Brewery: Kikusui

“Kikusui” means chrysanthemum water. The brewery’s name was inspired by the belief that by drinking dew that forms on the leaf of the chrysanthemum, one can have eternal youth. Established in 1881, the brewery has operated for over 130 years, and has set many important standards, such as creating the first nama sake, or unpasteurized sake. Kikusui Sake is brewed in Niigata, which is considered to be the “Napa Valley” of sake in terms of climate and quality of resources. It is one of the biggest sake breweries in Japan, but never sacrifices quality of its brewing. The smooth and clean tasting notes of Kikusui sake can be attributed to the abundance of melted snow water used in brewing. The Kikusui Brewery sits at the base of a vast mountain range in Shibata City, Niigata, and the pristine melted snow from the mountain flows into a river literally in the brewery’s backyard. Brewery Name: Kikusui Region: Niigata Est: 1881 All Breweries »