STELLA SENSE
Inaba Shuzo, a Ibaraki Sake brewery found at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba, founded in the late Edo period (1867), has been using natural spring water from Mt. Tsukuba.
In 1999, Nobuko Inaba, the 6th generation of the brewery, resumed Sake brewing business in facing closure despite strong opposition from her father and relatives. Since brewing Sake has been dominated by male for a long time, there were few female brew masters in Japan. Nobuko had faced challenges including gender bias. She said “Hearing people laughing at me saying ‘No Women can make Sake.’ did not stop me making one. I know I can do it.”
In 2000, she launched her own brand called “Stella” Junmai Daiginjo. Every year, Inaba Shuzo has increased its production volume. Sake brewing continues to challenge, and in 2016 we launched Junmai Ginjo, which is made with “Tsukuba” rice to send an announcement of Tsukuba to the world.
In 2018, the production was changed to Pure Rice Sake classification only. In recent years, we have received consecutive gold medals from the New Sake Contests and various awards from many tasting contests.
In 2019, we made a first step to achieve our goal. To promote local farmers and sustainability, it is necessary to think from the rice making in the local farms. We will begin full-fledged Sake brewing with Sake rice using the rice terraces of the Mt. Tsukuba foot of soil and water in this region. In the future, we would like to use all Sake rice in this region. By using locally grown Sake rice, we would like to work with the local community and add a personality of the brewery.
In every process, using handmade techniques to make the highest quality Sake will thrive this region and Japanese Sake for a long time.
Thank you.
Try STELLA SENSE without mindset such as the brand name of Sake brewing rice or rice polishing ratio.
Inaba Shuzo is located near Mt. Tsukuba, Tsukuba city, Ibaraki Prefecture. We try to make our Sake that will remind you of the work of the brewers, the climate and scenery of the brewery in the foothills of Mt. Tsukuba, the rice fields and the farmer's work. Knowing you enjoy our Sake with your heart when you drink it, it will be a great joy for Inaba Shuzo. Inaba Shuzo utilizes the best technology that can be possessed at the present stage based on the traditional manufacturing method. Although it takes extra work and labor, the fragrance and taste are in every glass. We are proud of our unbeatable quality.We hope you can feel the spirit of Inaba Shuzo.
We support locally sourced food
It is brewed with a yeast of Ibaraki Prefecture using rice brewed from rice terraces at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba.
“STELLA SENSE” uses brewing rice made by an exclusive contracted farmer who grows it in the rice terraces of the foothills of Mt. Tsukuba. In addition, the yeast we use was developed at the Ibaraki Prefecture Industrial Technology Innovation Center.
Milling ratio and brand name of rice
The production of rice suitable for brewing is greatly influenced by the climate and temperature of the year. In recent years, with the improvement of brown rice quality data and analysis technology, the level of judgment on how to process it has increased dramatically.“STELLA SENSE” is different rice polishing ratio every year because it determines the optimal rice polishing ratio depending on the quality of the rice. We do not label the rice polishing ratio because we believe that the brand name of rice and the rice polishing ratio do not determine the value of Sake. We label “STELLA SENSE” under Pure Rice Sake classification.
“STELLA SENSE” uses natural spring water from the Mt. Tsukuba national park.
It is brewed by the highest quality Sake production method and procedures.
“STELLA SENSE” is made by a method for making as same as Junmai Daiginjo in every process. It takes extra time and labor because it yields the best technology it can have at the current stage to create the highest quality. The method of squeezing is done with “drop by drop”. This is an exceptionally delicate way of squeezing. No pressu
