KAGURA Junmai Ginjo – Nojohō

This limited-edition KAGURA Junmai Ginjo is brewed with Nojohō sake rice polished to 60% and fermented using Kyokai Yeast No. 1101. Nojohō is the parent variety of Iwai, Kyoto’s signature sake rice. Once regarded alongside Yamada Nishiki as one of Japan’s finest sake rice varieties, Nojohō earned a reputation for its exceptional flavor. However, like Iwai, its tall stalks made cultivation difficult, and it largely disappeared during the 1960s. Today, with only a very limited production volume, it is often referred to as a “phantom sake rice.” Similar to Iwai, Nojohō produces grains that are soft, thick, and rich in umami. To complement these characteristics, we selected Kyokai Yeast No. 1101, known for its strong alcohol tolerance and ability to create a clean, sharp, and dry style of sake. The aroma opens with refreshing notes of white grape and pineapple. On the palate, it presents a crisp and dry profile, followed by a lingering hint of sweet coconut milk on the finish. While fruit-forward, the sake also displays a rustic character, balanced by a firm rice-derived umami. Its dry structure and savory depth make it an excellent pairing for dishes with pronounced saltiness. This sake is completely unfiltered, allowing the natural character of the rice to remain intact. Depending on the bottling timing, rice-derived components may remain in the bottle. In the unpasteurized (namazake) version, the lively energy of the active yeast can be experienced directly on the palate.