Sasaichi Shuzo releases limited-edition "Dan" to celebrate the film Shūmei

Sasaichi Shuzo, a brewery in Otsuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, released the limited-edition sake “Shumei Hosyuku-shu Dan Junmai Daiginjo” on 25 September 2026, the same day as the release of Takashi Miike’s documentary film Shumei, which it celebrates. Advance orders had been taken through the official online store from 15 September. Sales are limited in quantity. Yamanashi is a prefecture to the west of Tokyo, on the northern side of Mount Fuji, and the brewery has been in operation for more than 360 years since its founding in 1661.

The film Shumei and the link through Mount Fuji

Shumei follows the succession to the name “Ichikawa Danjuro”, regarded as the most prestigious title in Kabuki. It records the naming ceremonies in which Ichikawa Danjuro XIII Hakuen and Ichikawa Shinnosuke VIII, father and son, inherited their names at the same time. The film was officially selected for the Out of Competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, and became the first Japanese film to win Best Film at the festival’s independent “Cinema & Arts Award”. The film also captures the process by which contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, who created the celebratory curtain for the naming-ceremony performances, brought the work to completion. The Ichikawa family is said to have its roots in Yamanashi, so a brewery from Yamanashi, where faith in Mount Fuji runs deep, has come to celebrate this succession with sake.

Yamada Nishiki polished to 35% and ultra-soft water

“Dan” is Sasaichi Shuzo’s top-tier brand, and the name evokes the morning sun rising from the summit of Mount Fuji. This limited release comes in two versions. Both use only Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Yamanashi, with a polishing ratio of 35%. The polishing ratio is the proportion of the rice grain that remains after milling; at 35%, the outer 65% of each grain has been polished away. The lower the figure, the more likely the sake is to be aromatic and free of off-flavours. The brewing water is the ultra-soft “Fuji Misaka Seiryusui” (hardness of about 8 mg/L), which wells up on the brewery’s grounds.

The special edition (720 ml, 44,000 yen) uses top-grade Yamada Nishiki. It has a smooth entry, with gentle sweetness and rice umami spreading across the palate, followed by a quiet, long finish. It comes with a concertina-fold booklet about 80 cm long, printed with Takashi Murakami’s celebratory curtain. The standard edition (720 ml, 16,500 yen) has a fruity aroma and refined sweetness, with a supple acidity that rounds off the aftertaste cleanly. It comes with a card printed with the celebratory curtain.

A 360-year-old brewery that presents ritual sake to Mount Fuji

Otsuki, where Sasaichi Shuzo stands, flourished in the Edo period as a departure point for pilgrims heading to Mount Fuji. The brewery still presents ritual sake to Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine, at the northern gateway to the Fuji climb. The “Dan” series has also won international recognition. It received the Platinum Excellence award at France’s sake competition Kura Master 2025, and the top Highest Distinction at the 2026 Omachi Summit. It is also served in ANA’s international first class.

In Europe, this limited edition is likely to be hard to obtain. Still, the brand name “Dan”, and its background as a sake made at the foot of Mount Fuji with ultra-soft water, are worth remembering. If you come across the names “DAN” or “Sasaichi” in the range of a sake specialist or importer, try serving it slightly chilled in a wine glass. You may notice the broad spread of aroma and the gentle texture that only soft water gives. And if the film, which was acclaimed in Venice, is ever screened in Europe, a glass before or after the viewing would make a fine pairing.