Enoki Shuzō
Hanahato Kijōshu Aged 8 Years
White Grapes
Iconic White
Grapes
Hanahato Kijōshu Aged 8 Years is an aged sake from Enoki Shuzō, a brewery in Ondo on Kurahashi Island, in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture. It combines two styles: kijōshu, in which some of the brewing water is replaced with sake, and koshu, sake that develops a richer character through prolonged maturation. The brewery has pioneered kijōshu production in Japan since 1974.
It is made from Nakate Shinsenbon rice, polished to 65% of its original grain size, rice kōji, and sake added during the final stage of mash preparation. This process slows fermentation, allowing more sweetness to remain. The sake then matures for at least eight years, developing a rounder character and a dark brown color. The official product page lists an alcohol content of 16.5%.
It is characterized by pronounced sweetness, a thick, almost syrupy texture, and a mellowness developed through aging. Its rich profile recalls sherry, Madeira, and aged Shaoxing wine. It pairs well with foie gras, cheeses, slow-cooked pork, and tempura, and can also be enjoyed with chocolate or poured over vanilla ice cream.
Producer
Enoki Shuzō is a family-owned sake brewery founded in 1899 in Ondo, on Kurahashi Island, part of the city of Kure in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture. It is best known for its Hanahato brand and its pioneering role in producing kijōshu, a style of sake in which some of the brewing water is replaced with previously brewed sake.
In 1974, the brewery became the first in Japan to produce kijōshu. Adding sake during the final stage of mash preparation slows fermentation, resulting in a richer, sweeter flavor suited to prolonged aging. The brewery uses water from its own well and primarily Hiroshima-grown rice, including Hattan Nishiki and Koi Omachi, while its daiginjō is made with Yamada Nishiki from the Yoshikawa area of Hyōgo Prefecture. Alongside kijōshu, its range includes junmai, ginjō, daiginjō, sake brewed using the kimoto method, and cloudy nigori releases.
Today, Enoki Shuzō combines a broad domestic range with international recognition for its kijōshu sake. Its continued development focuses on expanding the ways sake can be enjoyed and exploring new styles. Its current range includes kijōshu aged in sherry, bourbon, and Madeira wine casks, as well as sake made from rice grown by the brewery’s master brewer in Ondo.