The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Sentoku
No.46 · Brewery Profile
Sentoku千徳 · Sentoku Shuzo 千徳酒造
Founded in 1903 in Nobeoka, Sentoku describes itself as Miyazaki’s only brewery specializing exclusively in seishu (sake) — a rarity in shochu country. It brews with Gokase River groundwater and mostly Miyazaki-grown rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Hanakagura.
Who makes Sentoku?
Sentoku Shuzo, founded in 1903 in Nobeoka, Miyazaki. It describes itself as Miyazaki’s only brewery devoted exclusively to seishu (sake), a rarity in a prefecture known for shochu, brewing with Gokase River groundwater and mostly Miyazaki-grown rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Hanakagura.
What does Sentoku taste like?
Tagged Elegant & Refined, the range spans two SSI classes: the everyday Junmai is junshu (rich) at SMV +2, clean and food-friendly, while the Daiginjo moves into kunshu (fragrant) territory at SMV +3.1 and acidity 1.1, its 4/5 aromatic rating marking the more fragrant, premium tier.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Junmai, described as a clean, food-friendly everyday junmai, before moving up to the fragrant, premium-tier Daiginjo.
How does Sentoku compare to other Kyushu breweries?
Sentoku is the only Miyazaki brewery in this index, so the comparison runs region-wide. Its purely Elegant & Refined tag sits toward the region’s delicate end, sharing that profile with Niwa no Uguisu in Fukuoka, while Chiebijin in Oita and Tanaka 65 in Fukuoka lean toward Rich & Umami instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sentoku the only sake brewery in Miyazaki?
Within this index, yes — Sentoku Shuzo describes itself as Miyazaki’s only brewery specializing exclusively in seishu (sake), in a prefecture otherwise known for shochu.
What rice does Sentoku use?
Mostly Miyazaki-grown rice, including Yamada Nishiki and Hanakagura, with brewing water drawn from the Gokase River.
How many bottles does Sentoku make?
Two on this page: an everyday Junmai (SMV +2) and a fragrant, premium-tier Daiginjo (SMV +3.1, acidity 1.1).
The bottles
Junmai千徳 純米酒
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“A clean, food-friendly everyday junmai.”
Daiginjo大吟醸 千徳
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“The fragrant premium tier.”
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: sentoku.com · miyazaki-sake.or.jp