Yoakemae Kinmon Nishiki Junmai Daiginjo | Phantom Sake Rice of Shinshu

Recovering Shinshu's Lost Terroir | The Pure Elegance of "Phantom Sake Rice"

Recovering Shinshu's lost terroir, savor the pure elegance of "Phantom Sake Rice"! Yoakemae Kinmon Nishiki is brewed with the rare variety once vanished and revered as Shinshu's "Phantom Sake Rice" — Kinmon Nishiki — a superior cultivar bred in 1964 from the legendary Nagano Takane Nishiki and Hyogo Yamada Nishiki. Once disappeared due to its extreme brewing difficulty, it was later revived by Ono Shuzoten.

Ono Shuzoten employs a second-by-second precision rice steeping technique to overcome its demanding brewing characteristics. This Junmai Daiginjo combines the lineage of Yamada Nishiki with Nagano's terroir, expressing graceful, full fruit aromatics and the ultimate "Kirei" (crystal-clear) texture, with a clean, slightly-dry finish — a delicately dry masterpiece capturing the pure soul of Shinshu. For sake collectors, rare-rice devotees, Shinshu local sake lovers, and the most prestigious business gifting — a revived sake-rice masterpiece.

Core Brewing Character | The Artisan Revival of Phantom Rice

• Shinshu's Phantom Sake Rice — Kinmon Nishiki:Brewed with the once-vanished rare variety revered as Shinshu's "Phantom Sake Rice", bred in 1964 from Nagano Takane Nishiki and Hyogo Yamada Nishiki — combining Yamada Nishiki's lineage with Nagano's terroir
• Ono Shuzoten Revival Technique:Once vanished due to extreme brewing difficulty, later revived by Ono Shuzoten using a second-by-second precision rice steeping technique to overcome the demanding characteristics
• Ultimate "Kirei" Crystal-Clear Texture:Reveals graceful, full fruit aromatics with the ultimate "Kirei" crystal-clear texture and a clean, slightly-dry finish — the highest expression of the "Kirei" style in Japanese sake

Tasting Notes

• Nose:Opens with graceful, full fruit aromatics — green apple, white peach, gentle white florals, and mineral notes
• Palate:Silky and graceful, mid-palate revealing Kinmon Nishiki's fresh rice sweetness and refined floral aromatics — the ultimate "Kirei" crystal-clear texture
• Finish:Clean, slightly-dry, with lingering white florals and Shinshu's pure terroir character

Recommended Serving

• Chilled (5–10°C):The ideal serving temperature for Junmai Daiginjo — fully expressing Kinmon Nishiki's "Kirei" clarity and slight dryness
• Wine Glass Service:A white wine glass (rather than an ochoko) better releases Kinmon Nishiki's floral aromatics
• Food Pairing:Pairs beautifully with sashimi, white-fleshed fish, kaiseki cuisine, and Shinshu soba noodles
• Storage:Store in a cool, dark place — a rare sake-rice masterpiece worth collecting

Specifications

• Brewery:Ono Shuzoten (Nagano Prefecture)
• Series:Yoakemae
• Type:Junmai Daiginjo
• Rice:Nagano Kinmon Nishiki・Shinshu's Phantom Sake Rice
• Profile:Slight dry・Ultimate "Kirei"
• Volume:720ml

A delicately dry masterpiece capturing the pure soul of Shinshu — for sake collectors, rare-rice devotees, Shinshu local sake lovers, and the most prestigious business gifting.