Miyoshikiku - TOKUSHIMA

Miyoshikiku Sake Brewery, located in the rugged picturesque prefecture of Tokushima on Japan’s Shikoku Island, is renowned for its unconventional and innovative approach to sake brewing. The head brewer, Ryoichiro Mamiya, epitomises the spirit of a maverick, steering clear of traditional brewing methods to embrace a philosophy that he aptly describes as "no rules." This bold approach allows for a creative freedom that is quite rare in the typically conservative sake industry. His sake has been described by leading tojis as ‘sake for subculture’ due to his unconventional markets in the downtown areas of Tokyo and Osaka.

The brewery's sakes are a reflection of this unorthodox philosophy. Miyoshikiku is known for producing "jizake," or local sake, which emphasises local characteristics and ingredients. They often use use organic rice, and local wild yeasts and their water is sourced from the pristine Yoshino River, known for its pure and sweet quality, ideal for sake brewing.

Miyoshikiku's lineup includes a variety of intriguing offerings. They produce junmai, junmai ginjo, and junmai daiginjo types, each with distinct characteristics. Their sakes are typically rich and full-bodied, with a noticeable umami presence and often a slightly higher acidity, which pairs excellently with food.

The brewery operates all year round which is different to most shuzos who are seasonal. Mamiyasan sometimes relaxes by spinning vinyl in the brewery from his massive collection. He also has a massive collection of retro musical instrument s (we were impressed to see a Roland 808 drum machine there) and he plays (not as often as e would like) in a punk rock band playing Velvet Underground covers. Lou Reed is his favourite artist. In a way his sake reflects his taste in music. Although now with his daughters helping out in the brewery many of his sakes are a little ‘softer’ reflecting the beauty and good nature of them. The new line indeed is named after them with the most popular being the ‘tokubetsu’ (speciaal) junmai called ‘Koharu (his youngest daughter). There is also Ayane (junmai daiginjo) and Orie (junmai ginjo). It is said the styles of the sake reflect the girl’s personality but we cannot personally vouch for that.

Miyoshikiku Sake Brewery stands out not just for its products but for its impactful approach to brewing and business, making it a beacon of innovation in the traditional world of Japanese sake.