Wine · Matsue, Shimane
Rihaku
Shimane sake brewery named for a wandering Tang dynasty poet.
- Founded
- 1882
- Based in
- Matsue, Shimane
Making it since
1882
Their story
Rihaku Shuzo has been brewing sake in Matsue, a castle town in Shimane Prefecture on Japan's Sea of Japan coast, since 1882.
The brewery's name came from former Japanese prime minister Reijiro Wakatsuki, who chose it in honor of Li Bai, the Tang dynasty Chinese poet known in Japan as Rihaku and famous for his poems about wine. That's also the source of the brewery's best-known sake abroad, Wandering Poet.
How it's made
Rihaku uses Yamada-nishiki, the classic sake rice, polished to 55 percent for its Wandering Poet junmai ginjo and to 38 percent for its daiginjo. The brewery aims to use the best rice for each grade it makes.
Why we carry them
Wandering Poet is a great first junmai ginjo for anyone getting into sake. It is clean and food-friendly, and we love it with sushi or roast chicken.
Find more makers like this in Provisions Club, our curated subscription.
Explore Provisions Club