Hananomai Shuzo launches Hananomai 30, a junmai daiginjo polished to 30%

Hananomai Shuzo, a sake brewery in Hamana Ward, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, has launched a new product: “Small-batch Junmai Daiginjo Hananomai 30 (Sanmaru)”. The Chubu-region business news site Chunichi BIZ Navi reported it on 14 September 2026. Shizuoka lies between Tokyo and Nagoya on the Pacific coast, and Hamamatsu is the main city in the west of the prefecture.

Yamada Nishiki from western Shizuoka, polished to 30%

Junmai daiginjo is the highest category in the Japanese sake grading system (tokutei meishoshu). It is made only from rice, rice koji and water, with no added brewer’s alcohol, and the rice must be polished to a seimai buai (polishing ratio) of 50% or less. The polishing ratio is the proportion of the rice grain that remains after milling. At 30%, the outer 70% is ground away and only the central 30% is used. The more of the proteins and fats found in the outer layers of the rice are removed, the cleaner and clearer the flavour tends to be. The rice is Yamada Nishiki harvested in western Shizuoka, a variety renowned as a leading rice for sake brewing. “Ko-shikomi” in the product name means that the sake was brewed in small quantities.

Following the 18% flagship

In late March 2026, Hananomai Shuzo released a junmai daiginjo polished to 18% as the brewery’s most premium sake. Hananomai 30 is a high-end product that follows it. It is not, however, a sake that simply competes on the lowest polishing ratio. According to the report, it has been crafted with an emphasis on how well it goes with food, and it is said to suit light dishes in particular. Highly polished daiginjo is often thought of as a sake to be enjoyed for its showy aroma on its own. Hananomai 30 can be described as a bottle made with the dining table in mind.

How to enjoy it in Europe

The report does not mention overseas sales, so the sake appears to be aimed first at the Japanese domestic market. If you are looking for it in Europe, check importers’ product lists for the name “Hananomai” and the polishing ratio printed on the label. A highly polished junmai daiginjo is best poured into a white wine glass and served lightly chilled, which makes its aroma and clarity easier to appreciate. For food, follow the brewery’s recommendation of something light: white fish carpaccio or raw oysters work well, as do vegetable dishes finished with salt and olive oil, or fresh goat’s cheese. It is also a bottle worth watching as a way into understanding how the polishing ratio shows up in the taste.