Hakkaisan Kijoshu Sake, Japan

Honeyed fruit, dried apricot, and gentle savory notes unfold with a rich texture balanced by refreshing acidity. Hakkaisan Kijoshu Sake is produced through the distinctive kijoshu method, replacing brewing water with finished sake during the final addition of the three-stage brewing process to create greater concentration and an elegant, measured sweetness. Bottled while still youthful and capable of developing further with age, it applies Hakkaisan’s precise brewing philosophy to a richer and more contemplative expression of sake.

Product Details:

• President: Masato Nagumo
• Toji: Masatoshi Murayama
• Koji Rice: Gohyakumangoku
• Brewing Rice: Koshiibuki
• Rice-Polishing Ratio: 60%
• Yeast: Kyokai No. 901
• Production Method: Finished sake replaces brewing water during the final addition of the three-stage brewing process
• Sake Meter Value: -36.0
• Acidity: 2.5
• Amino Acid Value: 2.5
• ABV: 17.0%
• Production: Limited production

Sensory Description:

Rich yet composed, Hakkaisan Kijoshu shows an elegant sweetness framed by enough acidity to retain definition and freshness. Honeyed and ripe-fruit impressions lead into dried apricot and subtle savory umami, with a rounded, concentrated texture reflecting the use of finished sake during brewing. The palate carries considerably more sweetness and weight than Hakkaisan’s classically dry expressions, yet remains polished rather than heavy. With bottle age, the sake can deepen in color and develop increasingly mature, complex flavors, making its evolution part of the intended experience.

Awards & Accolades:

• Silver Medal: Los Angeles International Wine Competition, 2016

Producer’s Background:

Hakkaisan Brewery was founded by Koichi Nagumo in 1922 in Minamiuonuma, a snow-rich area of Niigata at the foot of Mount Hakkai. Generations of the brewery’s development have centered on a clear, smooth, balanced style of sake designed to complement food, supported by carefully selected rice and the exceptionally soft Raiden-sama no Mizu spring water associated with Mount Hakkai’s snowmelt. In April 2025, Masato Nagumo became President of Hakkaisan Brewery, succeeding Jiro Nagumo, who moved into the role of Chairman. Brewing is led by Toji Masatoshi Murayama, who assumed the master brewer position in 2022. Kijoshu represents a distinctive extension of the house philosophy, retaining Hakkaisan’s emphasis on balance while using finished sake in place of water during the final brewing addition to create greater sweetness, body, and capacity for evolution with age.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve lightly chilled at approximately 8 to 12°C in a small wine glass or sake glass to give its sweetness, acidity, and aromatic depth room to develop. Enjoy on its own after a meal or pair with blue and washed-rind cheeses, foie gras, dried fruit, nuts, fruit-based desserts, or moderately sweet pastries. Its richness also works well against salty and savory foods, while adventurous drinkers can retain bottles to observe the deeper color and more mature flavors that emerge with aging.