Premium Japanese sake with gold-leaf highlights, a great souvenir!

With the global popularity of Japanese food on the rise, sake, or rice wine, has also seen a growing increase in demand. Japanese sake has become a go-to souvenir for many tourists—many of whom have developed preferences for certain varieties and brands. But not all sake is created equal. So for the reader on the hunt for the perfect gift, we'd like to introduce you to a rather luxurious brand of ginjo-shu (premium sake).

Ginjo-shu is brewed by low temperature fermentation from white rice milled to 60%; this sake is extremely flavourful with a hint of a fruity scent. Since the proteins in the outer layers of rice can have a negative impact on the flavour and aroma of the sake, giving it a bitter aftertaste, it's important to mill the rice first. Afterwards, the fermentation process is started by adding cultivated koji mold spores and yeast, which returns some of the nutrients lost in the milling process and gives it an apple-like aroma. Sake made by this method is known to be particularly delicious and is often considered a celebratory drink. To make a good thing even better, this brand even adds gold-leaf into their mixture!

We highly recommend Takarashuzou Factory's Premium Sho Chiku Bai Ginjo with Gold-Leaf Highlights! “Sho chiku bai,” which means pine, bamboo, and plum, is a phrase associated with good fortune in Japan—hence the association with special events. While the Sho Chiku Bai brand is familiar nationwide, the product we’re introducing today is ONLY AVAILABLE at duty-free shops, making it even more coveted. Its transparent bottle is decorated with a pattern of brilliantly coloured folding fans. As a whole, it emits a special kind of elegance, making it perfect for travelers to bring home as a gift.