IONO

IONO IONO

Concept

In the local Uonuma dialect, there’s a special word used by the locals – “unmegan”, meaning “delicious”. For Iono, both the brewery where the sake is made and the water and rice used to make it are from the Uonuma region. They combine to make a sake that pairs elegantly with a wide range of cuisine
from around the world.
At Mottox, as a wine importer we are familiar both with the significance of terroir and a with wide range of culinary cultures. Bringing these together, we want to invite you to join us in an open-minded approach to sake pairing. Why not make this Craft Sake from Uonuma part of your table?

Feature

Sake reflecting its home of Uonuma

Uonuma is covered in deep snow each winter, melting away each year by spring and leaving the land enriched. Thanks to this snowfall, Uonuma’s water springs and wells never run dry, and its crops of rice, highly regarded in Japan, is nourished by this plentiful supply of water. The water and rice, and the sake they are used to brew using the local region’s traditional techniques, are reflection of the Uonuma region and its terroir.

Product

By The Takanoi Sake Brewery

The name “Iono” is taken from an old name for the Uonuma region.
Each label is decorated with famous seasonal events and spectacles of the area.
We hope these beautiful scenes will capture your imagination as you enjoy drinking each bottle.

Label design: Hot air balloons launching in Ojiya

Iono Tokubetsu Junmai

Steely at first, gradually unfolding into something gentler on the palate before soaring into the air on the finish like the hot air balloons on the label.

Recommended serving temperature: 18℃
ABV: 16%
Rice: Gohyakumangoku (sourced from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture – JGAP-certified)

伊乎乃 特別純米
伊乎乃 特別純米

Label design: a starlit Ojiya treeline on a clear winter’s night

Iono Junmai Ginjo

An elegant, nostalgic flavour that will move you like the starry night view on the label.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 16%
Rice:
Koji: Koshitanrei (sourced from Niigata Prefecture)
Kake: Gohyakumangoku (sourced from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture – JGAP-certified)

Iono Junmai Ginjo
Iono Junmai Ginjo

Label design: Ojiya’s Karakuri Lantern Parade

Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu

Much like the Karakuri lantern parade, this powerful sake is throbbing with the energy of a festival on a hot summer’s night.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 17%
Rice: Koshitanrei (sourced from Ojiya-shi, Niigata Prefecture)

Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu
Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu

Label design: The Ojiya Fireworks Festival

Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu (incl. gift box)

A sake both that is both bright and elegant, like fireworks in the night sky.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 16%
Rice: Koshitanrei (sourced from Ojiya-shi, Niigata Prefecture)

Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu
Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu

Back ground

  • Uonuma’s Medium-Soft Water
    Uonuma’s water is noted for its medium-softness, with remarkably low levels of manganese and iron, making it particularly suitable for sake brewing. It imbues the sake with pliability and the glossiness of a glass ball, for an effortlessly smooth drinking experience.
  • Sake rice cultivation that protects the landscape of Uonuma
    Iono uses both Gohyakumangoku and Koshitanrei grown in the rice paddies of Uonuma. The Gohyakumangoku rice is JGAP-certified, a qualification promoting sustainable agricultural practices with over 100 different clauses required for certification, making it a rare acquisition. This ensures that the landscape of Ojiya will be preserved for generations to come.
  • Sake that enhances the food it is paired with
    The Iono lineup is comprised of sakes in the classic dry and elegant Niigata style, sake you won’t tire of drinking that enhances whatever food it is paired with. Capturing the terroir of Uonuma and elegantly wrapped in the soft umami of the rice used to make it, the Takanoi Sake Brewery and Mottox are proud to present Iono as the perfect accompaniment to your meal.

Pairing

  • Sea bream poêlé and potato and basil gratin, paired with the Iono Junmai Ginjo

    The Iono Junmai Ginjo is a charmingly elegant sake with a fine-boned body.　It is perfect for pairing with white fish, which, cooked until lightly browned, intermingles perfectly with the slight bitter nuances of this sake’s flavour profile. The fresh acidity cleanses the palate with every mouthful, washing away the butteriness from the gratin, and inviting the next mouthful and the next sip.

  • Sea bream carpaccio with citrus vinaigrette, paired with the Iono Tokubetsu Junmai

    The Iono Tokubetsu Junmai undergoes a brief period of ageing before release, giving greater depth to its umami. Beautifully balanced like the balloons on the label, the Tokubetsu Junmai’s umami works perfectly with the extra virgin olive oil used in this dish, while its flavour profile synergises with the sea bream, setting each other off to advantage and creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Product Details
Craft Sake

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スペシャル商品 Archive | Craft Sake - ブランドサイト

OFFSHORE

Shonan-raised rice,
water,
yeast and people Sake
made in the
only brewery
in Shonan.
Shonan-raised rice,
water,
yeast and people Sake made in
the only brewery
in Shonan.

The only Sake Brewery in Shonan,
making sake with Shonan water and Shonan rice.

Shonan is an area in the south of Kanagawa Prefecture, located close to the sea.
Beloved by locals and famous throughout Japan, people often say, “when you’re in Shonan, you’ve got to try this.”

“This” could be a lot of different things, but whatever it is, you’ll have great memories to take home with you, and you’ll know you’ll always be welcome to visit again.

Offshore is one of those things you should try. “Born and raised” in Shonan, the product of its natural resources, you’ll always think of Shonan when you drink it.

Offshore is made by the Kumazawa Brewery, the only Sake Brewery in Shonan. The water and rice come from Shonan too – the surfboard and waves on the label, and even the aromas and flavours will remind you of this sake’s birthplace.

湘南唯一の蔵。湘南の米と水で造る日本酒。 湘南唯一の蔵。湘南の米と水で造る日本酒。

Product

  • おふしょあ 吟醸

    Offshore Ginjo

    Ingredients
    Rice (domestically produced), Koji (domestically produced), brewer’s alcohol
    Serving temperature
    7℃
    ABV
    15%
    Sake Meter Value
    ±0
    Acidity
    1.8
    Vol.
    720ml

Feature

Shonan-raised yeast BK-5

Offshore is made using a yeast called BK-5. Isolated at the brewery, it was originally found on an old air raid shelter located on the brewery grounds. This yeast, which quietly watched over the brewery from the shelter for many years, is now used to brew mild, refreshing sake.

Brewing with the celebrated hard water from the Tanzawa Mountains

Offshore is brewed with water that originates from the Tanzawa Mountains, drawn as underground water from the Sakawa and Sagami Rivers. Drawn from the brewery well with a hardness of 150mg/l, the rich mineral content nourishes the yeast which in turn imbues the sake with taut acidity and greater depth.

Flavours of Shonan

Offshore has refreshing aromas of lemon, fresh bananas and notes of a sea breeze, accompanied by a sunburst of tropical fruit and riding on a lively wave of acidity. Saline mineral notes give the sake a slight astringency. The finish radually recedes like waves lapping on the beach.

”湘南育ち”の「おふしょあ」に込められた思い ”湘南育ち”の「おふしょあ」に込められた思い

Back ground

The story of the “Shonan-raised” concept behind Offshore

A beachfront lined with surfing shops, bikes rushing past laden down with surfboards. Whether you’re in the town or by the beach, daily life in Shonan revolves around the sea.

The best waves for surfing are formed when there is a breeze blowing from the land out to sea. Known as an offshore wind, it will have people gathering at the beach, looking to ride the perfect wave.

We named Offshore with two things in mind, Firstly, we wanted to make a sake that would bring people together; secondly, we wanted to make a sake that would make people feel free, as if they themselves had become an offshore breeze blowing out toward the outside world.

Fresh with a saline note and a crisp finish, it’s as if the Shonan seaside has been captured in a bottle – we hope you’ll enjoy your time off with Offshore.

Scene

  • 湘南の食材に合う 湘南の食材に合う

    Pairing with Shonan cuisine

    Equally at home with raw whitebait as dried mackerel or dried sardines, Offshore is perfect for pairing with all of the classic local fare – it is excellent with sashimi too.

  • 海辺でのスポーツやアウトドアのおともに 海辺でのスポーツやアウトドアのおともに

    Enjoy with marine sports and outdoor activities

    Offshore is perfect for enjoying once you’re done surfing for the day or doing your choice of marine sports. It’s the perfect partner for a barbeque or for enjoying outdoors. Pair it with fresh fish to enjoy the seaside to its fullest.

  • お土産やプレゼント、お呼ばれのときの手土産にも お土産やプレゼント、お呼ばれのときの手土産にも

    Perfect for giving as a gift or for bringing to a party

    Offshore is a great souvenir to bring back from your trip to Shonan, or as a bottle to bring to a party with friends. With its crisp finish and unique saline profile, it’s an excellent sake to enjoy with food. Of course, it will bring back all your memories of your trip to Shonan too. Drink it while sharing your stories with friends.

Shop list

Below is a list of retailers selling Offshore,

  • 1.Ishikawa Saketen

    〒254-0802 Kanagawa-ken, Hiratsuka-shi, Satsubacho 32-10

    TEL：0463-21-1785

  • 2.Minemart Hagisono

    〒253-0071 Kanagawa-ken, Chigasaki-shi, Hagisono 2338

    TEL：0467-82-8244/p>

  • 3.Tsuchiya Shoten

    〒253-0053 Kanagawa-ken, Chigasaki-shi, Higashikaigankita 1-12

    TEL：0467-82-2066

    Business Hours：10:00～19:00

    URL：https://sake-tsuchiya.com/

  • 4.Minemart Chigasaki Tokiwacho

    〒253-0032 Kanagawa-ken, Chigasaki-shi, Tokiwacho 6-44

    TEL：0467-59-4193

    Business Hours：10:00～21:00

    URL：https://www.instagram.com/chigasaki_minemart/

  • 5.Osake-no-Yokozuna Mait

    〒232-0016 Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Minami-ku, Miyamotocho 4-93

    TEL：045-741-5001

    URL：https://www.instagram.com/yokohamaya_dsmaita/

  • 6.Hara Shoten

    〒211-0044 Kanagawa-ken, Kawasaki-shi, Nakahara-ku, Shinjo 3-1-1

    TEL：044-766-2517

    Business Hours：9:30～21:00

    URL：https://www.facebook.com/harasaketen/

  • 7.Kubota Saketen

    〒210-0022 Kanagawa-ken, Kawasaki-shi,Kawasaki-ku, Ikeda 1-13-9

    TEL：044-211-1234

    Business Hours：9:00～18:00

    URL：http://www.kkkubota.com/

  • 8.Cave de Azumaya

    〒252-0303 Kanagawa-ken, Sagamihara-shi, Minami-ku, Sagamiono 5-27-12

    TEL：042-742-3357

    Business Hours：14:00～18:00

    URL：https://cavedeazumaya.jimdofree.com/

  • 9.Yamanakaya Saketen, Mylord Branch

    〒243-0013 Kanagawa-ken, Atsugi-shi, Izumicho 1-1 Atsugi Mylord B1F

    TEL：046-230-3265

    Business Hours：10:00～21:00

    URL：https://www.yamanakaya-sake.com/

Product Details
Craft Sake

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スペシャル商品 Archive | Craft Sake - ブランドサイト

Ringo pom-pom

It’s sake but overflowing with apples!

Concept

If it’s only made from water and rice,
how come it tastes of apples?!

The secret to Ringo Pomme Pomme is its yeast, which produces apple flavours and aromas as well as high levels of malic acid, the same acid found in apples. It tastes just like biting into a fresh apple, even though not a single drop of fruit juice has been added. Welcome to “apple juice for grown-ups”.

In the year of its release, over ten thousand bottles have been sold, and it has been especially popular in Hong Kong and China. Ringo Pomme Pomme is the sake everybody is talking about.

Product

  • りんごぽむぽむ

    Hachinohe Shurui Sake Brewery, Aomori Prefecture

    Ringo Pomme Pomme

    Rice: Aomori Prefecture-grown rice

    ABV: 7%

    It’s sake but overflowing with apples!
    Refreshing acidity like biting into a freshly picked apple gently unfolds on the palate, perfectly balanced by a juicy sweetness. Serve well-chilled.

日本酒が苦手な人でも飲める日本酒をつくりたい。

Back ground

Ringo Pomme Pomme, with its delicious apple flavours and cute label design, is a collaboration between Mottox and the Hachinohe Sake Brewery. Its low alcohol content of 7% and fresh fruit flavours will turn the world’s preconceived notions about sake on their head.
Ringo Pomme Pomme’s charming flavours will astonish you. It is made using only rice, koji and water – not a single flavouring is added.
We wanted to make something approachable, something cute and stylish – after over two years working on the concept and design, this is the final result.

“りんごぽむぽむ”の由来

Feature

  • The naming of “Ringo Pomme Pomme”

    The name Ringo Pomme Pomme comes from the Japanese and French words for “apple”.

    Translated literally, it’s Apple Apple Apple – a cute name for a sake.

  • It’s sake, but tastes of apples?!

    The pronounced aromas of apple, the refreshing flavours and invigorating acidity are thanks to the choice of yeast used for fermentation, which creates high levels of malic acid, also found in apples.
    It’s just like eating an apple freshly picked from the tree – even though not a single apple is used to make it.

  • Like apple juice for adults!

    Whereas most sake has an ABV of 15%, Ringo Pomme Pomme’s alcohol content is just 7%. Sweet but perfectly balanced with crisp acidity, this is a new and exciting drinking experience, that even people who don’t usually enjoy sake can drink effortlessly.

Pairing

  • Cherry Jelly and Ringo Pomme Pomme
    Sweetness-focused pairing
    甘味のペアリング さくらんぼのゼリー

    A lovely pairing that brings out the best of the cherries’ fresh acidity and the jelly’s sweetness.
    When it comes to pairing, a classic rule of thumb is to pair a sweet dish with a sweeter sake. The sweetness of sake and jelly harmonise here to excellent effect – not to mention, it looks gorgeous.

  • Strawberry Mozzarella and Ringo Pomme Pomme
    Acidity-focused pairing
    酸味のペアリング いちごモッツァレラ

    This pairing interweaves the sweet yet slightly sour flavours of mozzarella cheese with Ringo Pomme Pomme’s acidity.

    As for the strawberries, any fruit that contains a high level of malic acid is a great match for Ringo Pomme Pomme!

    Ringo Pomme Pomme contains not only malic acid, but lactic acid too, like all sake – for this reason it’s a great match for dairy products such as cheese, the product of lactic acid fermentation. Drizzle some condensed milk on this dish to take it to the next level!

Product Details
Craft Sake

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--> スペシャル商品 Archive | Craft Sake - ブランドサイト

IONO IONO

Concept

In the local Uonuma dialect, there’s a special word used by the locals – “unmegan”, meaning “delicious”. For Iono, both the brewery where the sake is made and the water and rice used to make it are from the Uonuma region. They combine to make a sake that pairs elegantly with a wide range of cuisine
from around the world.
At Mottox, as a wine importer we are familiar both with the significance of terroir and a with wide range of culinary cultures. Bringing these together, we want to invite you to join us in an open-minded approach to sake pairing. Why not make this Craft Sake from Uonuma part of your table?

Feature

Sake reflecting its home of Uonuma

Uonuma is covered in deep snow each winter, melting away each year by spring and leaving the land enriched. Thanks to this snowfall, Uonuma’s water springs and wells never run dry, and its crops of rice, highly regarded in Japan, is nourished by this plentiful supply of water. The water and rice, and the sake they are used to brew using the local region’s traditional techniques, are reflection of the Uonuma region and its terroir.

Product

By The Takanoi Sake Brewery

The name “Iono” is taken from an old name for the Uonuma region.
Each label is decorated with famous seasonal events and spectacles of the area.
We hope these beautiful scenes will capture your imagination as you enjoy drinking each bottle.

Label design: Hot air balloons launching in Ojiya

Iono Tokubetsu Junmai

Steely at first, gradually unfolding into something gentler on the palate before soaring into the air on the finish like the hot air balloons on the label.

Recommended serving temperature: 18℃
ABV: 16%
Rice: Gohyakumangoku (sourced from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture – JGAP-certified)

伊乎乃 特別純米
伊乎乃 特別純米

Label design: a starlit Ojiya treeline on a clear winter’s night

Iono Junmai Ginjo

An elegant, nostalgic flavour that will move you like the starry night view on the label.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 16%
Rice:
Koji: Koshitanrei (sourced from Niigata Prefecture)
Kake: Gohyakumangoku (sourced from Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture – JGAP-certified)

Iono Junmai Ginjo
Iono Junmai Ginjo

Label design: Ojiya’s Karakuri Lantern Parade

Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu

Much like the Karakuri lantern parade, this powerful sake is throbbing with the energy of a festival on a hot summer’s night.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 17%
Rice: Koshitanrei (sourced from Ojiya-shi, Niigata Prefecture)

Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu
Iono Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu

Label design: The Ojiya Fireworks Festival

Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu (incl. gift box)

A sake both that is both bright and elegant, like fireworks in the night sky.

Recommended serving temperature: 7℃
ABV: 16%
Rice: Koshitanrei (sourced from Ojiya-shi, Niigata Prefecture)

Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu
Iono Snow-Aged Junmai Daiginjo Genshu

Back ground

  • Uonuma’s Medium-Soft Water
    Uonuma’s water is noted for its medium-softness, with remarkably low levels of manganese and iron, making it particularly suitable for sake brewing. It imbues the sake with pliability and the glossiness of a glass ball, for an effortlessly smooth drinking experience.
  • Sake rice cultivation that protects the landscape of Uonuma
    Iono uses both Gohyakumangoku and Koshitanrei grown in the rice paddies of Uonuma. The Gohyakumangoku rice is JGAP-certified, a qualification promoting sustainable agricultural practices with over 100 different clauses required for certification, making it a rare acquisition. This ensures that the landscape of Ojiya will be preserved for generations to come.
  • Sake that enhances the food it is paired with
    The Iono lineup is comprised of sakes in the classic dry and elegant Niigata style, sake you won’t tire of drinking that enhances whatever food it is paired with. Capturing the terroir of Uonuma and elegantly wrapped in the soft umami of the rice used to make it, the Takanoi Sake Brewery and Mottox are proud to present Iono as the perfect accompaniment to your meal.

Pairing

  • Sea bream poêlé and potato and basil gratin, paired with the Iono Junmai Ginjo

    The Iono Junmai Ginjo is a charmingly elegant sake with a fine-boned body.　It is perfect for pairing with white fish, which, cooked until lightly browned, intermingles perfectly with the slight bitter nuances of this sake’s flavour profile. The fresh acidity cleanses the palate with every mouthful, washing away the butteriness from the gratin, and inviting the next mouthful and the next sip.

  • Sea bream carpaccio with citrus vinaigrette, paired with the Iono Tokubetsu Junmai

    The Iono Tokubetsu Junmai undergoes a brief period of ageing before release, giving greater depth to its umami. Beautifully balanced like the balloons on the label, the Tokubetsu Junmai’s umami works perfectly with the extra virgin olive oil used in this dish, while its flavour profile synergises with the sea bream, setting each other off to advantage and creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Product Details
Craft Sake

Contact Us