The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Rokkasen
No.118 · Brewery Profile
Rokkasen六歌仙 · Rokkasen Co. 六歌仙
Rokkasen began as a shared bottling and sales venture among five small breweries in Yamagata’s Kitamurayama district, later consolidating into a single company in 1992. Its name honors the ‘Six Poetry Immortals’ of the Heian court, and the house aims for sake gentle enough to, as it puts it, ‘touch people’s hearts’ — including a Godan Shikomi junmai brewed to a five-stage recipe drawn from Edo-period records.
Who makes Rokkasen?
Rokkasen Co., founded in 1972 as a shared bottling and sales venture among five small breweries in Yamagata’s Kitamurayama district, later consolidating into a single company in 1992. Its name honors the “Six Poetry Immortals” of the Heian court.
What does Rokkasen taste like?
Tagged Elegant & Refined and Dry & Crisp, aiming for sake gentle enough to “touch people’s hearts.” The Godan Shikomi Junmai, brewed to a five-stage recipe drawn from Edo-period records, carries a notably sweet SMV of -12; the Temagakura Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki turns more aromatic (3/5) using classic Hyogo sake rice.
Which bottle should you try first?
The Temagakura Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki is explicitly the flagship daiginjo expression — the clearest place to start.
How does Rokkasen compare to other Yamagata breweries?
Rokkasen’s Dry & Crisp, Elegant & Refined profile aligns with prefecture-mate Yamagata Masamune, in a Yamagata field otherwise dominated by Aromatic & Fruity names such as Juyondai and Dewazakura.
Frequently asked questions
How did Rokkasen begin?
As a shared bottling and sales venture among five small breweries in Yamagata’s Kitamurayama district, before consolidating into a single company in 1992.
What does the name Rokkasen mean?
It honors the “Six Poetry Immortals” of the Heian court.
What is distinctive about the Godan Shikomi Junmai?
It’s brewed to a five-stage recipe drawn from Edo-period brewing records.
The bottles
Godan Shikomi Junmai五段仕込み純米
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Based on Edo-period brewing records.”
Temagakura Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki手間暇 純米大吟醸 山田錦
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Flagship daiginjo expression using classic Hyogo sake rice.”
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: yamagata-rokkasen.co.jp · yamagata-sake.or.jp