Yuki No Bosha

Founded in 1903 and managed by the fifth-generation son, Kotaro Saito, the Saiya Brewing Company has won eleven gold medals and three silvers from 1990 to 2005 at Japan’s National New Saké Competition. This makes it the fourth most-awarded brewery at the competition. The Saitos were also the first brewers to produce a certified organic saké in Japan.

Yuki No Bosha, “Cabin in the Snow,” is a celebration of the northern Akita region of Japan, one of the most important saké-producing areas. Yuki No Bosha sakés demonstrate a great balance between fruitier and spicier notes. The brewery primarily uses indigenous Akita Komachi and Gin No Sei rice, but also utilizes Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo for some daiginjo’s. The makers of Yuki No Bosha also produce the prestigious Yuri Masamune brand.

The makers of Yuki No Bosha are masters of their craft. The proof is in the many national and regional awards they have won, but the source is their toji, or “brewmaster.” A veteran of the esteemed Sannai Toji guild, Toichi Takahashi has been a brewmaster for thirty years, twenty of them at the Saiya Shuzouten.

The Saitos produce five daiginjos on a regular basis and others as special releases depending on the year. Although Akita is known for its “AK-1” yeast, the Saitos use proprietary yeasts developed in house: at last count, they were using twenty-five different strains.

Rustic, rugged and rural, Akita is cherished by the Japanese for its lively festivals, tranquil winters and delicious saké. Its renowned matsuri, or “festivals,” include Namahage Sedo (Demon Mask), Kamakura (Winter Igloo), Tsunahiki (Tug of War), Odaiko (Giant Drum) and the Kanto Lantern Festival. Home to fifty-one breweries and ranking fourth in total saké production, Akita is one of Japan’s most important sake-producing regions. The people of Akita are so proud of their saké that they refer to their region as bishu okoku, or “empire of beautiful saké.”
Akita-style sakés are earthy and layered.