Henmi Shuzo

Henmi Shuzo Co., Ltd. (逸見酒造株式会社) is a Japanese sake brewery headquartered in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture. It was founded in 1872 (Meiji 5), when it began brewing sake, and describes itself as the smallest brewery on Sado Island. Its flagship sake brand is Shiryo (真稜). The brewery is known for its commitment to traditional methods. It is the only brewery on Sado — and one of only a handful in Niigata Prefecture — to use the yamahai (山廃) brewing method, a slower, more labor-intensive approach that relies on natural lactic acid bacteria. Its brewing water, drawn from a well on the premises, is medium-hard water, unusual for Sado; it rises from underground shell deposits and is rich in minerals such as calcium. The brewery uses sake rice varieties including Yamadanishiki, Gohyakumangoku, and Koshitanrei. Henmi Shuzo's product line includes junmai daiginjo, junmai ginjo, junmai, and honjozo sake, with representative items such as Shiryo Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo, Shiryo Itaru Junmai Ginjo Namazake, Shiryo Itaru Junmai Namazake, Shiryo Itaru Junmai Nigori, and Shiryo Tokubetsu Honjozo Hitoaji no Makoto. For some daiginjo and ginjo sake, the brewery deliberately avoids using powdered activated carbon during filtration in order to preserve umami and aroma. The brewery markets its sake under the concept of "Sugao no Bishu" (素顔の美酒), meaning sake in its natural, unadorned state — minimally handled after brewing so that drinkers can enjoy its true color, aroma, and flavor. Because it is a small brewery, it has a notably homey atmosphere. The representative director is Akimasa Henmi (逸見明正). The company sells directly through its official website and by telephone order.

Henmi Shuzo began brewing sake in 1872 (Meiji 5), early in the Meiji era, and has continued brewing in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, since then. The brewery's official website states that since its founding it has entrusted its aspiration of "biryoku-zukuri" (美禄づくり, roughly "making fine sake") into every drop it produces. Over its long history, Henmi Shuzo has remained a small, family-scale brewery. It describes itself as the smallest brewery on Sado Island. It is the only brewery on Sado to use the yamahai (山廃) brewing method, and one of only a few in Niigata Prefecture to do so. This traditional method, which relies on natural lactic acid bacteria rather than added lactic acid, produces sake with a distinctive character. The brewery draws its brewing water from a well on its premises. This water is medium-hard, unusual for Sado, and comes from underground shell deposits, giving it a mineral-rich profile with calcium and other minerals. For its sake rice, it uses Yamadanishiki, Gohyakumangoku, and Koshitanrei. In its brewing, Henmi Shuzo emphasizes minimal intervention. For some of its daiginjo and ginjo sake, it deliberately avoids using powdered activated carbon during filtration, a common practice in sake making, in order to retain umami and aroma. Its flagship brand is Shiryo (真稜), and its product range includes junmai daiginjo, junmai ginjo, junmai, and honjozo, including namazake (unpasteurized) and nigori (cloudy) styles. The brewery markets its sake under the concept of "Sugao no Bishu" (素顔の美酒), meaning sake in its natural, unadorned state. It aims to deliver freshly pressed sake to drinkers with as little processing as possible, so that the sake's true color, aroma, and flavor can be enjoyed. The representative director is Akimasa Henmi (逸見明正). The company sells its products directly through its official website and by telephone order, and posts notices about seasonal closures and system maintenance on its site.

• 2022

  Featured in 'Niigata Sake Kiko' (上), published by Niigata Nippo.

• 1872

  Began brewing sake in Sado, Niigata (Meiji 5).

Small, traditional Sado Island brewery specializing in yamahai-method sake and minimally processed, natural-style sake.

• Junmai Daiginjo

  Shiryo Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo

• Junmai Ginjo

  Shiryo Itaru Junmai Ginjo Namazake

• Junmai

  Shiryo Itaru Junmai Namazake

• Junmai

  Shiryo Itaru Junmai Nigori

• Honjozo

  Shiryo Tokubetsu Honjozo Hitoaji no Makoto

1. 1逸見酒造 佐渡で一番小さな蔵元 銘酒「真稜」henmisyuzo.com
2. 2逸見酒造 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Henmi shuzo - Wikidatawikidata.org