Yamaoka Shuzo (山岡酒造株式会社)
Yamaoka Shuzo is a brewery, founded in 1890. A sake brewery in Miyoshi, Hiroshima, making Zuikan and Iikaze. It uses rice such as Kame-no-o and Yamada Nishiki grown with local farmers and makes full-bodied dry sake.
- Makes
- Sake
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
The brewery traces its start to around 1890, when it took over the long-established Ibori sakaba, an old tavern from the Edo period. It began under the name Gion Masamune, but after a trademark conflict with a Fushimi brewery in Kyoto, it returned that name in 1927 and took the name Zuikan, a brand originally from a Shikoku brewery. The brewery is now run by the fourth generation. Miyoshi sits at about 350 meters with large temperature swings, which suits rice growing, and the brewery has grown its own sake rice since the 1980s while working with local farming.
What makes it distinct
- Water
- Brewing water is Arita Shimizu, spring water from the mountain foot about 4 km from the brewery. The water is medium-soft with a moderate mineral content.
- Ingredients
- Sake rice including Kame-no-o, Yamada Nishiki, Omachi and Shinsenbon is grown with local farmers.
- Yeast
- The brewery uses the kimoto starter method for its yeast starter.
- Master brewer
- The toji joined the brewery at 23 and has worked on sake making there for 24 years.
- Style
- Soft on the palate with a crisp finish, a full-bodied dry style that is aged moderately and suited to warming.
Visiting
- Tours
Brewery tours are accepted at any time. Visitors send their group size and preferred dates, up to a third choice, through the inquiry form.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: zuikan.jp