SAKE MAP
Kanto / Types: Sake
Six drinks from Saitama, each with a snack that suits it and a short story behind the bottle.
Hanaabi
Read "Hanaabi," now a hard-to-get popular label. Its gorgeous, dense aroma and sweetness, like tropical fruit, captivate many fans. Made in small batches by a little brewery, quantities are limited; spot it and buy on sight, they say. It teaches you fully the sweet, luscious side of sake.
Pairs with：Unagi (grilled eel) / Fukaya negi (premium leek)
Shinkame
A pioneering Hasuda brewery that steered to "all junmai sake" ahead of the whole country. Read "Shinkame," its creed is a sturdy brew meant to be aged and drunk warm. A connoisseur's bottle whose umami opens over time. Warm it slowly and settle in to face it properly.
Pairs with：Unagi (grilled eel) / Niboto (flat-noodle stew)
Chichibunishiki
A long-established brewery with over two centuries of history in the mountain-ringed Chichibu basin. Brewed with clear Chichibu spring water, its creed is a full-bodied taste. With an adjoining brewery museum, it carries on the region's sake culture. A powerful bottle evoking Chichibu's mountains and the heat of its festivals.
Pairs with：Miso potato (fried potato with sweet miso) / Waraji-katsu (large pork cutlet)
Bukomasamune
A locally rooted bottle bearing the name of Chichibu's symbol, Mt. Buko. Brewed with the mountain's spring water, its character is a crisp, poised taste. It has long stood by regional life, from the Chichibu Night Festival onward. A local sake you'll want to share amid the heat of the festival.
Pairs with：Waraji-katsu (large pork cutlet) / Miso potato (fried potato with sweet miso)
Bunraku
A historic Ageo brewery named in homage to Bunraku puppet theater. True to the name, its taste carries emotion and refinement. Mellow and easy-drinking, its charm is a generosity that suits any dish. Savor it slowly, with thoughts of the traditional performing arts.
Pairs with：Fukaya negi (premium leek) / Niboto (flat-noodle stew)
Tenranzan
A bottle of a green, nature-rich land, named after Hanno's satoyama hill "Tenranzan." In recent years it's drawn attention for ambitious brewing, like using wine yeast. Its fresh, light drinkability recalls a cup after a hike. A refreshing sake fitting for a place surrounded by nature.
Pairs with：Unagi (grilled eel) / Fukaya negi (premium leek)