As a native of the region of Hokuriku, I proudly thought that as concern sake, the best one is definitely Hokuriku’s one. But when I moved to Sapporo, I was amazed by the local sake. I did not indeed know that there was such good sake in Hokkaido.

　Thanks to its melt water and its cold climate, Hokkaido is undisputable a land of good rice wine. Master sake brewers pass their traditional skills from generation to generation. When I send this sake to my friends, I always boast that "if you don’t know Hokkaido’s sake, you can speak about sake".

　Sapporo is a city that does not know water shortage. In winter, the snow falls in abundance and accumulates on mountains that absorb it and return it as delicious water. The city of Sapporo, which was built in the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, is located in a land blessed by spring water and which was thus called memu ("springs") by the Ainu.

　Neighboring Otaru is also surrounded by mountains. Sailors used to say that "water is in East, in Otaru", and thus the city was known as a supply base of water.

　Melt water, cold climate and skills of brewers are all that make sake exceptional.

　Please enjoy the delicious sake of Hokkaido.

■ Affiliated articles
Watching the brewing of the highest quality sake (Sapporo, Chitosetusru)