Fukumitsuya has released summer draft sake. Draft sake is quite charming, isn't it? The slightly sparkling texture of draft sake, the fresh taste, and its rarity due to difficult storage make it appealing. One of their offerings is Kaga Tobishiro Junmai for 1,400 yen, which is also draft sake. Draft sake can be categorized as regular (pasteurized twice), draft (unpasteurized), draft storage (unpasteurized, pasteurized before bottling), and draft bottling (pasteurized, unpasteurized at bottling, summer chilled). Sake is typically made in winter and if it's draft sake, it is shipped from winter to spring as new sake. The timing of pasteurization and the taste can vary, allowing us to enjoy sake differently depending on the season. Kaga Tobishiro, being draft sake, is freshly squeezed pure rice sake. Originally, Kaga Tobishiro is a medium dry type with a sharp taste, but I personally felt a softness to it. The rich taste of rice, unique to draft sake, is clearly felt. Fukumitsuya also offers various fermented products such as cosmetics and health foods. I found a limited edition sake collaboration with Isetan on the following site. Buyers can choose from three types of sake, selecting the rice, polishing ratio, and pasteurization, with the most popular choice being produced. However, it requires at least 150 orders to be manufactured, resembling a crowdfunding project like Makuake. I thought it was interesting to see Fukumitsuya, a sake brewery, taking on new challenges. Can't wait to see what they come up with next. Thank you for the meal! (≧д≦)ゝ！

Established in 1625 in Kanazawa, this sake brewery has one of the longest histories in the city. They brew sake using "Hyakunensui," a special brewing water. Their signature brands include Kagatobi, Kuroobi, and Fukumasamune. In addition to sake, they also offer skincare products utilizing rice fermentation technology, sweet sake made from sake lees, and Western-style sweets. Their flagship store in Kanazawa resembles a trendy select shop. With locations in Kanazawa and Tokyo (Roppongi Midtown, Futakotamagawa Takashimaya, and Ginza Matsuya), Fukumitsuya offers a variety of products. Their popular sake, Kagatobi, includes the "Gokkan Junmai Karakuchi" (300ml for 547 yen). Despite being labeled as dry, it starts with a sharpness but finishes with a soft, rich umami flavor. It challenges the common perception of dry sake and is very easy to drink. Their sweet sake is also delicious, with a distinct rice flavor that sets it apart from typical sweet sake. By focusing on contract cultivation of sake rice varieties like Hyogo's Yamada Nishiki, Nagano's Kinmon Nishiki, and Toyama's Gohyakumangoku, Fukumitsuya's dedication to pure rice sake shines through in their delicious products.

During the visit to Fukumitsu-ya in Roppongi Midtown, they usually offer a tasting of three different drinks. However, due to the impact of the coronavirus, drinking is not allowed during the state of emergency. Takeout alcohol is too heavy to carry, so we had to settle for snacks to enjoy at home. Ishikawa Prefecture is known for its abundance of seafood, providing a variety of delicacies and snacks for sake. Fortunately, we have plenty of famous sake at home. Since we can't go out for drinks, we are lucky to have enough funds to buy famous sake from renowned liquor stores such as Juyondai, Shinshu Kame Rei, Koei Kiku, Kawazunashima Genmu, Hanatomoe, and Kinjaku. However, this situation cannot continue for long. Bars and sake breweries are struggling, and we all want to enjoy professional cooking and famous sake soon. We are all tired of the impact of the coronavirus.

I heard from a friend that there is a delicious Makgeolli available at Fukumitsuya, and when I called, they said it had just arrived. I bought it right away. It's called Boxundoga [Fukujuntoke], fresh Makgeolli with a shelf life of about one month. It has a champagne-like taste with a great aroma, different from the usual Makgeolli. It has a nice sweetness and an alcohol content of 6%, making it easy to drink. The opening process can be a bit fizzy, so I made sure to open it over a bowl just in case. It also contains dietary fiber and lactic acid bacteria, which is good for gut health. We had a Korean food party with this Makgeolli, and it was a very satisfying day!

Not well known, but there is a blending method called "shitsugi" in awamori. This method involves gradually replenishing the oldest aged liquor with the next oldest aged liquor as it decreases in volume. This technique is used to further enhance the flavor of aged liquor and allows for the enjoyment of aged liquor over many generations. The awamori produced using this method is always vibrant and full of energy. One such awamori discovered at this restaurant is called "Ejanon Onborato," with its age being unknown due to the shitsugi aging process. It is made using only the finest sake rice, Yamada Nishiki. Starting its aging process in 1990, this authentic rice shochu has a delightful ginjo aroma and a rich, mellow taste. Additionally, there are other drinks available such as ginjo plum wine, Fukumitsuya sake, and seasonal tasting sets.

On December 15, 2019, I visited the National Art Center in Tokyo to view the exhibitions "Cartier: Time Art" and "Budapest Exhibition". The Cartier exhibition was much more popular, with its intricate jewelry and exotic designs attracting a large crowd. On the other hand, the Budapest Exhibition was quite empty, but I did come across a beautiful painting of the Madonna and Child by Leonardo da Vinci. After leaving the museum, I found myself in the dark night of Nogizaka and Roppongi. I decided to stop by a store called Fukumitsuya in Midtown to pick up some New Year's goodies, including a special gold leaf-covered rice cake called "Kinmochi". It was a fun and festive treat to enjoy after the New Year.

Blog "Tokyu Line, Foodie Walk" https://asante.blog/ - For a souvenir from Roppongi Midtown with my family, we got these Amazake bagels. We were tempted to buy them with the words "Limited stock on Fridays" (laughs). This time, we got one each of the following: Amazake Bagel with organic raisins for 260 yen, and Amazake Bagel with sweet red beans for 260 yen, excluding tax. We had them for breakfast at home. The bagels were tightly packed in plastic and came out moist when opened. The texture was not too hard and they were easier to eat than expected. The taste was delicious, but they seemed a bit pricey for bread. They contain organic raisins and sweet red beans, but the texture was more like Kimuraya's anpan or closer to Japanese sweets. It was a fusion of Japanese and Western flavors. Thank you for the meal.

In April 28, 2019, I went to a restaurant in Ikebukuro, stepped on a "landmine lunch", and then headed to the main store of "Toraya" in Akasaka. After that, I visited the art museums in the Roppongi area, including Suntory Museum of Art and National Art Center, to see various exhibitions. I particularly enjoyed the Klimt and Schiele exhibition at the National Art Center. After exploring the museums, I went to "Fukumitsu-ya" for some drinks and snacks. I bought some artworks at the store, including a limited edition chopstick rest and some snacks like firefly squid marinated in seawater and konjac chips. The firefly squid was delicious with grated ginger, and the konjac chips were quite spicy and went well with beer. Overall, it was a satisfying experience and I would definitely go back for more.

I had a media coverage in Roppongi, so on my way back, I decided to look for a snack here. There were many high-end shops around, and I was about to give up and head home when I found this shop. It's a shop from a sake brewery in Kanazawa. They were selling chocolate manju at a reasonable price in the store. I bought some and shared them at the office. I was satisfied with both the price and the taste.

I'm not good with alcohol, but I love the sweets here and sometimes get them to go. The castella is moist and fluffy, with a hint of sake that is exquisite. I'm weak to alcohol so one piece makes me feel a bit tipsy. The cheesecake is creamy with a hint of sake and the caramel's slight bitterness was delicious. If I had to nitpick, I would prefer the pie crust to be a bit thinner.

♪Kan kan no~~ Kyukanchoo to kuraa~~ Let me show you the "Kankan noh" dance. It's like a dance with a camel carcass, similar to a Bunraku puppet, doing the "Kankan dance." It's not like the French Cancan with high kicks. The origin of "Kankan noh" is the Chinese "Jurenkan," so in the classic rakugo story "Rakuda," people made fun of a camel brought to Edo as a "big, slow-moving creature." In the rakugo story, a pufferfish was mistakenly served instead of a horse, leading to the phrase "Pufferfish is delicious, life is precious." By the way, the legendary performer Ichikawa Danjuro passed away recently. I particularly enjoyed his interactions with Konparu Minoru rather than with Konparu Yuu. The Suntory Museum of Art's "Qianlong Glass Exhibition" will be ending in two days on July 1st. I decided to visit it along with the Louvre Exhibition at the National Art Center in Nogizaka. It's so hot! Dealing with other people can be a hassle, especially wandering around Nogizaka and Roppongi. People taking up priority seats with large carts and suitcases, engrossed in chatting on their smartphones, can be frustrating. The sofas on the first floor of Midtown felt like massage chairs from IKEA or Yamada Denki. People were lounging with their shoes off, engrossed in their smartphones. The New Art Museum was no different. The "Qianlong Glass Exhibition" at the Suntory Museum of Art showcased exquisite collections of Satsuma cut glass, Edo cut glass, Nagasaki beadwork, and more. On the other hand, the Louvre Exhibition was disappointing, with mostly attributed, workshop, and craft pieces. The explanations for the artworks were also lacking, focusing on Napoleon, Catherine, Hercules, Henri IV, Medici, and not Nostradamus. After finishing viewing the exhibitions, I decided to quickly head home due to the unpleasant atmosphere in the city. I planned to buy an "uragaeshi inari" at "Otsuna Sushi," but opted for a purchase at the underground area of Midtown instead. First, I bought something at D&D, then picked up the "Minazuki" and "Kawashima" sweets at Toraya, as well as the Eiffel Tower-themed "Yube" confection from the Louvre Exhibition. I also visited the exhibition on "Preservation Techniques and Tools," showcasing the various innovations made by humans to ensure food security. Humans truly excel at satisfying their desires for food and sleep. Overall, it was an exhausting day.==========

This is a review of a sake called "Kaga Tobisho Junmai Daiginjo 'Ai'" brewed by Fukumitsuya in Kanazawa. The sake is made using only the highest quality "Yamada Nishiki" sake rice, and is carefully brewed using traditional techniques. It is a full-bodied daiginjo with a rich flavor profile, characterized by its elegance, lightness, fine texture, umami richness, and smooth finish. Priced at 2,160 yen for a 720ml bottle, this sake offers great value for its quality. It is a great choice for those who are new to sake or prefer a more approachable and easy-to-drink option.

In recent years, I have been visiting Kanazawa frequently for business, so Fukumitsuya, which produces Kagatobi, is a very familiar sake maker to me. They have been expanding to Tokyo recently, selling their sake along with Kanazawa food, and they have a corner where you can pay for tastings. I remember seeing one at Tokyo Station as well. This time, I came here to drink sake, and what caught my eye was the special sake, Mizuho 2008. It's a sake from 10 years ago. I tried it, and it tasted more like white wine than sake. It wasn't too dry or too sweet, and I was surprised - is this really sake? It was so delicious that I couldn't help but drink it all at once. Lately, I've been under a lot of work stress, and I can't sleep without getting drunk, so if I'm going to get drunk anyway, I'd like it to be with delicious sake. This Mizuho! It was a shocking encounter. It might make a great gift for sake lovers!

I stopped by Fukumitsu-ya, a traditional sake brewery in Kanazawa, to find a gift for a colleague's anniversary celebration before heading to the company event at night. One of their most famous brands is "Kaga Tobisho," known for its exceptional taste using Yamada Nishiki rice. Today, I purchased a bottle of Mizushu Nakakumi-gakoi Special Contract Cultivated Rice Contract Cultivated Yamada Nishiki Junmai Daiginjo from the 2013 brewing year for 5,000 yen as a gift for the anniversary celebration of 4 years of service. The timing was perfect as it aligned with the year of joining the company. I look forward to trying it myself sometime.

The shop sells snacks like senbei and roll cakes made with sake lees, giving it a traditional sake shop feel. I wasn't particularly interested in sake lees, but they had a soup curry with manju filling, which I love. I bought it for dinner and enjoyed it at home. Since I didn't have rice, I made curry ramen with leftover noodles. I added 150cc of hot water and the curry was rich and tasty. It's not very spicy, so those who like spicy food might find it lacking. It seems like it would be delicious with rice. The manju filling in the curry was an interesting touch.

Established in 1625, this sake brewery in Kanazawa is well-known for producing and selling nationally recognized brands such as Fukumasamune, Kagatobi, and Kuroobi. They are also actively involved in the production of cosmetics. In Tokyo, they have several directly operated stores in Akasaka and Marunouchi. One of them is located in Roppongi Midtown. The floor is always bustling with people, as this type of business is rare and attracts many visitors, including those who are just browsing. I always end up stopping by, not to buy sake, but to visit the tasting corner. This time, I tried two types: the rare Himmuro Kenjo for 500 yen, and the Fukumasamune Junmai Ginjo for 600 yen. The Himmuro Kenjo is a freshly squeezed pure rice daiginjo sake brewed in the winter and stored at ice temperature, resulting in a fragrant and smooth taste. The Fukumasamune Junmai Ginjo is the flagship sake of Fukumitsuya, made from sake rice grown under contract, with a fine texture and a refreshing taste that brings out the flavor of the rice. Additionally, kombu and cookies are available.