🍶 Higashihiroshima City, one of Japan's three major sake capitals, and the autumn delicacy "Hiyaoroshi" 🍁

👩🦰 Introduction

The reason I, Yoko Hironaka, started on the path of a liquor store owner was a "misunderstanding" when I was a first-year high school student 😂.

I intended to go for a part-time job interview at the nearby "Sumiyoshi-ya Clothing Store", but I mistakenly entered "Sumita Sake Store". It was an unexpected turn of events, but I ended up loving sake, so now it's my calling lol.

Higashihiroshima City is the town where I grew up, and it's also where Sumitaya was founded in 1994. Although the story began by chance, growing up in Higashihiroshima, a sake capital, became the origin of my "job of delivering sake" 😊.

🏯 What are Japan's three major sake capitals?

Growing up in Higashihiroshima City, having sake breweries nearby was a normal part of my environment 😊. I grew up seeing labels and one-sho bottles of brands that had been around since my parents' and grandparents' generations as everyday scenery.

Such an environment was so normal that it was only when I became an adult that I realized, "Higashihiroshima is one of Japan's three major sake capitals, alongside Nada and Fushimi," and I was once again surprised and proud.

The water in this region is truly delicious, soft, and easy to drink. I truly feel now that this water is what makes Higashihiroshima's sake so gentle and mellow in flavor 💧🍶.

💧 Higashihiroshima/Saijo Sake Festival

Speaking of Higashihiroshima and Saijo, there's the "Saijo Sake Festival" held every October 🍶. The normally quiet Sake Brewery Street is bustling with sake fans from all over the country on this day, like a theme park for festivals ✨.

To be honest, as a local... on Sake Festival day, it's common to see people who've drunk too much lying around on the streets 😂.

It's that open and an event everyone looks forward to.

It's the ultimate luxury to sample sake from various breweries while enjoying local food from the stalls. It's truly an autumn tradition where you can experience the "sake capital" firsthand.

🍁 What is "Hiyaoroshi," an autumn tradition?

People often say that sake "must be drunk quickly," but just like wine and whiskey, its flavor deepens considerably with aging 🍷🥃.

In spring, it can be enjoyed fresh as new sake, but in autumn, aged sake with enhanced umami that has passed through summer appears. "Hiyaoroshi" is sake that still retains some of its youth, about half a year old, but its flavor has settled and it's "just right for drinking" 🍂.

In autumn, rich dishes also appear on the dining table. When paired with seasonal delicacies like salt-grilled fatty saury 🐟 or fragrant grilled shiitake mushrooms 🍄, hiyaoroshi becomes even more delicious. It's truly a drink that can be enjoyed as "autumn food sake" 🍶✨.

🥢 Enjoying Hiyaoroshi warm

The breweries in Higashihiroshima also offer Hiyaoroshi unique to this season. From fruity and refreshing types 🍏 to rich types with a distinct rice umami 🍚, each has its own unique character.

Furthermore, it pairs excellently with autumn flavors! If you combine it with salt-grilled fatty saury 🐟, aromatic mushroom dishes 🍄, or Hiroshima's famous oyster dishes 🦪, you can enjoy a luxurious time unique to the region.

As a drink perfect for the autumn appetite, please give it a try.

🙌 Conclusion

Higashihiroshima's "Hiyaoroshi" varies in taste and character from brewery to brewery 🍶. From crisp and refreshing types to full-bodied umami—you'll be surprised at how different they are when you compare different "Hiyaoroshi" sakes.

If you enjoy it with autumn flavors like saury, mushrooms, and oysters, you're sure to find your favorite 😊.

If you're wondering, "Which one should I choose...?", please feel free to consult me, Yoko Hironaka. Let's find the perfect one for you together ✨.