Fine bubbles from secondary fermentation in the bottle

Smooth and silky sake using water drawn from a subterranean river of the Southern Alps.

Spirit aged in whiskey casks using sake lees with an exquisite aroma

Skincare brand COJIE using all-natural koji sugar, a product of the sake rice fermentation process

Collaboration with the master of French cuisine

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Language :
Japanese / Chinese

About

Water

Water is our essence

A pleasant ripple
spreads through my body.

Feeling the presence of
water flowing from my mind.

Calling the waters of Hakushu
to come home to myself.

Brewing inspired by the waters of Hakushu

When you lightly twirl a glass of Shichiken’s sake, the mellowed sake will slowly move across the surface. The waters of Hakushu, which contain just the right amount of minerals filtered by the granite of Mt. Kaikoma of the Southern Alps, is smooth and leaves a gentle, crisp taste on the tongue. Shichiken’s mission is to create sake that faithfully represents the waters of Hakushu. Believing that the pristine waters of Hakushu should be at the heart of our sake brewing, we have established a unique method of brewing after repeated trials.

Encountering the water

In 1750, the founder of Shichiken, Ihee Kitahara, from Takatō, Nagano where his family had been brewing sake for generations, fell in love with the quality of Hakushu waters and started sake brewing in Daigahara on Koshu Kaido. For 300 years, Shichiken has been devoted to crafting the finest sake inspired by the local waters. The name “Shichiken” comes from a pair of fanlights titled “Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove” (“Chikurin no Shichikenjin” in Japanese), given by Surugano-kami Naito, Lord of Takatō Castle, in 1835 to celebrate the completion of the brewery, which still remains in the main building as a cultural asset.

The mountain of water

Shichiken uses water drawn from a subterranean river of Mt. Kaikoma, which towers above Hakushu and our brewery. Mt. Kaikoma was formed when granite rocks, created when magma solidified underground, were lifted up over the course of more than a million years. The snow that falls on the mountain seeps deep into the earth and is polished by layers of granite over about 27 years, resulting in the purest water.

Purity of water

Shichiken believes that freshly brewed sake is the best sake, and so draws spring water that flows directly into the brewery. Although the koji-making process and fermentation of moromi take time to bring out the full aroma, the pressed sake is bottled immediately. This minimal processing ensures that the aroma and fullness of the freshly brewed sake are preserved in the bottle.

Water and rice

To create a sake that embodies the waters of Hakushu, we mainly use locally produced rice, which is grown using the same water source. Both local rice farmers and Shichiken share close bonds and a deep respect for the waters of Hakushu, and are committed to producing and using high-quality sake rice.