Hakusen Shuzo
Time does the work — Fukuraijun hon-mirin and Kuromatsu Hakusen sake.
On the banks of the Hida River in Kawabe, Gifu, Hakusen Shuzo crafts hon-mirin under the name Fukuraijun, along with sake, cooking sake, shochu and koji-based foods. The exact founding year is unknown, but the brewery says it was already a mirin maker in the late Edo period, and began brewing sake in Meiji 32 (1899). Its mirin can be made from just three domestic ingredients — glutinous rice, rice koji and rice shochu — then patiently raised over about 90 days and, for some bottles, aged for around three years. Hand-made koji and careful pressing keep the focus on flavor.
Why We Love It
Start with Fukuraijun hon-mirin in noodle dipping sauce or nimono to add shine and aroma. A small splash in rice cooking is another easy trick for gloss. For sweets, use it to deepen flavor in pancakes or dorayaki-style batters. Then explore "Koboreume" (mirin lees) for pickling or baking, and "Sakaya no Koji" for making shio-koji or amazake at home. At the table, pour Kuromatsu Hakusen and compare how the same brewery's koji work shows up across bottles.
PROFILE About the Company / Workshop
While the exact founding year is unknown, Hakusen Shuzo says it was already a "mirin shop" in the late Edo period. In earlier days it produced kasutori shochu from sake lees and used it to brew mirin. Old distilling equipment such as a kabuto-kama is still kept at the brewery. Sake brewing began in Meiji 32 (1899), and the company became Hakusen Shuzo Co., Ltd. in Showa 26 (1951).
Mirin here is built on koji. Steamed glutinous rice, rice koji and shochu are combined, and the flavor develops through saccharification rather than fermentation. About four days in, the mash is pressed down to prevent the surface from drying; after that, it is stirred about once a week to encourage saccharification. Over roughly a month and a half, temperature is guided from around 30°C down toward 20°C, while checking texture, taste and aroma. Pressing is done slowly in a traditional fune.
A signature bottle is Fukuraijun "Traditional Method" Matured Hon-Mirin. It is made only from domestic glutinous rice, rice koji and rice shochu, raised over about 90 days and, for some bottles, matured for around three years. With no chemical seasonings or food additives, it offers amber depth and gentle sweetness. It works widely — from tsuyu and simmered dishes to vinegar dishes, sweets, and even a small addition in rice cooking for shine. Alongside it are cooking sake, shochu and liqueurs, plus koji products and mirin lees to explore.
For sake, the lineup ranges from Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai Ginjo to seasonal releases under the name "Kuromatsu Hakusen." The brand name was changed to "Hanamikura" in 1992, and returned to "Kuromatsu Hakusen" from October 1, 2020. Junmai Daiginjo "Kaoru" is fermented at low temperature for 20–40 days, then bag-dripped, collected quickly, and stored cold. In 1991 the bottling plant and sales moved to Yaotsu, where alcohol is not sold on-site. The Kawabe head office shop is open year-round (except temporary closures). Each spring, the Taibuko Tenjinsha festival includes a dawn visit to purchase sake in a rite known locally as the "Sake Buying Rite."
Hon-mirin from three Japanese ingredients
Fukuraijun hon-mirin is made with only three domestic ingredients: glutinous rice, rice koji and rice shochu. One flagship is prepared over about 90 days and can be matured for around three years. No chemical seasonings or food additives are used, letting amber umami and gentle sweetness come through.
Hand-made koji, watched around the clock
Koji is treated as the heart of the brewery. Koji is made by hand in the koji room, with temperature control handled 24 hours a day. During the mash, workers check condition, viscosity, taste and aroma, guiding the process so the sweetness and depth develop without losing balance.
Pressed slowly in a traditional fune
Rather than a modern press, the mirin is pressed in a traditional fune (vat press) using cloth bags. Bags are stacked carefully and the liquid is drawn out slowly. The aim is a clean, glossy finish while protecting aroma and flavor. Fresh-pressed mirin can retain a refined sweetness with a hint of shochu.
Sake "Kuromatsu Hakusen" and soft brewing water
For sake, Hakusen Shuzo brews "Kuromatsu Hakusen" in the warmer Chuno area of Gifu, close to the Hida River. The brewing water is soft, supporting a smooth, full-bodied style. For Junmai Daiginjo "Kaoru," the moromi is fermented at low temperature for 20–40 days, then bag-dripped and stored cold.