing method.
Takizawa: "Compared to champagne, the rules for sake and AWA SAKE, including Japan's Liquor Tax Act, are strict. Personally, I think it would be good to increase the variety of sake we can make, given that we have no choice but to compete using only rice."

The sediment that accumulates at the mouth of the bottle is later racked to make the wine clear.

SakeworldNFT"Kikuizumi" who appears inAWA SAKE

Kikuizumi: Dedicated
Rice polishing rate: 60%
Raw rice: Sake Musashi, Gohyakumangoku (both produced in Saitama Prefecture)
Alcohol degree: 12 degree
Sake Meter Value: -30
Acidity: 4.8
The method for producing sparkling sake has been patented (Patent No. 6611181), and is the standard for AWA SAKE produced by Takizawa Shuzo. This sake is characterized by the umami flavor of pure rice sake and a good balance of sweetness and sourness.

Kikuizumi Hitosuji Rose
Rice polishing rate: 60%
Raw rice: Sake Musashi, Gohyakumangoku (both produced in Saitama Prefecture)
Alcohol degree: 11 degree
Sake meter value: -45
Acidity: 3.8
The rice is polished to the same degree as "Hitosuji," but the use of red yeast gives it a sweet strawberry-like aroma. The mellow flavor goes well with sweets.

Kikuizumi One-suji Rei
Rice polishing rate: 35%
Raw rice: Gohyakumangoku (produced in Saitama Prefecture)
Alcohol degree: 12 degree
Sake meter value: -35
Acidity: 4.5
"Hitosuji Rei" is made from sake rice produced in Saitama Prefecture, polished to 35%, and has an exquisite balance of the dignity of a Daiginjo sake and the fullness of the rice. It is aged in a refrigerator for three years before shipping, which gives it a rich flavor and makes it a one-of-a-kind sake.

- At SakeworldNFT, these sakes are stored below zero in a cellar at -5℃. Do you foresee any changes in the quality or taste of the sake as a result?
Takizawa: For example, our company ages "Hitosuji Rei" at 0℃, but if we then store it at -5℃, the rate of aging will slow down. I think it will change in a good way, even if it's just wishful thinking.

- I'm personally interested in the sub-zero aging of "Hitosuji Rosé." I haven't heard much about attempts to age alcohol that uses red yeast...
Takizawa: "That's true. Red yeast sake is usually cloudy, and sake brewers sell fresh sake as a seasonal product. In fact, one drawback of red yeast is that it is sensitive to temperature and light, and will turn yellow after about two months at room temperature. But on the other hand, the color can be maintained if stored at low temperatures of below 2°C, so -5°C below zero is an even better environment, and it seems like it will be able to maintain its beautiful pink color for a long time without fading."

SakeworldNFT"Kikusen" aged sake featured in

Kikuizumi Daiginjo Secret Sake
Rice polishing rate: 40%
Raw rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo Prefecture)
Alcohol degree: 16 degree
Sake degree: + 5
Acidity: 1.2
The elegant aroma of green apples and pears is gentle and subtle. This is a type of Daiginjo with a short aftertaste and a clean, crisp finish, but by aging it develops depth and mellowness like ripe fruit.

-What do you think would happen if this treasured sake were stored in the SakeworldNFT cellar?
Takizawa-san: "It's been refrigerated for over five years, but it's still in pretty good condition and the color isn't too dark. It's more of a refined, matured sake than an aged sake, so I think it will maintain that image."

Creating a space where you can "enjoy" your ideal drink

-Do you have any goals or plans for the future?
Takizawa-san: "We believe that AWA SAKE can pave the way for the future of sake, but we also want to collaborate with events and get involved with other local industries. We're also planning to renovate our direct sales store, so we want to create a fun space. Our goal is to provide a place where people can get the same kind of excitement as they would get from touring a brewery."

Takizawa-san spoke in a light-hearted manner that made us visualize the type of sake he wants to make and the vision he has for it. He wants as many people as possible to try "Kikuizumi," which is full of skill and personality, and "Hitosuji," which pursues the ideal.

Writer: Arika Mito
Living in Tokyo / Sake/Japanese writer, Japanese teacher, Sake taster
A writer and teacher who is active in the "two (Japanese) pillars" of Japanese and sake. Her favorite brand is ``Yamato Shizuku'' and she has a strong love for Akita Prefecture.
Other than alcohol, my hobbies are fashion and perfume. Qualifications: SAKE DIPLOMA, Sake Studies Instructor, Sake Master, Japanese Language Teaching Proficiency Test