Official web site of “MORIKUNI SHUZO”, which is the only sake brewery in Shodo-shima island
Official web site of “MORIKUNI SHUZO”, which is the only sake brewery in Shodo-shima island
MORIKUNI is a new brewery, and the only sake brewery in Shodoshima.
We decided to open our brewery in Shodoshima because of the quality of water. Shodoshima is blessed with rich culture, peaceful people, as well as being surrounded by beautiful nature.
With the support of the local people, we have revived the local sake industry on the island.
From this charming island of Shodoshima, we offer a rich lifestyle encompassing a sake culture, with the goal of bringing people together from all over Japan.
While loving Shodoshima and preserving its traditions, MORIKUNI is always looking to the future and pursuing the ideal sake brewing.
Many people think that sake is clear and colorless. However, the actual color of sake is "yamabuki", a light golden yellow, when it is pressed. To create such a clear sake that you will find in most markets, the sake needs to go through an activated charcoal filtration process.
This process removes not only the coloring matter, but the impurities that cause an unpleasant taste as well as umami, one of the five basic tastes, and fragrance. These impurities and enzymes are absorbed and removed in the brewing process, resulting in a clear, yet umami and flavor-free sake.
Our carefully handcrafted sake is bottled in its traditional state with as little modification as possible, as we thoroughly control the temperature ensuring the quality of the sake.
MORIKUNI is committed to delivering our sake at its very best.
A chief brewer is called “toji”. Each brewery has a toji. Our toji originates from the Tajima region of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. He is at MORIKUNI brewery from late fall to early spring, where he spends day and night together with the brewing team as this is the brewing season.
Our toji also teaches the brewing team how to produce our fine sake. Although we are a small brewery, we brew about 100 koku, which is approximately 18,000 liters of sake. MORIKUNI is always searching for innovative brewing processes, while appreciating new ideas and originality. Our wish is to pass on our local sake brewing knowledge and culture to all.
Shodoshima has long been known as an island of fermented foods. As a result, Shodoshima also has its own fermented food research institute. This is partly because soy sauce production has traditionally been practiced on the island.
In a recent sake research, sake yeast was collected from Shodoshima olive trees, and is called "Sanuki Olive Yeast". MORIKUNI has embraced this research, and we are dedicated to ongoing sake research and processing around Sanuki Olive Yeast.
MORIKUNI's sake is characterized by its color and strong flavor of rice. To achieve this robust flavor, we use high-quality rice suited for sake brewing from the Seto Inland Sea coastal area, such as “Senbon-Nishiki” and “Hattan-Nishiki No. 1”. We are in the process of developing a new blend of Sake “Oseto”, from "Kinuhikari" rice from the Senmaida rice field in the Nakayama district of Shodoshima. The Nakayama district has been selected as one of the "100 best rice terraces in Japan," "100 best Satoyama rice fields," and "100 best water sources” as we treasure local rice grown in Shodoshima.
【Trailer】Shimako and Shodo Island
