Sawanotsuru releases kimoto hiyaoroshi certified under the Nada-Gogo GI

Sawanotsuru, a brewery based in Nadagogo in Hyogo Prefecture, one of Japan’s leading sake-producing regions, launched its limited autumn sake, “Sawanotsuru Kimoto-zukuri Hiyaoroshi Junmaishu”, across Japan on 1 September 2026. The product carries the Geographical Indication (GI) “Nadagogo” certification and combines the old-fashioned way of making the yeast starter with the style of seasonal sake that heralds autumn in Japan.

Two seals of approval: Nadagogo and kimoto

Nadagogo is a long-established sake-producing area stretching along the coast from Kobe to Nishinomiya. The GI is a system comparable to the appellations of origin for European wines: only sake that meets the standards for using the place name may be labelled “Nadagogo”.

The other distinguishing feature is “kimoto”. In making sake, brewers first prepare the “shubo” (yeast starter), which cultivates the yeast, and then move on to the main brewing. Kimoto is a traditional method of making the shubo: it draws on lactic acid bacteria present in the air and in the brewery, includes a stage in which rice is ground by hand, and takes about a month to complete. It is more labour-intensive than the shorter methods that are mainstream today, but is said to produce a sake with richness and body. This sake is a “junmaishu” (pure rice sake), with no added brewer’s alcohol.

What is “hiyaoroshi”?

To keep quality stable, most sake is heat-treated (pasteurised) twice before shipping. Hiyaoroshi is an autumn sake: it is pressed in winter to spring, pasteurised just once and stored, matured through the summer, and then bottled without the second pasteurisation. Sawanotsuru’s new product follows this approach, with sake pressed in early spring and left to rest over the summer. Maturation rounds off the sharp edges, giving a fragrance and flavour with depth, over which kimoto’s characteristically rich umami sits. It is a limited brew produced in restricted quantities.

It may be hard to find this particular bottle in Europe, but when browsing the lists of specialist sake shops and importers in autumn, look out for “Kimoto”, “Hiyaoroshi” and “Nada” on the label. Kimoto sake is said to show its full, rounded flavour more readily when not over-chilled, but served at room temperature or gently warmed to lukewarm. Paired with autumn dishes such as sauteed mushrooms, game or mature cheese, it can bring the appeal of a seasonal sake to your own table at home.