The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Kaze no Mori
No.16 · Brewery Profile
Kaze no Mori風の森 · Yucho Shuzo 油長酒造
Yucho Shuzo has brewed in Gose, Nara since 1719, in a region often called a birthplace of sake. Its Kazenomori label, launched in 1998, is defined by unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurized sake — lively and faintly effervescent — usually from locally grown Akitsuho rice at gentle polishing ratios.
Who makes Kaze no Mori?
Yucho Shuzo, brewing in Gose, Nara since 1719, a region often called a birthplace of sake. Launched in 1998, the Kazenomori label is defined by unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurized sake — lively and faintly effervescent — usually made from locally grown Akitsuho rice at gentle polishing ratios.
What does Kaze no Mori taste like?
Tagged Acidity-driven and Aromatic & Fruity, all four bottles score 4/5 on acidity and aromatic character. The flagship Akitsuho 657 carries melon and pear-like aromas; Akitsuho 507 is cleaner and drier; ALPHA Type 1 is a lower-ABV entry point at 14%; and Tsuyuhakaze 507, made from Nara-native Tsuyuhakaze rice, is sweeter with fine effervescence.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with Akitsuho 657, explicitly named the flagship, with its signature melon and pear-like aromas at a 65% milling ratio.
How does Kaze no Mori compare to other Nara breweries?
Kaze no Mori’s Acidity-driven tag is shared only with prefecture-mate Hanatomoe, which pairs it with Rich & Umami instead. Harushika sits furthest away, tagged Dry & Crisp and Elegant & Refined — a calmer, less effervescent style than Kaze no Mori’s lively, unfiltered sake.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Kazenomori label launch?
In 1998.
What defines the Kazenomori style?
Unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurized sake, usually made from locally grown Akitsuho rice at gentle polishing ratios.
How many bottles does Kaze no Mori make on this page?
Four — Akitsuho 657 (the flagship), Akitsuho 507, ALPHA Type 1, and Tsuyuhakaze 507.
The bottles
Akitsuho 657秋津穂 657
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“The flagship; melon and pear-like aromas.”
Akitsuho 507秋津穂 507
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Clean, pear-scented, with a dry impression.”
ALPHA Type 1風の森 ALPHA TYPE1 次章への扉
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Lower-ABV entry; unfiltered, undiluted, unpasteurized.”
Tsuyuhakaze 507風の森 露葉風 507
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Nara native rice; sweet with fine effervescence.”
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: yucho-sake.jp · imadeya.co.jp