Junmai Okuden Kanzukuri (1.8 L)

In 1946, a single fermentation tank at Masumi's original Suwa kura yielded a yeast strain so vigorous and aromatic it was registered as Kyokai Yeast No. 7 — today used by over 60% of Japan's sake breweries. That same house yeast anchors every bottle Masumi produces, including this entry into the Okuden Kanzukuri line. The brewery sits at the junction of the ancient Koshu Kaido road and the Kirigamine Highland route in Suwa Basin, a cold inland pocket of the Japan Alps where snowmelt from the Yatsugatake (Eight Peaks) Range feeds the kura's water supply — soft, mineral-clean water that encourages a long, slow fermentation and preserves delicate rice character. The Okuden Kanzukuri is built on Miyama Nishiki rice, grown in Nagano, and brewed via the yamahai yeast-starter method: natural lactic-acid bacteria are cultivated in the shubo tank over approximately two weeks before yeast is introduced, generating the lactic complexity and structured acidity that define Masumi's house style — no commercially added lactic acid. Where most large-volume breweries reserve yamahai for premium tiers, Masumi applies it across the entire range. The result is a Junmai of medium body, elevated natural acidity, and pronounced umami — deliberately food-centric, structured for the table rather than standalone sipping. The 1.8 L magnum format amplifies its role as a communal, meal-length sake.