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Daiginjo MAHO won the
GOLD MEDAL at the largest and most respected Sake
competition in Japan "the National New Sake
Awards" in 2011!
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 The
3 elements that are commonly held to be crucial in
sake brewing are "Rice","Water"
and "People(brewers)". In addition to
those three, we take into account the importance
of "Sado Island" . Our motto is to brew
sake where the four treasures may work
harmoniously.
Moreover, our
family crest has "The Four Diamonds",
which stays true to our motto in holding these
principles. We aim to produce a well balanced
sake, using all those elements efficiently.
Sado Island where
MANOTSURU sake is brewed, has been in the
forefront of nature conservation. Particularly,
this island has concentrated its efforts in
conserving Toki, the Japanese crested ibises. An
island that is kind to Toki is kind to humans as
well, creating a safe atmosphere for living.
Such an atmosphere
yields positive results to every process of sake
brewing. On this island, we have been cultivating
Niigata's special sake rice, "Koshitanrei"
and "Gohyakumangoku" with skilled
farmers.
 MANOTSURU sake has
a transparent dryness, with the soft and gentle
taste. Top quality sake rice, soft water,
beautiful nature and climate…MANOTSURU is a
sake that was born from Sado Island.
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 At
the helm of overseeing the production of Manotsuru sake is our Toji,
brew master, Kenya Kudo(born in 1971). Kenya apprenticed under Maho
Matsui, a famed Toji, brew master.
During the whole sake brewing season, from October to
March, brewers live and breathe with the sake in Kura, in order to
achieve a traditional method of brewing which requires one to tend to
the sake from the break of dawn, and create the best product.
Young brewers show no compromise when it comes to
improving the quality of sake. This youthful energy has contributed to
MANOTSURU receiving Gold Medals at the National New Sake Awards
including 6 straight years, and the world renowned International Wine
Challenge (IWC).
Sado Island is an isolated island which is 35 km off
the coast of Niigata Prefecture. It is 250 km round and its size is
approximately 1.5 times as large as that of Tokyo 23 Metropolitan wards
combined. The water coming from two mountain ranges is soft which is
considered the best water to brew smooth and delicate sake. Sado Island
where Toki live, is also known for its high-quality sake rice. MANOTSURU
has been refined and growing harmoniously with terroir of Sado, nature,
culture, arts and histories.
 1.
The brewers are making preparations.
2. Kenya Kudo, Toji, the brew master
3. Sake rice is steamed early in the morning
4. MANOTSURU sake bottles
5. Bottling sake
6. Ken Hirashima, President of OBATA shuzo, is at rice fields where
special sake rice is grown
For more details about the company,
visit www.obata-shuzo.com
 OBATA
shuzo was founded by Yososaku Obata in 1892. For more than ten
decades ,Obata shuzo's brewers have spent the whole brewing season
in winter at the brewery to take care of sake throughout the day,
and brewed the traditional handcrafted sake. Since 2009 we have
been devoting our efforts to produce premium sake(tokutei
meisho-shu) in order to create higher quality sake.
*"MANOTSURU
MAHO", the Gold Medal daiginjo at IWC |
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Photograph cK.W=
Kazuko Wakayama.
The picture of Toki cSado Japanese Ibis Conservation Center
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