| Brand | Kinpou |
| Region | Fukushima, Tohoku, Japan |
| Spirits Type | Sake |
| Spirits Style | Yamahai, Junmai |
| ABV | 15-16% / Rice Polishing: 60% |
Product details
Born in the heart of Japan’s Tōhoku region, Kinpou (literally “Golden Treasure”) is the純米 Yamahai model of Niida-Honke’s “Kinpou” natural‑sake project, first introduced in 1967 to showcase Shizenshu, their fiercely pure brand of sake. From the start, the Kinpou line was built on local, pesticide‑free Shizenmai rice, cultivated without chemical fertilizer on Niida-Honke’s own 600-acre rice farms (a practice now extended to 10 surrounding communes), and brewed using only natural spring water and koji, unfiltered and never subjected to industrial additives or purified lactic acid—it is 100 % junmai and 100 % natural‑fermented by Kimoto‑style yeast while adopting the slower, more robust Yamahai technique since 1967. This labor‑intensive method not only deepens umami and acidity, but reflects Niida-Honke’s broader mission—to “protect rice fields” (田んぼと水を守る), foster biodiverse ecosystem stewardship (hand‑weeding, water treatment, tadpole shrimp, eco‑style farming), and strive for a self‑sustaining brewery deeply rooted in terroir-inspired philosophy.
On the palate, Kinpou Yamahai Junmai offers a bracing mix of tangy orchard and melony notes, coupled with a subtle core of honeysuckle sweetness and grounded by earthy melon and gentle mossy complexity. Despite a moderate SMV around −3.5 (slightly sweet), polishing ratio of 60 %, and 15–16 % abv, its Yamahai character imparts weighty texture, refined acidity, and natural umami depth that stays light on the finish—clean, precise, and lingering. Perfect companions include grilled mackerel, shiitake‑based vegetarian izakaya dishes, miso‑glazed vegetables, or semi‑firm aged cheese, all of which enrich or contrast its savory brilliance with a warming interplay of flavors and texture.
