The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Sasaichi
No.139 · Brewery Profile
Sasaichi笹一 · Sasaichi Shuzo 笹一酒造
Sasaichi Shuzo’s history runs back to 1661, when it operated as a merchant house called Hanadaya at the eastern gateway to Yamanashi’s brewing district; it took its current name, meaning roughly ‘sake, number one’ as a nod to nearby Mt. Fuji, in 1919. Its water is drawn from Fuji’s natural springs, and — unusually for a sake brewery — it has also produced its own Japanese wine since 1953, alongside a range built on the local Koshu Yumesansui rice variety.
Who makes Sasaichi?
Sasaichi Shuzo’s history runs back to 1661, when it operated as a merchant house called Hanadaya at the eastern gateway to Yamanashi’s brewing district. It took its current name, meaning roughly “sake, number one” as a nod to nearby Mt. Fuji, in 1919. Unusually for a sake brewery, it has also produced its own Japanese wine since 1953.
What does Sasaichi taste like?
Tagged Aromatic & Fruity and Acidity-driven, built on Mt. Fuji spring water and the local Koshu Yumesansui rice variety. The Sasaichi Junmai Ginjo Koshu Yumesansui rates 4/5 aromatic with SMV +2.5 and acidity 1.75; the Sasaichi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo, brewed by the yamahai method, is livelier and more assertive at 4/5 acidity with SMV +4.5.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Sasaichi Junmai Ginjo Koshu Yumesansui, made with the brewery’s namesake local rice variety and Mt. Fuji spring water, for the clearest sense of place.
How does Sasaichi compare to other Yamanashi breweries?
Yamanashi’s other listed brewery, Shichiken, is tagged Aromatic & Fruity and Elegant & Refined. Sasaichi shares the Aromatic & Fruity thread with Shichiken but pairs it with Acidity-driven instead of Elegant & Refined, giving it a livelier, more acid-forward character.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sasaichi mean?
Roughly “sake, number one,” adopted in 1919 as a nod to nearby Mt. Fuji.
Does Sasaichi Shuzo make anything besides sake?
Yes — it has also produced its own Japanese wine since 1953.
What rice variety does Sasaichi use?
Koshu Yumesansui, a local Yamanashi rice variety, featured in its Junmai Ginjo.
The bottles
Sasaichi Junmai Ginjo Koshu Yumesansui笹一 純米吟醸 甲州夢山水
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Made with the local Koshu Yumesansui rice variety and Mt. Fuji spring water.”
Sasaichi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo笹一 山廃純米吟醸
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Brewed by the yamahai method for a livelier, more assertive profile.”
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: sasaichi.co.jp · yamanashi-kankou.jp · kuraport.com