Ichinokura releases a summer-aged, extra-dry hiyaoroshi for members only

On 2 October 2026, Ichinokura, a sake brewery in Miyagi Prefecture, announced “Shoun Kinryu Junmai Ginjo Super Dry Hiyaoroshi”, an autumn-only release under its Kinryugura brand. It can be bought only by members of the Kinryugura no Kai membership group, so even in Japan few people can get hold of it. Even so, this single bottle shows clearly how autumn sake is enjoyed in Japan and how a sake is made when it aims for a dry taste.

What is hiyaoroshi? An autumn sake that arrives after the summer

Hiyaoroshi is a seasonal sake that appears in shops in Japan only in autumn. Generally, sake pressed between winter and spring is pasteurised by heating just once, stored, and left to rest through the summer. Then, in autumn, when the outside temperature has fallen to about the same as inside the brewery, it is shipped without a second heat treatment. During the resting period, the roughness of freshly pressed sake is said to settle, the texture becomes smoother and the umami deepens. This sake was likewise pressed in spring at Kinryugura and shipped after spending the summer in a cool brewery.

Junmai ginjo meets “super dry”

Junmai ginjo is one of the higher grades of sake (the tokutei meisho-shu categories). It is made with only rice, rice koji and water, with no added brewer’s alcohol. The rice is polished to remove at least 40% of its outer layer (a polishing ratio of 60% or less) and fermented slowly at a low temperature. It is known for its fragrant aroma and light palate. In sake, “dry” does not mean hot like chilli but low in sweetness and crisp. The name “super dry” suggests a sake that strongly emphasises sharpness. The point of interest is how the roundness gained from the summer maturation is balanced against the sharpness of the super-dry style.

Miyagi, the “junmai prefecture”, and Ichinokura

Miyagi Prefecture lies on the Pacific side of north-eastern Honshu, Japan’s main island. In 1986 it became the first in the country to declare itself the “Miyagi Junmai Prefecture”, and today around 90% of the sake produced in the prefecture is tokutei meisho-shu. That is far above the national average of around 40%. Ichinokura is one of the leading brands of Miyagi. Kinryugura is an Ichinokura brand that also releases limited sakes available only to members, as in this case.

Because this sake is for members only, it will be hard to find the same bottle in Europe. In autumn, however, specialist sake shops and importers’ lists sometimes add hiyaoroshi from various breweries. A similar term is “akiagari”. If the label says “hiyaoroshi”, “junmai ginjo” and “dry”, you can try a style close to this one. Rather than chilling it too much, drink it slightly cool from a white-wine glass, and you will more easily sense both the umami that has developed over the summer and the crisp dryness. It pairs well with autumn dishes such as sauteed mushrooms, grilled autumn fish and aged hard cheese.