Rice, water and brewery all from Fukushima City: the hiyaoroshi of 'Surikamigawa'

In Fukushima City, in the southern part of Japan’s Tohoku region, the autumn seasonal sake “hiyaoroshi” of “Junmai Ginjo Surikamigawa” went on sale on 11 September 2026. Its sake rice, brewing water and brewery all come from within the city. The local newspaper Fukushima Minyu Shimbun reported the news. It is the story of a small local-sake project that keeps everything, from raw materials to brewing, within a single town.

A “truly local sake” started by volunteers in a hot-spring town

In Japan, local sake is called “jizake”, but the rice and water used are not necessarily from the same area. The “Iizaka Onsen Jizake wo Tsukuru Kai” (Iizaka Hot Spring Local Sake Brewing Group), formed by volunteers from Iizaka Onsen, a hot-spring resort in the north of Fukushima City, began its activities in 2017 with the aim of making a sake that is local in the true sense of the word. Working with the Iizaka Onsen Tourism Association, it brews namazake (unpasteurised sake), pasteurised sake and hiyaoroshi in each season. Last year, the initiative received a community-development award organised by Fukushima Prefecture and the Fukushima Minyu Shimbun company.

Fukunoka, the water of the Surikami River and Kinsuisho Shuzo

The rice is “Fukunoka”, a sake-brewing rice variety (a variety suited specifically to sake making) developed by Fukushima Prefecture itself, grown in the Higashi-Yuno district of Iizaka-machi. The brewing water is drawn from the upper reaches of the Surikami River, which flows through the centre of the hot-spring town. Brewing is carried out by Kinsuisho Shuzo, a brewery in the city. The grade “junmai ginjo” refers to an aromatic style made without added brewing alcohol, with the rice polished away by at least 40% from the outside.

What is “hiyaoroshi”, the autumn-only sake?

Ordinary sake is heat-pasteurised (“hiire”) twice, once before storage and once before shipping. Hiyaoroshi is pasteurised only once, in early spring, matured over the summer and then shipped in autumn without the second pasteurisation. Having matured through the summer, it is characterised by a mellower mouthfeel. The “Surikamigawa” hiyaoroshi costs 2,450 yen for a 720 ml bottle. It is sold mainly at local liquor shops and roadside stations, and the article does not mention sales overseas.

This particular bottle will be hard to find in Europe, but you can still enjoy autumn seasonal sake. Between September and November, look in specialist sake shops and online stores for limited-edition sake labelled “Hiyaoroshi” or “Akiagari”. “Namazume” on a label is also a sign of the same production method. Served at around 10 to 15°C, after being taken out of the fridge and left for a short while, or at room temperature, it makes the mellowness and umami from maturation easier to notice. It pairs well with autumn ingredients such as mushroom dishes, chestnuts, pumpkin and game. Choosing a sake that clearly states where its rice, water and brewery are from can also be a way into appreciating sake from the same perspective as the terroir of wine.