Customer Q&A

Because sake contains alcohol, it does not become undrinkable as long as it is unopened and properly stored. However, it continues to mature over time, and its aroma and flavor will change. For products distributed at room temperature, we recommend storing them in a cool, dark place and enjoying them within about one year of the production date. For products that require refrigeration, such as unpasteurized (nama) sake, please follow the storage instructions on the label.

Once opened, sake is exposed to air and its aroma and flavor gradually change. Close the cap tightly, store the bottle upright in the refrigerator and enjoy it as soon as possible. Changes in aroma and flavor are part of the pleasure of sake, but if you notice an unusual smell or heavy cloudiness, please do not drink it.

Sake's color, aroma and flavor can easily change when exposed to light and high temperatures. Avoid direct sunlight, fluorescent light and warm places, and store bottles upright in a cool, dark place. We recommend refrigerating ginjo and other sake with delicate aromas.

Over time or with temperature changes, components of sake can solidify, producing fine sediment known as ori. Some products, such as nigori sake, are also made to retain these components. However, after opening, microorganisms that can survive in sake may grow and cause cloudiness. If you notice heavy cloudiness, a sour smell, or bubbling over, please do not drink it.

Even with the same product, the way you perceive aroma and flavor changes depending on storage conditions, serving temperature, the food it is paired with and how you feel. In general, the warmer sake is, the more you notice its umami and aroma; the colder it is, the cleaner and crisper it tends to taste.

Junmai is sake made only from rice, rice koji and water. Ginjo is sake made by ginjo-zukuri—polishing the rice more carefully and fermenting it slowly at low temperatures—to bring out elegant, delicate aromas. It is divided into ginjo, which includes added brewer's alcohol, and junmai ginjo, made only from rice, rice koji and water. Daiginjo is made from rice polished even further than ginjo, and is likewise divided into daiginjo and junmai daiginjo depending on whether brewer's alcohol is added. Honjozo is sake made from rice, rice koji and water with a small amount of brewer's alcohol added to give a clean, crisp aroma and flavor.

Most sake is pasteurized by heating—a process called hiire—twice: once before storage and once at bottling. Nama-zake is never pasteurized; nama-chozo-shu is stored unpasteurized and pasteurized once at bottling; and nama-zume-shu is pasteurized once before storage but not at bottling. Please check the product label to see whether a sake is nama-zake, nama-zume-shu, etc.

Brewer's alcohol is a food-grade alcohol made by fermenting and distilling starch or sugar of plant origin; it is not a special alcohol harmful to the human body. Adding an appropriate amount near the end of moromi (mash) fermentation helps bring out aroma and gives the flavor a clean, crisp finish. For premium-grade sake (tokutei meisho-shu), there are standards for how much may be used, and it is added to suit the intended style of sake.

The Sake Meter Value (nihonshu-do) is a figure based on the specific gravity of sake; generally, the higher the plus value, the drier the sake tends to be, and the more negative, the sweeter. Acidity indicates the amount of organic acids in sake, such as succinic, malic and lactic acid. However, the actual perception of sweetness, dryness, richness and lightness also depends on sugar, umami, aroma, temperature and more, so flavor cannot be judged by the Sake Meter Value alone.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may affect the development of the fetus or infant, so please refrain. If you have any concerns about your health or interactions with medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. Please enjoy alcohol responsibly and only if you are 20 or older.

The recommended temperature varies by product. Seiryubi, from our Everyday Sake line, is best enjoyed with food from chilled to room temperature, bringing out rice umami, gentle acidity and a clean finish. Keiryubi, when well chilled, shows off its fruit-like freshness and lightness. Gensen Karakuchi, from our Origin Sake line, can be enjoyed across a wide range of temperatures.

For those who want to enjoy the rice umami typical of sake with their meals, we recommend the Seiryubi series, which ranges from traditional flavors to modern styles. For those who want to enjoy a light, fruity taste, we recommend the fresh, lower-alcohol Keiryubi Junmai and the finely bubbled Keiryubi Junmai Sparkling.

Our products are available at liquor stores, supermarkets, department stores and restaurants across Japan, as well as at Yoshinogawa's directly operated stores and our official online shop.

This rebranding is not simply a change of labels or logos. To preserve what makes Yoshinogawa Yoshinogawa—and the role our sake plays at the everyday table—we revisited everything under one idea: our corporate philosophy, flavor, sake-profile design, product architecture, brewing system, quality management and visual identity. It is a company-wide renewal shaped by one resolve: “Change, so we can remain true to what matters.”

Bimi Tanrei is Yoshinogawa’s expression of tanrei for today’s table. It begins with a clean, refined profile, then brings together graceful sweetness, gentle acidity and umami, followed by a pleasant finish that resolves crisp and clear. Rather than rejecting Niigata’s tanrei tradition, Bimi Tanrei carries its clarity forward while adding softness, depth and harmony for contemporary food.

Luxury Sake represents the pinnacle of Yoshinogawa’s accumulated brewing and sake-profile expertise. Premium Sake adds new dimensions—such as maturation, aroma or effervescence—to create special value. Everyday Sake, centered on Seiryubi and Keiryubi, is our core line, bringing Bimi Tanrei to the daily table. Origin Sake carries forward the taste and spirit of the everyday sake that has long been loved in our region. These are not simply price tiers; each category has a different role within one Yoshinogawa philosophy.

The Gokujo Yoshinogawa series has been discontinued as part of this brand renewal. We sincerely thank everyone who supported it over the years. Its Yoshinogawa character and its role as a high-quality sake for everyday enjoyment live on in our new core line, Seiryubi. Seiryubi is not simply a renamed product; it respects that lineage while further refining the sake-profile design, brewing, storage and quality management behind it.

Gensen Karakuchi will continue. Its packaging and price are changing with the rebrand, but the long-loved flavor remains and is carried forward within our Origin Sake line. We will continue brewing it with care as one of the sakes at Yoshinogawa’s roots, made for everyday drinking and deeply connected to the local table.

Seiryubi is a food-pairing sake that carries on the taste of Niigata sake, shaped by Niigata's climate and craftsmanship, harmonizing soft rice umami, gentle acidity and a clear, crisp finish. Keiryubi is a new kind of everyday sake to enjoy for its fruit-like freshness, sweet-tart notes and the lightness of lower alcohol. We recommend Seiryubi for those who want to enjoy rice umami with food, and Keiryubi for those who prefer a light, approachable taste.

Yoshinogawa has not changed into a completely different taste. We have kept the clean, gentle, food-friendly character that has long defined us, while revisiting the sake-profile design of each product so those qualities come through more clearly. Change was never the goal in itself; the goal was to carry Yoshinogawa’s character into the future in a form that fits today’s table.

The name Yoshinogawa ("gawa" means river) carries our wish to keep flowing alongside people's lives and stay by their side, like the Shinano, Japan's longest river. The river symbolizes our history since 1548, our unbroken tradition of brewing, and our ability to adapt gracefully with the times. "Konkon to" evokes water welling up and flowing on endlessly. It is our brand promise to keep gently accompanying your every day through sake.

Prices have been revised as part of the rebrand, while bottle sizes remain unchanged. Rising costs for sake rice and other raw materials, bottles and labels, and logistics are part of the background. However, the rebrand was not undertaken simply to raise prices. The new pricing reflects the value created by reviewing the entire system—from brewing and sake-profile design to equipment, storage, quality control, product architecture and design—so that we can keep making Yoshinogawa sake and deliver it in better condition.

The purpose of these investments is not to showcase the size or novelty of our equipment, but to protect the quality created at the brewery all the way to the moment the sake is enjoyed. Our three pillars are year-round brewing; oxidation control, which minimizes contact with air and unnecessary agitation after pressing; and refrigerated bottle storage. We have expanded refrigerated storage capacity from about 50,000 to as many as 300,000 720 ml-equivalent bottles, allowing us to manage even our everyday sake more carefully after brewing.

Joh-Gura has an exhibition space where you can learn about Yoshinogawa's history and sake brewing, a SAKE Bar where you can enjoy Yoshinogawa sake, and a shop offering our classic sake, seasonal releases and Joh-Gura exclusives. In the exhibition space, along with displays on Yoshinogawa's history and brewing, you can enjoy videos on a large projector and a sake-brewing game on digital signage.

Joh-Gura does not have a restaurant, but at the SAKE Bar you can enjoy Yoshinogawa sake, snacks featuring Nagaoka flavors, craft beer and non-alcoholic drinks, served standing.

Yes. You can enjoy Yoshinogawa sake at the SAKE Bar, which is a paid service. We offer a wide variety, from our classic sake to special sake available only at Joh-Gura.

No reservation is needed for regular visits. However, groups of 10 or more are asked to reserve in advance.
For group visits, please contact us at:
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Yoshinogawa Communication Co., Ltd.
TEL:0258-77-9910FAX: +81-258-77-9911　EMAIL: info-johgura@yoshi1548.jp
(Reception hours: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, excluding regular closing days)

Joh-Gura is not a facility where you can tour the inside of the working brewery. At Joh-Gura, you can view exhibits introducing Yoshinogawa's history and sake brewing.

Admission is free, including the exhibition space. However, some services, such as sake at the SAKE Bar, are charged.

Opening hours are 9:30–16:30, with last orders at the SAKE Bar at 16:00. We are closed on Tuesdays and during the New Year holidays. If Tuesday is a national holiday, we close the following Wednesday instead.
*Opening days and hours may change during Golden Week, the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival and the Obon holidays.

Free parking is available. Please use the Settaya Municipal Parking Lot across from Joh-Gura, which has space for about 40 cars. It is open from 9:00 to 17:00.

Yes, there is a shop inside Joh-Gura. It offers Yoshinogawa's classic sake as well as seasonal releases, Joh-Gura exclusives, collaborations with local companies and original goods—perfect for yourself or as gifts.

The Joh-Gura shop accepts credit cards, PayPay and transit IC cards.
*Payment at the SAKE Bar is cash only.

Yes, we can.
*Shipping fees vary depending on the destination.

Joh-Gura has ramps, so visitors using wheelchairs or strollers can enjoy it with peace of mind. A multipurpose restroom is also available.

Yes. Children can enjoy the exhibition space and the sake-brewing game on digital signage.
The SAKE Bar also offers non-alcoholic drinks, so non-drinkers and children are welcome.

The Yoshinogawa SAKE Museum Joh-Gura is located at 4-8-12 Settaya, Nagaoka, Niigata, on the Yoshinogawa brewery grounds.
[By car] About 15 minutes from JR Nagaoka Station.
[By train] About a 10-minute walk from JR Miyauchi Station.

You can buy Yoshinogawa sake as well as products that make great souvenirs of Niigata.
We carry classic products, seasonal releases and items available only at our CoCoLo Niigata store—perfect for choosing souvenirs.
*Products may vary by season.

Tastings are available for selected products.

Yes, we offer gift wrapping. Perfect for gifts to someone special.

Yes, we can add noshi. Please let us know the purpose of your gift.

It is available.

We do not have dedicated parking.
For details, please see CoCoLo Niigata's parking information. The store is directly connected to the station, so public transportation is also convenient.

We follow CoCoLo Niigata's closing days. For details, please see the CoCoLo Niigata website, and check opening days before your visit.