Shiragiku Shuzo is nestled in the town of Takahshi within the Okayama Prefecture, in the southern end of the main island. Okayama is blessed with a temperate climate and fertile soils that make rice-growing particularly interesting. The prefecture produces 90% of Japan’s Omachi rice varietal, one of the few heirloom varietals left in Japan. Omachi is the first rice varietal to be nationally registered, and was the dominant variety for sake production until the development of Yamadanishiki in the early 20th century. Due to its cumbersome cultivation, Omachi fell out of favor to other more optimized cross-breeds and was almost extinct until the 1980s when it experienced a revival.
In addition to Omachi rice, Shiragiku Shuzo itself has led a movement to revitalize the Miki-nishiki rice varietal – a long forgotten heritage rice also on the brink of extinction. For these reasons, Shiragiku Shuzo is a champion of the local rice growers, from which they source all their rice.
Okayama is home to beautiful and pristine rivers flowing from the beautiful Kibi-Kogen mountain range. Shiragiku Shuzo uses mountain spring water naturally filtered through a massive limestone plateau that infuses the water with the proper minerals ideal for sake production – namely magnesium, phosphate and calcium. Shiragiku Shuzo has their own proprietary well used only for sake production.
Although the brewery has reorganized several times in its history, including once in 1972 due to a flood that completely destroyed the brewery, Shiragiku Shuzo has been producing sake since 1865.
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