TENMEI
Akebono-shuzou / FUKUSHIMA Pref.
Farmers and Agriculture
Hiroshima Hokubu Agricultural Cooperative, Takamiya Sake Rice Club
Brewing / Brewer
Akebono-shuzou
Design and Art
Hironobu Hashioka
CONCEPT
Born from an insatiable spirit of inquiry,
We seek creative sake that is one step ahead of its time, born from an insatiable spirit of exploration.
Founded in 1904. The brand name “Tenmei” was created by Akemi, the mother of Koichi Suzuki, the current president and chief brewer. It represents the brewery's concept of taking on new challenges while preserving tradition. Akemi abolished the toji system and became the toji in 1997, struggling to make sake, but in 2005 she became seriously ill, and Koichi joined the brewery in 2007. The only hint for sake brewing that he learned from his mother was “to drink sake. He tasted thousands of different kinds of sake, and when he found a beautiful sake, he applied for a brewery tour and traveled around the country. The experience he gained from his time back at the brewery has been put to good use today, and every year he takes on a variety of challenges in pursuit of creative sake brewing, not just good sake. With an eye on the alcohol content of wine, which is widely enjoyed around the world, and with an eye on the future global standard for sake, we asked ourselves, “Could sake be moving in a more mellow direction than its current alcohol content?” What kind of sake tastes good with the same alcohol content as wine? What kind of sake is delicious with the same alcohol content as wine? The new series “Sora” was born as a challenge to create a sake that would support these ideas.
Sake rice producer / Hiroshima Hokubu Agricultural Cooperative, Takamiya Sake Rice ClubA group of sake rice cultivation professionals. From Takamiya-cho, the largest sake rice production area in the prefecture.
The sake rice used in this “Tenmei” Sora-Sora series is “Omachi” rice from Takamiya-cho, Akitakada City, located in the northern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. In Takamiya-cho, the Sake Rice Subcommittee was established in 1986 to ensure that the quality and quantity of sake rice meet the demands of the sake brewing companies. Today, the club produces sake rice such as Yatan-Nishiki, Yatan-35, Senbon-Nishiki, Oumachi, Koiomachi, and other varieties. In addition to the favorable climatic conditions of fertile soil, clean and abundant water, and a large temperature difference between day and night in summer, each and every producer strives to systematically produce high-quality sake rice (low protein, high protein level) to create a reliable production area.
Brewery / Akebono-shuzou
Sake that continues to evolve with the times and with nature.
Sake that continues to make people's palates smack with happiness along with their food.
We want to make sake that is infinitely enjoyable to make and to drink.
The brewery that produces the “Tenmei” Sora series is Akebono Shuzo, located in Aizusaka-cho, Kawanuma-gun, Fukushima Prefecture. Akebono Shuzo has made a name for itself in the local sake industry with its “Tenmei” brand, brewed by a female toji at a small sake brewery in Aizu. Currently, Koichi Suzuki, son of Akemi Suzuki, the fourth-generation brewer, is in charge of sake brewing as toji (chief brewer) and president, and all the brewery staff are supporting him in his efforts to create the sake he envisions. He is looking forward to the future, and the entire brewery is backing him in his quest to create sake that will “continue to evolve with the times and with nature,” “continue to make people happy with food,” and “create sake that is endlessly enjoyable to make and drink.
Design / Hironobu Hashioka
