Japanese Sake
about Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura
What is really “good” sake?
Going back to the basics of sake brewing, we began by building a brewery. The Shirakabegura Brewery combines two completely different approaches to sake brewing: sake brewing with cutting- edge equipments that reproduces the principles of traditional hand-brewing and sake brewing where most processes take place by hand.
The brewery is home to both tradition and innovation in sake brewing, producing Kimoto Junmai with the traditional kimoto method, MIO Sparkling Sake, which proposes new experience, and other unique products.
Shirakabegura Line-up
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Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura “MIO” Sparkling Sake
MIO Sparkling Sake is a sensational drink made from rice and rice koji. This smooth, easy drinking, low alcohol sake goes perfectly with various types of cuisines. Its fruity flavour, subtle sweetness and refreshing burst of bubbles make MIO a great accompaniment to your quality time with friends and loved ones.
- Fruity
- Subtle sweetness
- Sparkling
Sake Meter Value -70 Acidity 4.0 Alcohol 5% Serving Temperature Chilled 5℃ Net 750ml、300ml、150ml 
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Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura Junmai Daiginjo
The rice used to produce this junmai daiginjo is 100% Hyogo Prefecture-grown Yamadanishiki, which is known as the highest-quality ideal sake rice variety. The rice grains are carefully polished to 45% of their original sizes and used for brewing with Miyamizu, renowned natural water from Nada. This sake features a wealth of a banana-like fruity aroma and the rich flavor of rice, which comfortably fills your mouth in every sip.
- Fruity
- Rich in rice taste
- Concentrated
Sake Meter Value ±0 Acidity 1.5 Alcohol 15-16% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 640ml、300ml ※300ml : Products only for overseas markets
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Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura Kimoto Junmai
This junmai sake is brewed with the traditional kimoto method, using 100% Gohyakumangoku, an ideal sake rice variety. It is characterized by a mellow mouthfeel and a soft flavor despite feeling complex and concentrated due to a rich rice taste brought out fully.
- Mellow
- Rich in rice taste
- Concentrated
Sake Meter Value +2.0 Acidity 1.2 Alcohol 15-16% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 1.8L、640ml、300ml ※300ml : Products only for overseas markets
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Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura Kimoto Junmai Muroka Himurochozo 2017
KIMOTO JUNMAI MUROKA HIMUROCHOZO results from a slow, low-temperature maturation process since 2017 that mellows and harmonizes the complex flavors of muroka (no charcoal filtration) Junmai sake. When chilled, it displays exquisite aromas of white peaches and yellow apples, and at room temperature, cantaloupe, banana bread, and flowers.
- Mellow
- Harmony of flavors
- Full-bodied
Sake Meter Value +3.0 Acidity 1.3 Alcohol 16-17% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 640ml ※Products only for overseas markets
※Sold in limited quantities as soon as they are gone -
Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura Daiginjo Muroka Genshu
The rice used to produce this daiginjo is 100% Gohyakumangoku, an ideal sake rice variety. Made of rice grains carefully polished to 50% of their original sizes, this sake features a fresh, apple-like fruity aroma, as well as a mellow flavor and a full body, both of which are unique to non-micro-filtered, undiluted sake.
- Fruity
- Mellow
- Full-bodied
Sake Meter Value +1 Acidity 1.3 Alcohol 17-18% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 640ml -
L’ATELIER DU SAKÉ
–DAÏGINJO–
This daiginjo features a fresh, apple-like fruity aroma and a good body, which is unique to non-micro-filtered, undiluted sake. We developed this product in the hope that European people will find the charms and deliciousness of sake and become more familiar with it as part of their choice of alcoholic beverages for daily use. It can be used as a cocktail base too.
- Fruity
- Mellow
- Full-bodied
Sake Meter Value +1 Acidity 1.3 Alcohol 17-18% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 500ml ※Developed jointly with FOODEX S.A.S.
※Products only for overseas markets -
Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura NEND
This sake features a rich, full-bodied flavor that brings out the deep umami of rice, complemented by a complex and elegant aroma that unfolds with floral notes. It pairs harmoniously with food, melting together in a luxurious and flavorful experience
- Rich in rice taste
- Mellow
- Rich flavor
Sake Meter Value Undisclosed Acidity Undisclosed Alcohol 16-17% Serving Temperature 10-12℃ Net 720ml ※Limited edition - ends when stock runs out
The sake for celebrations
Origin of the brand name “Sho Chiku Bai”: Three Friends of Winter
Pine trees maintain their green leaves even in the freezing cold, while bamboos grow elastically. Ume plum trees bear blossoms earlier than most other flowering plants. The trio of the pine, bamboo, and ume plum—“sho-chiku-bai” in Japanese—has been called the “Three Friends of Winter” and loved as an auspicious motif since ancient times. This motif has often appeared not only in literary and cultural works but also in the daily lives of the general public since olden days.
Named after this auspicious motif, Sho Chiku Bai sake has long been loved as sake for celebrations, together with its logo, a calligraphic work reading “Sho Chiku Bai” by the calligrapher Goho Hibino.
Sho Chiku Bai Line-up
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Sho Chiku Bai “Kyoto Fushimizu Jitate” Junmai
Brewed with Fushimizu, famous natural water from Fushimi, Kyoto, this junmai sake features a mellow flavor and a rich rice taste, which is unique to junmai sake. It is a ki-ippon, or a sake for which the entire production process, from preparation to bottling, takes place at a single brewery. This sake is 100% from Fushimi, Kyoto, a representative sake production center.
- Mellow
- Soft
- Rich in rice taste
Sake Meter Value +2 Acidity 1.3 Alcohol 13.0-14.0% Serving Temperature Chilled to warm Net 1.8L、720ml、300ml ※Products only for overseas markets
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Sho Chiku Bai “KAORI”
This nama-chozo sake（pasteurized only once at bottling）is characterized by an unprecedentedly clear fruity aroma, which is brought out by our proprietary yeast. It features a refreshing fruity feeling, a clear and clean mouthfeel, and a fresh flavor. It perfectly matches not only Japanese cuisine but also Western cuisine.
- Fruity
- Fresh
- Clear
Sake Meter Value ±0 Acidity 1.0 Alcohol 14-15% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 180ml ※Products only for overseas markets
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Sho Chiku Bai “MIZU-OTO”
This Sake has a fruity melon/pear-like aroma and a refreshing sweetness. Our unique brewing technology has created a well-balanced taste with a Ginjo-Sake-like aroma, rice-derived sweetness, and a sense of volume. It can be enjoyed in brand new ways, such as mixing with sparkling water.
- Fruity
- Refreshing sweetness
- Full-bodied
Sake Meter Value -17 Acidity 1.8 Alcohol 14-15% Serving Temperature Chilled 5℃ Net 720ml、300ml ※300ml : Products only for overseas markets
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SAKE CAN “SORA”
Junmai SAKE
Brewed with the soft purity of Kyoto's Fushimizu water, this canned junmai sake presents a refined dryness and a smooth, rich rice finish.
- Dry
- Mellow
- Rich in rice taste
Sake Meter Value +3 Acidity 1.5 Alcohol 15.2% Serving Temperature Chilled 10℃ Net 180ml ※Products only for overseas markets
ABC’s of Sake
Nihonshu, made of rice as a principal food for Japanese people and water, constitute a long-inherited element of Japanese culture. At a brewery, rice grown in paddy fields meets with good water in the preparation process, which is followed by the long brewing process, resulting in Nihonshu. Nihonshu differ in aroma and flavor depending on the rice variety used and the brewing method. There are various ways of savoring Nihonshu, combining them with seasonal foods that nicely match them or enjoying them at different temperatures.
We believe that a deeper understanding of sake —such as commonly heard terms like “sake meter value (SMV)” and acidity—will help you experience it in a new and more insightful way.
Please enjoy the craftsmanship of Takara Shuzo.
TAKARA SHUZO Product Guide (in Japanese)
