製品・サービス TOMIN Nama Sake

“TOMIN Nama Sake” is a frozen fresh sake that preserves the exact flavor of freshly pressed sake from the brewery.
It represents a new category of Japanese sake made possible by Tōmin’s technology.

The history of preserving sake in Japan

The origins of sake are believed to date back to around 300-200 BC, and for approximately 2,000 years, it has developed alongside Japanese food culture. During this period, a preservation method known as “hiire” (pasteurization) was invented, and this pasteurization technique remains a cherished traditional practice even today. In the 21st century, the majority of sake commonly distributed is pasteurized.

The development of the “hiire” (pasteurization) technique brought a revolution to the storage and distribution of sake. However, sake that has not undergone pasteurization is known as “nama-sake” which is unpasteurized sake(In Japan, Nama-sake is usually called “nama-zake”). This type of sake is characterized by its fruity flavor and smooth texture, but it is delicate and prone to flavor changes due to enzyme activity. While the “hiire” process halts the activity of enzymes, making the sake easier to store, it unfortunately results in the loss of the original flavor of nama-sake. According to Mr. Kuji, the president of Nanbu Bijin, “The nama-sake that is available on the market retains only about half of the deliciousness compared to the freshly pressed sake at the brewery.” Therefore, the only way to truly enjoy the authentic taste of nama-sake was to visit the brewery during the pressing season.