Bijofu Junmai Daiginjo Hina (720 ml)

When master brewer Ohara Akira trained under a Hiroshima toji — the lineage that first proved soft water could produce ginjo-grade sake — he returned to Kochi's Tano-cho and applied those methods to nansui even softer than Hiroshima's, a water type the industry had long dismissed as unworkable. That deliberate transgression defines Hina.

The brewery sits on a coastal strip between the Pacific and the Yanase cedar mountains; brewing water is drawn from the subterranean Nahari River, filtered through one of Japan's three great forests into an exceptionally mineral-lean, ultra-soft profile. That softness suppresses harsh extraction and allows fermentation aromatics to emerge without interference.

Yamada-Nishiki from Tojo-cho, Hyogo Prefecture, is milled to 45% seimaibuai — Daiginjo grade — before a sandan jikomi three-stage mash build over approximately 25–30 days at low temperature. Kochi proprietary yeast AA-41, selected for high isoamyl acetate output, drives the aromatic signature. After pressing, premium Daiginjo expressions undergo bottle-aging at −1°C to lock aromatics and preserve textural delicacy. No brewer's alcohol is added.

What separates Hina within its tier is the paradox it sustains: Kochi's dry, lean structural tradition held in place by nansui softness — a combination no other prefecture's water chemistry can replicate.

As a non-vintage expression, Hina is built for freshness; drink within 12–18 months of release, well-chilled.