What is Akita's famous sake, "Four Seasons of the Shirakami Mountains"? Japanese sake born in Daisen City, even the residents of the prefecture don't know much about [Akita Prefecture]

When drinking sake from Akita, a sake-producing region, there are probably many people who would like to try rare sake that not many people know about, rather than sake from famous breweries

In this article, we will introduce in detail the famous sake recommended for such people, Shirakami-Sanchi's Four Seasons

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What are the four seasons in the Shirakami Mountains

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Shirakami-Sanchi no Shiki is a Japanese sake produced by Yaesu Meishu Co., Ltd. and sold by Nihon Shurui Hanbai Co., Ltd., and originating from Daisen City, Akita Prefecture

It first went on sale in 1996, so it's not surprising that anyone from Akita has heard of it at least once, but surprisingly, there are probably many people who don't know about the four seasons in the Shirakami-Sanchi

As of December 2021, none of the supermarkets in Omagari, Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, where the brewery is based, including Yoneya Supermarket Tomaki Branch, The Big Omagari Iida Branch, Grand Mart Nakadori Branch, Bazaar Omagari Branch, Takayanagi East Mall, and Aeon Mall Omagari Branch, carry the product

It is also not available online at the "Akita Prefecture Daisen City Official Antenna Shop" or the "Akita Prefecture Tokyo Antenna Shop Akita Misakan," and only the 720ml special junmai sake is sold at the "Akita Prefecture Products Promotion Association Rakuten Market Store."

Some people may wonder why Akita sake is not sold in stores in Akita Prefecture, but this is because Shirakami-Sanchi no Shiki was originally made for sale in the Tokyo market

Shirakami-Sanchi no Shiki, brewed by master brewer Yamauchi using Miyamanishiki rice, a type of rice suited to sake brewing, and water from the Shirakami Mountains, is characterized by a light and refreshing taste that is hard to believe it is classified as a special junmai sake.It can be said to be a rare taste among the sakes of Akita Prefecture, which are often described as rich and delicious

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seasons in the Shirakami Mountains

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The latest sales lineup for Shirakami-Sanchi's Four Seasons as of December 2021 is as follows:

classification	Special pure rice sake	Miyamanishiki Junmai Sake	Pure rice stored in the snow
raw rice	private	Miyamanishiki	private
Japanese sake level	＋4	＋3.0	＋3.0
acidity	1.5	1.5	1.5
Alcohol degree	15.3 degrees	15.3 degrees	15.3 degrees
flavor type	Slightly dry	Center entrance	Center entrance
Rice polishing ratio	private	private	private
Recommended temperature	・Chilled ・Room temperature ・Lukewarm sake	・Chilled ・Room temperature ・Lukewarm sake	・Chilled ・Room temperature ・Lukewarm sake
capacity	・1800ml ・720ml ・300ml ・180ml	・1800ml ・720ml ・300ml	・1800ml ・720ml

 

Not only are the flavors slightly different, but there are also a variety of sizes available, so you can purchase the perfect size for the amount you want to drink, which is a nice benefit

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Recommended snacks for each season in Shirakami-Sanchi

The Shirakami-Sanchi has a light and elegant flavor throughout the year, so we would like to introduce you to "Tonburi Yukhoe," which is lightly seasoned yet easy to eat

To enjoy the seasonal scents of Shirakami-Sanchi, chill the sake to a cool, flower-like temperature (around 10°C) to bring out the aroma

Ingredients (for 1 person)

• Egg yolk (1 piece)
• Tonburi (70g)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• Pepper (to taste)
• Soy sauce (1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
• Green onion (appropriate amount)
• Chili pepper (as needed)

How to make

1. Chop the green onion into small pieces
2. Mix the tonburi with all the seasonings, place the egg yolk in the middle and it's done

Tonburi yukhoe is also delicious served in a bowl, so we recommend making a large amount and eating it on top of rice as a final dish

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summary

Although Shirakami-Sanchi no Shiki is a sake born in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, it was brewed with the Tokyo market in mind, and we found that it has a relatively light and refreshing taste

Even in the Tokyo metropolitan area, it is hard to find except at sake specialty stores or izakayas that specialize in sake, so if you are lucky enough to come across it, be sure to give it a try

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