The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Kikusui
No.56 · Brewery Profile
Kikusui菊水 · Kikusui Sake Co. 菊水酒造
Founded in 1881 in Shibata, Niigata, Kikusui commercialized Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori in 1972 — Japan’s first canned nama (unpasteurized) sake, still its signature. The undiluted genshu is packaged in light-blocking aluminium to protect the raw sake.
Who makes Kikusui?
Kikusui Sake Co., founded in 1881 in Shibata, Niigata. In 1972 it commercialized Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori as Japan’s first canned nama (unpasteurized) sake, still its signature product today.
What does Kikusui taste like?
Tagged Rich & Umami, the sole bottle, Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori, is a junshu-class Honjozo Nama Genshu milled to 70% at a bold 19% ABV, rated 4/5 for both richness and body, with 3/5 aroma and acidity.
Which bottle should you try first?
With only one bottle on this page, Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori is Kikusui’s offering — the undiluted genshu packaged in light-blocking aluminium as Japan’s first canned nama sake.
How does Kikusui compare to other Niigata breweries?
Kikusui’s Rich & Umami tag stands apart from most of its Niigata prefecture-mates: Kubota and Hakkaisan are tagged Dry & Crisp, and Koshi no Kanbai pairs Dry & Crisp with Elegant & Refined — Kikusui’s bold, undiluted genshu is a richer outlier in a prefecture known for light, dry tanrei-karakuchi sake.
Frequently asked questions
What was Kikusui’s major innovation in 1972?
It commercialized Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori, Japan’s first canned nama (unpasteurized) sake.
Why is Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori packaged in aluminium cans?
The light-blocking aluminium protects the undiluted, unpasteurized raw genshu sake inside.
How many bottles does Kikusui make?
One on this page: Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori, at 19% ABV.
The bottles
Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori菊水ふなぐち一番しぼり
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Japan’s first canned nama (1972); bold, rich genshu.”
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: kikusui-sake.com