Shichiken EXPRESSION 2006 Movie
The source of the exquisite taste of Shichiken is
the finely polished waters of the Ojiro River cascading down
from Mt.Kaikoma of the Southern Alps.
The movie features the forests of Hakushu,
pristine water, and Shichiken’s sake brewing process.
Enjoy the lush scenery set to the original Shichiken EXPRESSION song.
Please play the movie with sound.
Millet and Shichiken,
the fateful encounter
On the outskirts of Paris lies a small village called Barbizon, nestled on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau. The artists who have gathered here are called the Barbizon school of painters, and they have a deep appreciation for nature and a naturalist style. Jean-François Millet, one of the founders of the Barbizon school, portrayed the landscape and peasants’ life in the countryside as he saw it.
In northern Yamanashi, a village called Hakushu is dominated by the majestic Southern Alps, with Mt. Fuji gracing the horizon. Drawing from a subterranean river, the sake brewery Shichiken has been creating the finest sake here for 300 years. Learning from the principles of nature, Shichiken’s master brewer Ryogo Kitahara has been a catalyst in transforming the culture of sake.
In 2022, the souls of Jean-François Millet and Ryogo Kitahara met to create EXPRESSION 2006, a sake challenging new heights. Infused with the refreshingly pure water of Hakushu, the carefully matured Daiginjo from 2006 is reborn as a fresh sparkling sake. This timeless sake is inspired by Millet’s unceasing quest to capture the gentle yet harsh life of peasants. The fateful encounter of Barbizon and Hakushu has given life to a new expression, to be added to the Shichiken EXPRESSION series.
My EXPRESSION
To live in Yamanashi is to be immersed in nature and to learn the way human beings have lived for centuries. This life resembles the world depicted by Jean-François Millet. Strip away the artificial and what remains is life itself, with a vivid sense of reality. We plow the earth, sow seeds, and harvest when the time comes. The courage to gracefully accept nature without turning away from its cycle—that is the EXPRESSION I sense with Jean-François Millet.
In 1849, Jean-François Millet began a new life in the land of Barbizon. Resonating with his respect for nature and authenticity, I too sow seeds. It is never too late to start. We take the next step by sowing the seeds of the future. The first step is what opens up infinite possibilities.
Ryogo Kitahara
Master Brewer
Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.
SHICHIKEN SPARKLING SAKE
EXPRESSION 2006
Expressing the nostalgic elegance of the sowers
Infused with Daiginjo sake from 2006, this timeless sake expresses a wide range of flavors, surprising you with the vigor of the earth in every sip. This superbly balanced, fruity, floral tapestry of sparkling elegance with a hint of toasted grains is ideal both as an aperitif and with fine dining.
- Volume: 720 ml
Alcohol: 12%
Serving temperature: Chilled
Message from Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art
EXPRESSION of Jean-François Millet
With our extensive collection of Jean-François Millet’s paintings, the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art has come to be known as “the Museum of Millet.” Since 2020, we have been photographing his paintings as ultra-high-resolution digital images with the support of the art and culture promotion budget from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. This project aims to promote our collections and pass down valuable artworks to future generations. To start, we have photographed the following three masterpieces from our Jean-François Millet collection.
The Sower
Summer, The Gleaners
The Return of the Flock
To commemorate the creation of ultra-high-resolution digital images of these three paintings, we are proud to announce the release of a new sake series in collaboration with Yamanashi Meijo Inc., the local sake brewery renowned for its Shichiken brand of fine sake. Its sparkling sake series EXPRESSION reflects Millet’s life and the message conveyed in these three paintings. Each sake bottle is designed by the acclaimed art director Kaoru Kasai and graphic designer Tomohiro Nakayama to encompass the two worlds expressed by Millet’s paintings and Shichiken’s sake. Each of these three paintings is a masterpiece of Millet, who depicted the lives of peasants coexisting with nature. The perspective captured in Millet’s paintings has greater meaning in today’s society where the relationship between human beings and nature is being redefined.
Jean-François Millet
Jean-François Millet (October 4,18-January 20, 1875), an artist of the Barbizon school, was born in the remote villege of Gruchy in Normandy. At the age of 34, he settled in the village of Barbizon and painted vibrant depicitions of peasant life and lanscapes.
From 2022 to 2024,
Shichiken is releasing three EXPRESSION lines
in collaboration with Millet’s three paintings.
The Sower
1850
oil on canvas
Summer, The Gleaners
1853
oil on canvas
The Return of the Flock
1857-60
oil on panel
This webpage has been created with the support of the National Tax Agency.