this has the Sushi Sho shop name on it, so some private blend. maybe Niizawa or Kamonishiki, my guess is the former as I think he’s served Hakurakusei pretty regularly at least at his other restaurants.
Hitakami Yasuke junmai dainginjo, yamadanishiki, the clear hyotan bottle
(don’t know this one)
Born muroka nama genshu junmai daiginjo, yamadanishiki
Shichiken Hakushin junmai daiginjo. i forgot the rice
Juyondai looks like Bessen. junmai daiginjo, yamadanishiki
Masuizumi kijoshu, not the oak barrel aged one. don’t know the rice.
i’m actually quite interested to see what Mitani NY will bring in terms of alcohol / sake pairing when they open (later this year?). had some very enjoyable sake and pairings at Kioicho Mitani / Mitani Bettei, at times a double pairing for comparison (this would be a bit much for most meals imo).
Hououbiden Reserve Orders 2026 1st Mita shinriki, junmai ginjo, nama genshu kimoto
1st look in at the Hououbiden. made with shinriki rice (from Mita), a rare heirloom varietal that’s new to me. 55% polishing, 15-16% abv.
bright extroverted ginjo aroma classic of Hououbiden, mouthfeel is supple and medium-full bodied, super smooth, palette is dense, lustrous, round, a bit sweet, with juicy pineapple, a bit of green apple like acidity in the mid along with mild floral and bitter notes, honey, with a savory and mellow finish, moderate complexity and pretty unique. when more to room temp, it tastes more old school. maybe a touch sweet to my taste, but a really interesting look between old school and modern.
Maison Aoi Shirosumire (white violet), 2025. Miyama nishiki (rice). Aoi Shuzo is a new project (started in 2024) in Niigata by former employees of Tatenokawa. I first encountered Maison Aoi last year at Kusunoki and then Kurosaki in Tokyo, but this is my first time with the “white violet” of their Colours series. Tbh, I like the Dewasansan rice better, but this was still quality, if a bit understated. Low polishing, essential umami and with a nice structure, taste is clear and gentle, developing and better the second day and with food. They just started their Domaine Aoi line with their own rice.
Guinomi by Yu Nishioka, in his style “the black fox” that fuses ki-seto and raku.
Ilaka Ginmori Yamahai Muroka Nama Genshu. Kinmon nishiki (rice). This was really nice and despite being a yamahai and unfiltered, unpasteurized, and undiluted, it wasn’t as wild or bold as I thought it could be. I quite like Ilaka from the few times I’ve had it, and this was another good experience. Got better with air and time and the last sip was the best sip. Ilaka is the newest brewery in Japan, but the team has a lot of experience. Ex Daishinshu. This one is from Nagano for the soft water. Nagano is home to some of my favorites.
Tokkuri by Masafumi Yamaguchi (father of celebrated ceramic artist Makoto Yamaguchi) and guinomi by Katsunori Sawa, both in the style “yashichida-oribe.”
Ocean99 Soraumi In-Flight. Ocean99 is an easy drinking line by Kankiku (Chiba) - I’ve wrote about it before, but the idea is like the feeling of sitting calmly by Kujukuri Beach (Ninety-Nine Beach) in Chiba and watching airplanes take off. This one is for early Summer drinking. I’ve tried maybe 6-8 types of Ocean99 now but this one was a bit off on the first day tbh. It got a little bit better with air, but I think that other bottles showed better. Kankiku’s signature sweetness up front then pronounced gassiness/bitterness at back - it can work but when it’s in balance. Juicy Asian pear and rich sweetness then some refreshing bitterness, but maybe a bit too crisp at the finish.
