The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Hanatomoe
No.98 · Brewery Profile
Hanatomoe花巴 · Miyoshino Jozo 美吉野醸造
After fire destroyed the original brewery on Yoshino Mountain, four local sake houses merged in 1912 to revive Hanatomoe on the banks of the Yoshino River. Around 2017 the kura went further than most, abandoning commercial yeast across its entire range in favor of natural fermentation — yamahai, sokujo, and the nearly-extinct mizumoto water-starter method — for boldly acidic, rice-driven sake fermented in century-old cedar vats.
Who makes Hanatomoe?
After fire destroyed the original brewery on Yoshino Mountain, four local sake houses merged in 1912 to revive Hanatomoe on the banks of the Yoshino River as Miyoshino Jozo. Around 2017 the kura abandoned commercial yeast across its entire range in favor of natural fermentation methods.
What does Hanatomoe taste like?
Tagged Acidity-driven and Rich & Umami, all three bottles are junshu (rich) in SSI terms and fermented in century-old cedar vats. The Mizumoto Junmai Genshu uses the historic, nearly-extinct mizumoto water-starter method at 4/5 acidity; the Yamahai Junmai Genshu carries the same pronounced acidity via the yamahai method; the Hyakunensugi Kioke Shikomi is a somewhat gentler yamahai expression at 3/5 across body and acidity.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Mizumoto Junmai Genshu, brewed with the historic, nearly-extinct mizumoto water-starter method that defines the brewery’s post-2017 approach to natural fermentation.
How does Hanatomoe compare to other Nara breweries?
Hanatomoe shares Nara’s Acidity-driven tag with prefecture-mate Kaze no Mori, though Kaze no Mori pairs it with Aromatic & Fruity where Hanatomoe leans Rich & Umami instead; Harushika sits at the opposite end of Nara’s range, tagged Dry & Crisp and Elegant & Refined.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Hanatomoe founded in 1912?
Fire had destroyed the original brewery on Yoshino Mountain, so four local sake houses merged to revive it on the banks of the Yoshino River.
What changed at the kura around 2017?
It abandoned commercial yeast across its entire range in favor of natural fermentation methods, including yamahai, sokujo, and the nearly-extinct mizumoto water-starter technique.
What do all three Hanatomoe bottles have in common?
All three are fermented in the brewery’s century-old cedar wooden vats.
The bottles
Mizumoto Junmai Genshu水酛純米生酒
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Brewed with the historic mizumoto water-starter method; undiluted genshu.”
Yamahai Junmai Genshu山廃純米生酒
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Yamahai-shikomi genshu with pronounced acidity.”
Hyakunensugi Kioke Shikomi百年杉 木桶仕込み
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Fermented in century-old cedar wooden vats using the yamahai method.”
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: hanatomoe.com · midorinoshima.com