Nakano brewing company has been brewing delicious sake since only 1949, making them quite the youngster on the sake brewing scene. They are located on the inlet coast of Wakayama Bay, just south of Osaka. Originally a producer of soy sauce, then shochu, Nakano found its way to sake production and has been renowned internationally ever since. Nakano produces a range of delicious junmai, ginjo & diaginjo grade sakes. Their famed “Bunzaemon” junmai, named after a famous Japanese merchant, has earned international acclaim.
It may come as a shock to some, but sake has steadily fallen out of favor with young drinkers in Japan, who increasingly favor cocktails and beer. Nakano has wisely expanded their business to become a cultural hub, producing a range of health foods and cosmetic supplies from local ingredients with a strong emphasis on interactive classes for tourists and locals alike. A trip to their brewery is not complete without a walk through their expansive Japanese garden.
Nakano also specializes in the production of ume-shu or “plum liqueur” which they adopted in 1979. In fact, this brewery as revered for their ume-shu as they are for sake. Wakayama Prefecture accounts for about 60% of the country’s plum cultivation. Japanese plums are revered for their intense sweet & sour taste, as well as purported health benefits like fortifying the blood, anti-aging, and anti-fatigue (whichever is the case, it will put a smile on your face). Like cider apples, Japanese ume are too tart to eat raw, so they must soak for at least 6 months at the brewery prior to production.
Sell Sheets
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon Junmai
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon Junmai Gingjo
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon ‘Black’ Daiginjo
Nakano Umeshu (Plum Wine)
Nakano Yuzu Umeshu (Plum Wine with Yuzu)