In the northern reaches of the Kanto plain, where snowmelt from the Nikko mountains carves its way down through Tochigi, rice sake has been part of daily life since the age of the samurai. Ougyoku The Cherry Gem is brewed right here — quietly, patiently, with respect for the water, the rice and the craft.
Expert's Description
Ougyoku The Cherry Gem is a Japanese Junmai Ginjo Sake from Hokkan Sake Brewing, made from rice, water and koji in Tochigi Prefecture, bottled at 14.5%.
Hokkan Sake Brewing was founded in 1973, when three breweries with roots stretching back to the Edo period merged into a single modern brewery in Tochigi City. The name Hokkan means "Northern Gate", a nod to the city's historical position as the gateway to northern Kanto — a name still carried on the label in the brewery's traditional kanji logo.
Junmai means the sake is brewed purely from rice, water and koji mould, with no added alcohol or sugar. The Ginjo designation adds a further standard: the rice is polished down to 58%, and fermentation proceeds slowly at low temperature, producing a cleaner, more aromatic sake than a standard Junmai. The name "The Cherry Gem" is a poetic reference to the cherry blossoms on the label and the spirit of Japanese spring — the sake itself contains no added cherry or fruit, only rice, water and koji.
Taste
The nose is floral and gently fruity, with hints of pear and melon typical of a well-balanced Junmai Ginjo. On the palate it is soft and round, with a discreet sweetness from the rice kept in check by a clean, faintly tart edge. The finish is short and elegant, without the sharpness found in heavier styles of sake.
Name: Ougyoku The Cherry Gem Junmai Ginjo Sake
Producer/Distillery: Hokkan Sake Brewing
Region/Country: Tochigi, Japan
Type: Japanese Junmai Ginjo Sake
Main Ingredients/Flavourings: Rice, Water, Koji
ABV: 14.5%
Size: 72 CL
Production Method: Traditional sake brewing — fermentation of rice polished to 58% with koji mould and a yeast culture
Allergens: No allergens declared on the label (contains rice, water and koji)
Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled at 5-10°C in a small sake glass or a traditional ochoko cup; pairs well with sushi, sashimi and light Asian dishes
Flavour Profile
Floral · Fruity · Light Sweetness · Silky
Did You Know?
The name Hokkan literally means "Northern Gate" — chosen to symbolise Tochigi's historical role as the entrance to northern Kanto, a detail still carried today in the brewery's traditional kanji logo from 1973.
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