The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Hioki Zakura
No.37 · Brewery Profile
Hioki Zakura日置桜 · Yamane Shuzo 山根酒造場
Yamane Shuzo brews Hioki Zakura in Tottori’s Sanin region, adopting the traditional kimoto method in 2002. It aims for sake that expresses the character of its rice — often Tamasakae or heirloom Goriki — and frequently releases it aged and dry.
Who makes Hioki Zakura?
Yamane Shuzo, brewing Hioki Zakura in Tottori’s Sanin region. The brewery adopted the traditional kimoto method in 2002 and aims for sake that expresses the character of its rice, often Tamasakae or the heirloom Goriki variety, frequently releasing it aged and dry.
What does Hioki Zakura taste like?
Tagged Rich & Umami and Dry & Crisp, Hioki Zakura runs dry throughout: the kimoto Tamasakae Junmai hits SMV +15 with acid-driven umami that “blooms when warmed,” the everyday Tamasakae Junmai sits at SMV +13, and the Goriki Junmai Daiginjo is comparatively refined at SMV +8.8 with 3/5 aromatic lift.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Kimoto Tamasakae Junmai, the kimoto-method bottle at the highest SMV (+15) on the page, described as “acid-driven umami that blooms when warmed” — the clearest expression of the brewery’s dry, traditional style.
How does Hioki Zakura compare to other Tottori breweries?
Tottori’s other listed breweries, Chiyomusubi and Bentenmusume, are both tagged Rich & Umami — matching Hioki Zakura’s own Rich & Umami tag — but Chiyomusubi pairs it with Elegant & Refined while Bentenmusume, like Hioki Zakura, pairs it with Dry & Crisp.
Frequently asked questions
When did Yamane Shuzo adopt the kimoto method?
In 2002.
What rice varieties does Hioki Zakura typically use?
Tamasakae most often, and the heirloom Goriki variety.
How many bottles does Hioki Zakura make on this page?
Three: Kimoto Tamasakae Junmai, Tamasakae Junmai, and Goriki Junmai Daiginjo.
The bottles
Kimoto Tamasakae Junmai生酛 玉栄
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Acid-driven umami that blooms when warmed.”
Tamasakae Junmai純米酒 玉栄
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“A dry everyday junmai.”
Goriki Junmai Daiginjo強力 純米大吟醸
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Heirloom Goriki rice; refined yet dry.”
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: hiokizakura.jp