The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Hanagaki
No.137 · Brewery Profile
Hanagaki花垣 · Nanbu Shuzojo 南部酒造場
Nanbu Shuzojo began as an Edo-period hardware merchant in the castle town of Ono, only turning to sake brewing in 1901; five of its Edo- and Meiji-era buildings were later registered as cultural properties. Hanagaki was chosen for presentation to the Imperial family in 1933, and today the range still spans a bone-dry, food-driving junmai through to a koku-and-umami-balanced standard bottling — with a long-cellared kijoshu series, some vintages held for up to twenty years, at the far end.
Who makes Hanagaki?
Nanbu Shuzojo began as an Edo-period hardware merchant in the castle town of Ono, Fukui, only turning to sake brewing in 1901; five of its Edo- and Meiji-era buildings were later registered as cultural properties. Hanagaki was chosen for presentation to the Imperial family in 1933.
What does Hanagaki taste like?
Tagged Rich & Umami and Elegant & Refined, the range spans a bone-dry, food-driving junmai through a koku-and-umami-balanced standard bottling. The everyday Hanagaki Junmai sits at SMV +5.4 with acidity 1.4; the Hanagaki Chokarakuchi Junmai pushes to a very dry SMV +12 with acidity 1.8 and 5/5 on the acidity axis, while the Hanagaki Junmai Daiginjo softens into a more aromatic 4/5.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Hanagaki Junmai, the everyday expression that balances the brand’s characteristic dryness with koku-driven umami, before exploring the bone-dry Chokarakuchi Junmai or the more aromatic Junmai Daiginjo.
How does Hanagaki compare to other Fukui breweries?
Fukui also lists Kokuryu, tagged Elegant & Refined, Born, tagged Elegant & Refined and Aromatic & Fruity, and Ippongi, tagged Dry & Crisp and Rich & Umami. Hanagaki shares the Rich & Umami thread with Ippongi and the Elegant & Refined thread with Kokuryu and Born, sitting at the intersection of the prefecture’s two dominant styles.
Frequently asked questions
Was Hanagaki ever presented to the Imperial family?
Yes — it was chosen for presentation to the Imperial family in 1933.
Are any of Nanbu Shuzojo’s buildings historic?
Yes — five of its Edo- and Meiji-era buildings were registered as cultural properties.
How many bottles does Hanagaki make?
Three on this page: the everyday Hanagaki Junmai, the bone-dry Hanagaki Chokarakuchi Junmai, and the premium Hanagaki Junmai Daiginjo.
The bottles
Hanagaki Junmai花垣 純米
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“The everyday expression, balancing dryness with koku-driven umami.”
Hanagaki Chokarakuchi Junmai花垣 超辛口純米
爽酒 Soshu · Light & Smooth“A very dry, bone-crisp junmai style at the far end of the Hanagaki range.”
Hanagaki Junmai Daiginjo花垣 純米大吟醸
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“The brewery’s premium daiginjo, blending Gohyakumangoku and Yamada Nishiki.”
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: jizake.com · nihonmono.jp · hanagaki-store.com