On the way back from visiting Hidenoyama Kiln in Asakura-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture, I stopped by Kataoka Sake Brewery and bought a rare one-liter bottle of white wine. I then enjoyed it with takoyaki at my favorite takoyaki restaurant. The white wine was light and sweet, easy to drink, and paired perfectly with the takoyaki! Hidenoyama Kiln's website: http://www.koishiwara.net/ceramist/satomi.html Kataoka Sake Brewery's website: http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~kataoka/ Takoyaki restaurant, Marumaruya's website: http://www.marumaruya.jp/

I received cold sake from a close friend and enjoyed it with momiji manju and kirika-ka as snacks after work at the company. We toasted with the cold sake. The slightly sweet snacks paired well with the sake, which was a slightly sweet junmai sake. It was still delicious even though it wasn't chilled in the refrigerator. The sake had the autumn scent of Mount Hojusan. Recently, when dining with four friends at Tenkenji Unagi, the owner asked if a woman who wanted to meet Kiichiro could be brought to our private room. The owner must have mentioned Kiichiro's presence during the meal. We agreed, and it turned out to be a young lady from Hojusan, the daughter of Kataoka Sake Brewery. She seemed to know Kiichiro from his reviews on Tabelog. She works as the head of sales at Kataoka Sake Brewery and is still single, looking for a husband. She asked if we like men who enjoy sake and invited us to visit Hojusan in Asakura District. She mentioned that she recently visited Hojusan for the promotion of sake from Kurume District. Hojusan, located in the mountains, has clean water and air, making it an ideal place for sake production. The label of the sake she showed us, Junmai sake Fukumai, depicted the rich nature and clear streams of Hojusan, just as Kiichiro had imagined. Hojusan is a small village with about 500 households and a population of around 1,700 people, known for its abundant mountain water from Mount Hiko. The villagers seem to live harmoniously together. I had a taste of the Fukumai junmai sake in a small cup during the day, and it had a rich aroma, reminiscent of the clear mountain air and delicious water. It was a delightful sake. It must be a local sake from Hojusan in Asakura that is enjoyed in Kurume. I look forward to visiting Hojusan with my friends to experience its beauty.

Fukoka-Ogyoji Station is located near a river, a little off the station. I stopped by during the JR Kyushu Walking event, tried some samples, and bought a 720ml bottle of Junmai sake for 1250 yen. It's unclear if they usually sell retail. The brewery is located in Toho Village, and Ogyoji Station seems somewhat remote with trains running only once every two hours. It was crowded with walking event participants when I visited, but I imagine this station is usually deserted. I'm from Tokyo and thought Kyushu was all about shochu, but I discovered they have a variety of sake, including the lesser-known Nabeshima from Saga. Many breweries produce both shochu and sake. This particular brewery seems small, run by just 6 people according to their website. I was offered tea for my child, suggesting it's mostly a family operation. Interestingly, they also sell white wine in one-liter bottles. The Fukunomi Junmai sake I bought is on the cheaper side, so it's hard to judge the brewery's true skill based on this. When I drank it at home (after a beer and a bit of shochu), I found it light and easy to drink. It may be a bit watery for heavy drinkers, but it has a light sweetness that might appeal to women. The family was friendly during the tasting, and I got the sense they're doing well in their mountain village. I hope they continue to thrive, so I'm giving them a slightly generous rating as a show of support.