Takasago Sake Brewery 高砂酒造

The Takasago Sake Brewery 高砂酒造 is one of the more well-known and respected in Hokkaido. The cold and snowy winters of Asahikawa are great for brewing sake. Uniquely, Takasago builds a large Ice Dome every winter to rest their high-end stuff. It’s quite cold inside and this sake matures very slowly and retains a youthful character. 

Overall, the sake from Takasago Shuzo tends to be light and slightly dry. Like most breweries, they make a range of sake from savory to fruity. But their export sake is primarily fruity, floral ginjo-shu.  

Takasago tries to keep it local with their rice. They are particularly focused on Hokkaido’s signature Ginpu 吟風 sake rice cultivar. What they don’t grow themselves, they contract out to nearby farmers. Soft water from a subterranean arm of the Chubetsu River 忠別川 is used for brewing and other auxiliary activities. This soft brewing water contributes to a mellower character in Takasago’s sake. 

The Takasago Brewery has three primary brands: Takasago 高砂, Kokushimuso 国士無双, and Taisetsu 大雪. Their flagship sake is Ginga Shizuku 銀河雫 Junmai Daiginjo– also known as Divine Droplets. It’s absolutely a sake worth seeking out. 

Location: Asahikawa, Hokkaido   EST: 1889

Official Site– Japanese     fantastic info from eSake

Sake from Takasago Shuzo

Taisetsu Junmai Ginjo	Ginga Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo
Takasago Tokubetsu Junmai	Kokushimuso Junmai

Label Translation

Takasago 高砂  Takasago Shuzo 高砂酒造

Kokushimuso 国士無双  Taisetsu 大雪   

Ginga Shizuku 銀河雫   

Chubetsu River 忠別川

Ginpu 吟風

Asahikawa-shi 旭川市  Hokkaido 北海道