Sake Type
Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
Rice Type & Origin Area
Yamada Nishiki (Nose, Osaka)
Rice-polishing Ratio
70%
Alcohol Percentage
10%
SMV (Sake Meter Value)
-63
Production Area
Osaka
Yamahai Motoshibori
AKISHIKA SHUZO
Before sake can be brewed, the process begins with a special starter mash called the shubo or “Mother of Sake.” This starter lays the foundation for fermentation and shapes the flavour of the final drink. While modern brewing often uses added lactic acid to speed things up, Akishika follows the traditional yamahai method, where natural bacteria from the air are allowed to work their magic. This takes about 30 days, twice as long as modern methods but creates richer, more complex flavours. To highlight this tradition, brewer Hiroaki Oku-san has bottled a sake made entirely from the “Mother of Sake” itself.
About the Sake brewery:
It's a small yet remarkable brewery in the town of Nose, Osaka Prefecture.Since taking over his family’s brewery in 2009, Hiroaki Oku has dedicated himself to “ikkan-zukuri” – the philosophy of making sake from seedling to bottle. He tends 22 hectares of organic rice fields without herbicides, pesticides, or chemicals, instead creating his own fertiliser from the by-products of rice growing and brewing. Oku refuses to use animal manure, believing true purity begins with knowing exactly what goes into the soil. He has even invested in a milling machine, a rare step for a brewery of this size, to ensure every stage remains under his care.