The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Gokyo
No.115 · Brewery Profile
Gokyo五橋 · Sakai Shuzo 酒井酒造
Sakai Shuzo brews Gokyo on notoriously soft, mineral-poor water from the Nishiki River in Iwakuni — water so light that making award-winning sake from it was considered a real accomplishment until Gokyo took first place nationally at the 1947 New Sake Appraisal. Named for the five wooden arches of the nearby Kintaikyo Bridge, it remains a true local sake, with more than seventy percent of production sold within Yamaguchi itself.
Who makes Gokyo?
Sakai Shuzo, founded in 1871 in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, brewing on notoriously soft, mineral-poor water from the Nishiki River. That water made award-winning sake a real accomplishment until Gokyo took first place nationally at the 1947 New Sake Appraisal. The brand is named for the five wooden arches of the nearby Kintaikyo Bridge.
What does Gokyo taste like?
Tagged Elegant & Refined and Dry & Crisp, with Daiginjo Saito no Shizuku a proven medal-winner — gold at the National New Sake Appraisal four years running. More than seventy percent of production stays within Yamaguchi itself, a true local sake.
Which bottle should you try first?
The Daiginjo Saito no Shizuku, which has won gold at the National New Sake Appraisal for four consecutive years, is the clearest place to start.
How does Gokyo compare to other Yamaguchi breweries?
Gokyo shares its Elegant & Refined, Dry & Crisp profile with prefecture-mate Taka, while Dassai and Toyo Bijin both sit at Yamaguchi’s more Aromatic & Fruity end.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gokyo refer to?
The five wooden arches of the nearby Kintaikyo Bridge.
Why was brewing award-winning sake from the Nishiki River’s water notable?
The water is notoriously soft and mineral-poor, which made it a real accomplishment when Gokyo took first place nationally at the 1947 New Sake Appraisal.
How much of Gokyo’s production stays local?
More than seventy percent is sold within Yamaguchi prefecture itself.
The bottles
Daiginjo Saito no Shizuku大吟醸 西都の雫
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Won gold at the National New Sake Appraisal for four consecutive years.”
Junmai Daiginjo 50純米大吟醸 50
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Core premium bottling.”
Junmai Daiginjo Kintai Gokyo純米大吟醸 錦帯五橋
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Named after the Kintaikyo Bridge.”
Reading the bars: an editorial flavor reading (0–5) of each bottle — Dry→Rich, Light→Full, Subtle→Aromatic, Low→High acidity — not laboratory values. The colored badge is the SSI four-type classification (薫酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: gokyo-sake.co.jp · sakeworld.jp