Hirai Junmai Sake is a clean, crisp, dry, and elegant pure rice sake from the historic Koshitsukano Shuzo brewery in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. This premium junmai sake is crafted without additives using Gohyakumangoku rice polished to 60% and Koshi Ibuki rice for the koji, combined with very soft well water and wild yeast that the brewery propagates itself.

Named for the swans that migrate to the local lake, Hirai presents a savory aroma of freshly cooked rice with hints of tropical fruit, including peach blossom, pineapple, and guava notes from the Emperor Sake yeast strain. The sake delivers a balanced mouthfeel with powerful flavors thanks to the exceptional quality of rice and water, finishing with a clean, crisp character that cleanses the palate.

Founded in 1781, Koshitsukano Shuzo has 240 years of brewing tradition and resulted from the 1996 merger between Tsukano Shuzo and Koshi Shuzo. The brewery is located in Niigata, known as the Napa of Japan, prized for its pristine water from mountain snowmelt that creates elegant sake with pure, defined flavors. This versatile junmai pairs well with diverse cuisines from Thai food to pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, or dishes with spice and complex ingredients that might overpower lighter wines.