NV Takeda Shuzo Katafune Ginjo Genshu Niigata 750 ml

A few years ago, our sake expert Eduardo Dingler attended the Niigata Sake No Jin Festival, a celebration that gathers nearly 90 of Japan’s premier sake producers. As he entered the packed tasting room, which had a record attendance of 142,000 people, he spotted sake craftsman Takeda San in the center of the lively event, and made a beeline for his Katafune sake.

It was the standout of the entire two-day event. 

This sake is sourced from Japan’s esteemed Niigata prefecture, known for its pristine waters. In Niigata, the mountains rise up like the Alps in the background, and fields of rice extend for miles giving the entire region a fairy-tale appearance. The sake is just as magical, showing incredible depth of flavor and elegance. 

“Junmai Ginjo” sake is made of four ingredients: water, rice, yeast, and koji. The Niigata water gives it a velvety and silky texture. For rice, Takeda San relies on Koshitanrei, the preferred choice for premium sake in Niigata, which contributes roundness and definition on the palate. The yeast brings the fruity aromas, including citrus and pineapple notes. 

“Ginjo” means the rice grains were polished by 40% or more, creating a more elegant and sophisticated sake. In this case, Takeda San polished each grain by 45%—nearly half its weight—and used only the most pristine rice grains. “Genshu” means undiluted, making this bottle one of the few sakes bottled without the addition of water. Then, he aged this release at low temperatures in 18-liter glass containers to concentrate the flavors and aromas.

The result is a powerful, aromatic, and impressive sake—a whole festival in a glass.