Saito Shuzo Co. Ltd.
(Eikun)
Water Lords & Big Hawk
Kyoto Prefecture (Japan)
The
Brewery
Eikun, also
known as Saito Shuzo Co. LTD., founded in 1895, is
located in the Fushimi region of Kyoto Japan
In 1905 during the Taisho period
in Japanese history, the "EIKUN" sake was adopted as
the company's corporate brand name. Since then, the
finest quality sake has been produced by Saito Sake
Brewer known as "EIKUN" which is acknowledge today as
the finest Sake produced in the Fushimi district of
Japan famously known to sake lover for its premium
brewed sake.
Over the years,
the company has become a leader in the sake industry
and the pioneer for the development of quality premium
sake in Japan.
Fushimi region is
home to 30+ other breweries due to the quality of its
water source. This soft water plays an instrumental
part in creating smooth and balanced sake. With its
moderate climate and beautiful natural surrounding in
Kyoto greatly contributes to the delicate and quality
taste of Saito Sake and captures the essence of
premium sake quality at its best.
The major sake production areas
in Japan are:
- Kobe – Nada-Gōgo largest area
of sake production
- Kyoto (Fushimi) – home to the
big brewery and museum of Gekkeikan + 30 other
breweries or Kura, too.
- Niigata – largest number of
Kura at 90+
- Akita – northern sake region
called Tohoku
Sake Rice and Water
Unique to the region of
Kyoto is Iwai rice which is only used by Kyoto sake
producers. In fact, Eikun purchases 40% of all Iwai
rice produced.
This rice is used for eight products but
the Kura also uses Yamada Nishiki rice, too.
Eikun sake uses water from a source called "Fusui",
rated as one of the top 100 sources of water in Japan.
This water source is located just south of the ancient
Japanese, and still cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto.
Food and Sake in Kyoto
Kyoto is home to many Shinto
shrines and a particular type of cuisine called
Kaiseki. Kaiseki is a sequence of small and
artistically arranged dishes, both beautiful in
presentation and flavor.
"Kaiseki" in Kyoto cuisine is all about "Dashi
(broth)" and it’s "Umami". So the taste of food is
elegant, and they don't usually put a lot of soy sauce
or salt in Kyoto cuisine.
Therefore, the sake
flavor is kind of gentle and soft to match with local
Kyoto cuisine.
This western area of Japan around
Kyoto blends sake and culture into a perfect marriage.
Eikun
Sake isn’t just known at the consumers market level,
but it is also very well received at traditional high
end Japanese restaurants though out Japan where people
come to enjoy the traditional taste of Japanese
cuisine and to enjoy the unique experience of Eikun
Sake.
Best of the Best Sake
Each year since the 1890’s there is a
competition "Shinshu Kanpyou-Kai" (National New Sake
Competition) now called National Competition, which
judges sake quality. Eikun has received the gold medal
for their sake an unprecedented 14 years in a row.
Only 20-25% of all Kura receive gold
medals each year.
In addition, no Kura or
brewery has received the award 14 times consecutively.
The National Competition is attended by 90% of all
1300 Kura in Japan and is for Daiginjo grade products
only.
About Kyoto
The City of Kyoto was founded
as "Heiankyo"
in 794 A.D. It flourished as the capital of Japan for
approximately 1,000 years and was the birth site of
the quintessential Japanese culture and traditions one
finds throughout the country today.
Even after the transfer of the capital to
Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Kyoto
maintained its position as Japan's cultural capital.
It is home of various national treasures worthy of
global pride as well as many historical buildings and
traditional arts and crafts. Kyoto's rich and colorful
history, combined with its geographic and climatic
factors have created a city with a very unique blend
of tradition, culture, and industry. Kyoto was laid
out in a grid pattern with the Imperial Palace located
at its center.
The Sake
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