How Sake Is Made: Sowing Season In Abira@Abiragawa
Around April when gorgeous cherry blossoms starts flowering, farmers work tirelessly to plant crops for next year’s Abiragawa
Abiragawa is the realized dream of three farmers: Tamura, Abe and Yokozawa. Inspired by the idyllic sight of majestic Japanese cranes and storks gracing their fields, our founders set out to create a single Sake dedicated to this lush, green land. Brewed using only local sake rice “Suisei” tailored for Abira’s northernly climate, ferment and snowmelt water, Abiragawa shows roundness and delicateness, with high fragrance, complexity and rich fruitiness.
Around April when gorgeous cherry blossoms starts flowering, farmers work tirelessly to plant crops for next year’s Abiragawa
2022 Abiragawa will hit the shelves on the 1st of April.
With a slight change of ferment, this year’s Abiragawa will get a little sweeter.
Around April when gorgeous cherry blossoms starts flowering, farmers work tirelessly to plant crops for next year’s Abiragawa
2022 Abiragawa will hit the shelves on the 1st of April.
With a slight change of ferment, this year’s Abiragawa will get a little sweeter.
156-30 Uenae,
Tomakomai-shi, Hokkaido 059-1365
Japan / TEL:0144-58-4137
Each grain of Sake rice is meticulously polished ensure purity. With up to 55% of the original grain milled away, only the bright and shiny essence of each harvest finds its way into Abiragawa. At 17% alcohol, This undiluted Junmai-daiginjo is available in both pasteurised and non-pasteurised form.
¥3,500(Tax included)
¥6,700(Tax included)
Heat treated twice, before tank storage and at bottling, pasteurized Abiragawa has a stable taste and is a tried and true pairing with other dishes
¥3,300(Tax included)
¥6,300(Tax included)
Along the fertile shores of Abira river, lies vast fields overflowing with grain crops. This is where Abe, one of the founders of Abiragawa, have been tirelessly cultivating rice with experience, passion and dedication for the past 50 years. A Sake aficionado, having mastered the fine art of appreciating intricacies of refined alcohol, bringing a brand new taste into this world has long been Abe’s reverie.
Recognizing sake rice is very different from rice found on plates, the founders adopted a specialized crop developed by the Hokkaido Research Organization, the “Suisei”. With reduced protein content and a larger white core, the Suisei’s grain creates an environment conductive to fermentation.
The town of Abira has a century long tradition of Sake making. In 1895, a recent settler hailing from Niigata, Hisamatsu Takahashi, opened a brewery that produced the much loved “Tokiwatsuru” for over a hundred years. Although it closed for good some time ago, our founders had the privilege of being invited to set foot behind the curtains, and the unforgettable taste of fresh Sake straight from the presses left a lasting impression in their memories.
From right to left: Tamura, Abe, Yokozawa
With 50 years of experience under his belt, Tamura wanted to create something special with his produce
To him, Abiragawa is the ultimate indulgence.
A rice farmer seeking adventure
To him, Abiragawa is the longed-for challenge.
A Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate
To him, Abiragawa is the opportunity to shine.
Just a 20 minute drive from the bustling New Chitose Airport, Abira is a quiet town with all the conveniences of modern Japan, yet scrupulously preserves the natural beauty of this northern island. Known as the birthplace of cheesemaking in Hokkaido and home of award winning horses, Abira town is a hotspot for agricultural and culinary innovation.
For inquiries regarding Abiragawa, please contact the Abiragawa Project team directly. (Japanese only)