Emishiki Brewing Company

A sake brewery in Shiga Prefecture that was founded in 1892 (Meiji 25) and brews “Emishiki”. The town once appeared as “Mizuguchi-juku,” the 53rd stop on the Tokaido Road, and has been brewing sake for the locals, but his son-in-law, brewer and business executive Atsunori Takeshima, has taken over the brewery. Things have changed completely since I arrived. After studying brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture and working at other sake breweries, he has a unique world view that does not fit into the conventional concept of sake.
For example, “Monsoon,” which was inspired by noble rot wine, has elevated Kijoshu, which had traditionally been drunk as a dessert treat, into a drink that can be enjoyed in all situations, from before to after meals. This is due not only to the novelty of the bottle design, but also to the quality of the sake supported by the brewing technology. The formula is said to bring out the natural charm of rice sake, using a manufacturing method that uses pure rice, no additives or adjustments, and technology that minimizes loss of flavor.
The names of the sake released one after another, such as “Masterpiece”, “Every time I fall in love”, “Takeshima Jihen”, “Elements of Life”, “Sensation”, “Shiki Shiki Gekijo”, and “Akai Ito”, are reminiscent of novels, movies, or even novels. It looks like the title of a pop music song, and the label design is bright. In recent years, it has won the gold medal in the junmai sake category at “SAKE COMPETITION 2018” and the overall first place in the “Professional Sake College 2019” blind tasting conducted by industry experts. The era has finally arrived at the four seasons. This is a sake brewery that you can keep an eye on as it will definitely continue to do something in the future. (Tomomi Seki)