The Secret Behind the Understated Elegance of Kyoto Flavour

The ingredients for brewing sake are simple – rice, water, yeast, koji, and artisanal skills. The simpler the ingredients, the more importance it carries, and the unique character of each product by different breweries are thus formed. The representative of Saito Shuzo, Mr. Saito said, “Eikun is not only brewing sake. Our mission is to bring happiness to the heart of everyone through enjoying our sake – cultivating a sense of joy and healing.”

When asked what the most important element in sake brewing is, Mr. Saito responded, “People are definitely the most influential component. As time changes, great efforts have been contributed by everyone in order to retain the ideal character of Eikun; this includes the brewer, the staff responsible for logistics and sales, and even our customers have played an important role in keeping alive the value of the brand, such that we can give our 100% to brewing sake.” As for raw ingredients, the gentle trait comes from the famous Fushimi water. While many people would think that rice is the primary ingredient in brewing sake, water is, in fact, the main character. The alcohol concentration of sake is about 15% on average, with water accounting for the other 85%, which tells its significance. The water in Fushimi is medium-hard when compared with the dry style ”masculine sake” brewed with the hard water from Hyogo Prefecture. Sake brewed with Fushimi water is smooth and rounded, often being referred to as “feminine sake”, as it is soft and gentle.

Having suitable and good quality water is not enough for making Eikun special, not until Eikun ensures the use of another rare jewel from Kyoto for brewing their sake — Iwai rice. Iwai is in fact a sake-brewing rice invented in Kyoto Prefecture in the 1930s. However, the increase in demand for food after the war has made Iwai obsolete as it is a difficult species to grow. It is only until 1980, the breweries in Fushimi started promoting the farming and conservation of this unique rice species. Therefore, only the breweries in Kyoto can use this rice for brewing their sake, with Saito Shuzo being one of the major supporters, employing more than half of the yearly harvest of Iwai to brew their sake. Sake made with Iwai rice requires more complicated techniques than using “Yamada Nishiki”, and gives a sweeter aroma with a soft and gentle texture.

Ways to Savour the Japanese Flavour of Joy

According to Mr. Saito, he thinks that Hong Kong customers prefer aromatic and sweet sake like Junmai Daijinjo more than Japanese customers. Its popularity in the city has made this top-graded sake in the eyes of the Japanese people as common as house wine in Hong Kong. Moreover, he is surprised by the in-depth knowledge of sake that many Hong Kong customers possess. “Sake plays the best supporting role on the stage of dining; it complements the main character perfectly, and can be paired with a variety of international cuisines. It can also be enjoyed at different temperatures to your heart’s delight,“ Mr. Saito added.

How best to enjoy Eikun sake? Eikun sake is well-liked for being delicate and elegant while not overpowering the taste of food. It has just the right amount of kick to enhance the umami of ingredients, which contributes to its lasting popularity. This brand character has been established since the 10th generation and has been kept alive ever since. Why not try the pairings recommended below and delve into the world of Japanese flavours: