Falling in Love with Junmai Sake for the First Time Miwa sakura kuraku suru hatsu no noko no aji" ("The Taste of the First Dark Sake") Pre-sale started at "Makuake". The first dark taste is good from the second sip. The label with two-layer seal structure peels off the haunted skin of "Sake"!

Miwasakura .Inc Sake Brewing Company (Head Office: Miwa-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture; Representative Director: Kaaki Sakata) will begin pre-sales of the junmai sake "Miwasakura .Inc Kurakura suru Hatsuno no Aji" on the "Makuake" support purchase site on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 12:00.

Makuake Support Site".

Fall in love with sake junmai for the first time: The taste of the first dark sake - delicious from the second sip - "Miwa Sakura Kuraku suru Hatsu no Koi no Aji" (The taste of the first dark sake that makes you crave for sake for the first time)

https://www.makuake.com/project/miwasakura/

Makuake key visual

Miwa Sakura Kurakurasuru Hatsu no Koi no Aji" is a junmai sake produced under thorough quality control, with the brewer himself involved in rice cultivation. The brewery does not over-polish the rice, but rather makes the most of the rice's natural flavor and the terroir in which the rice was grown. It is a new sake brand that looks at the origins of rice wine and sake, and offers a "sweet, melting drunken moment" and an "emo sake experience" that will be popular with today's youth.

Our challenge is to cultivate new sake fans. We will actively reach out to the younger generation and women to provide them with opportunities to enjoy sake. The sensual intoxicating sensation that draws you in with each sip or sip is one of the bewitching charms of "Miwa Sakura". This entertaining junmai sake will offer a new lifestyle for enjoying sake.

The first taste of "Miwa Sakura" is an entry model of junmai sake.

Miwasakura" is a junmai-shu with a fine taste, infused with the techniques cultivated by the Miwasakura .Inc Sake Brewery, which has been thoroughly devoted to rice cultivation in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Its mellow mouthfeel and harmonious flavor are enhanced by heating it up. It is also not overly sweet like plum wine or sours, making it an excellent food sake that can be paired with a variety of foods.

Junmai-shu is a naturally-oriented sake that contains no brewing alcohol, sugar, or additives. It is the perfect entry-level sake for those who are not yet familiar with sake and would like to enjoy junmai sake in the future.

The first taste is a rich and deep sake flavor.

Miwa Sakura" is a junmai sake with a rice polishing ratio of 70%, which means that the rice is not overly polished. In general, the more polished the rice is, the clearer and lighter the sake will be, and the more the aroma derived from the yeast will stand out. On the other hand, if the rice is not overly polished, the original flavor of the rice will stand out and a "rich and deep sake flavor" can be enjoyed. Miwa Sakura" belongs to the "mellow sake" type with a strong flavor. Rather than being enjoyed in a stylish wine glass, it is a junmai sake with a Showa-era retro atmosphere, suitable for an inokuchi (cup) or tokkuri (sake bottle).

With a gentle aromatic introduction, the moist and mellow liquid in the mouth brings a pleasant sensation of deep umami, refreshing acidity, alcohol swelling three-dimensionally, and a slight sweetness. The lingering aftertaste after swallowing is light and makes you want to have another sip or two.

The sensual feeling of intoxication that deepens with each sip is one of the bewitching charms of "Miwa Sakura. The "sweet and melting drunkenness" will lure you into a deep sake swamp.

Label Design Challenge

In order to attract new sake fans, it is essential to express "the value of getting drunk with Junmai-shu" in an easy-to-understand way. We designed an unprecedented sake package that incorporates entertainment value into the packaging of Junmai-shu.

■Magical creativity created by dark characters

The character design was created by Aya.m, a popular illustrator living in Hiroshima. Miwa Sakura" is a lustrous and beautiful yokai who captivates those who have tasted her first thick sake with her bewitching charm. With her sexy appearance and mischievous smile, she lures us into a sweet and melting drunken moment.

The two-layered sealed label is a great way to peel off Miwa Sakura's mask.

There is no other sake as expressive as Junmai-shu. Tastes and flavors that change like joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure with different temperatures, and the marriage with food that only rice sake can offer, we describe the way to enjoy this junmai sake as "second sip".

The label has a two-layer sealed structure as a way of expressing this second sip. Flip the first layer of stickers, which reads "Peel off the monster skin," to reveal the true nature of "Miwa Sakura.

The second layer has several patterns, and you will have to peel it off to see what comes out. Witness the dazzling world of junmai sake for yourself.

Hint 1: Sake rice is Hachitan-Nishiki, which is like a girl in a box.

The rice used to make Miwa Sakura is Hachitan Nishiki, which was born in our hometown of Miwa-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. We, the brewery and farmers, carefully nurture only locally grown rice, making it a truly "Hakotan-nishiki" type of sake rice. Hachitan-Nishiki is large, with a thousand-grain weight of approximately 26 grams, and has a tendency to break up easily when scraped, making it ideal for junmai sake that is not overly polished. Miwa Sakura" is truly a drop of the earth, born from the resonance between the rice grown in the local soil, water, and climate. Please enjoy the terroir of Miwa-machi.

Hint 2: Junmai sake really tastes better when heated to lukewarm.

When you taste "Miwa Sakura" lukewarmly warmed, you will be mesmerized by its deliciousness. The mellow mouthfeel and harmonious flavor are enhanced, and the "taste of the first dark days" blooms. We recommend lukewarm (around 40℃) or warmed (around 40℃), which is the temperature at which you feel the warmth of a person's body. Another feature of junmai sake is that adenosine, a sake ingredient that goes well with human warmth, acts on the walls of blood vessels, making the body feel warm and fluffy.

■Hint 3: New pairings created by young palates

In December 2023, we held a tasting event for women in their 20s. The purpose of this tasting was to find the best dishes and new pairings for "Miwa Sakura.

The culinary team consisted of young chefs and men who love to cook and are active in restaurants in Hiroshima City. A diverse lineup of dishes was prepared, ranging from classic dishes to original recipes.

Meat dishes such as beef radish, meat and potatoes, bacon, and fried chicken generally received high marks. Snack foods and potato chips were also well received. A surprising takeaway from the tasting was the excellent pairing of "Miwa Sakura" with sweets. Raw chocolate and cheesecake with junmai sake were a big hit with the ladies.

■Emotional Sake Experience

We live in an age where one can easily get drunk by buying a 350 ml can at a convenience store. But nowadays, it's easy to get drunk by buying a 350ml can at a convenience store. A sip of heated sake, made with such care and attention to detail, is sure to warm your heart as well as your body, and bring you an "emo" feeling of happiness.

The world of "Miwa Sakura" is set in the Showa period with a nostalgic and bewitching atmosphere. For those in their 40s and 50s who have experienced the Showa era, the visuals are realistically nostalgic, while for those in their 20s and 30s, the retro and fresh visuals provide a sense of human warmth.

Sake still has great room for growth and has a universal value of "deliciousness" that is not affected by time. I believe that if we connect the good old with the new culture of 2025, while keeping in mind the traditional values of sake, we can surely create a more interesting sake culture. We hope that "Miwa Sakura" will be a product that will encourage people of all generations to enjoy sake.

■Let's get excited on SNS! Hashtag "#DrunkenE

Let's share and enjoy the fine drunken experience and sweet, melting moment of intoxication brought by "Miwa Sakura," a junmai sake, on social networking sites.

There are so many ways to enjoy Miwa Sakura. You can spend a relaxing and leisurely time alone, or a lively time with your friends. We would be happy if you could share your own ways of enjoying, your favorite ways of drinking, and new food pairings. Please join us and let's expand our circle of wonderful "Miwa Sakura drinking buddies!"

■Introduction of Returns

Junmai Sake Miwasakura Kurauraku naru Hatsunonou no Aji

Item : Sake

Content ：720ml

Alcohol content : 15

Ingredients ：Rice (domestic), Rice malt (domestic)

Rice ： 100% Hachitan-Nishiki (produced in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture)

Rice polishing ratio : 70

The set includes Junmai-shu "Miwasakura Kurakura suru Hatsunonou no Aji", a box, and a hologram sticker only available at Makuake.

□Makuake limited hologram sticker

We have prepared a special return for "Miwa Sakura," which has a label with a two-layer seal structure. It is a Makuake limited hologram sticker. This is the "glitter sticker" specification that elementary school students in the Showa era were crazy about! Don't miss this opportunity to get the emo sticker!

One sticker per Miwa Sakura will be included in the set. We also offer a Makuake limited hologram sticker only return.

Cosmetic box

Miwa Sakura" is characterized by its excellent marriage with sweets. The cosmetic box, based on the concept of a midnight sweets party, shows an out-of-focus bottle, heightening the anticipation of opening the package. This special box, which comes with each bottle, symbolizes the unique and free experience of enjoying Miwa Sakura sake.

□Miwa Sakura Goods

A set of original goods designed with illustrations by aya.m and a bottle of Miwa Sakura, including T-shirts, acrylic key chains, and hand towels. The goods will be available at the online store, but this will be your chance to get them first! Don't miss it!

The "#DrunkenE" Nonbae set

The set includes a boar cup with the hashtag "#DrunkenE~" printed on it, as well as a boar cup and sake bottle set. Please enjoy "Miwa Sakura" as an accompaniment to hot sake or as an accompaniment to sipping sake.

Hiroshima French restaurant "Sakura Shitatei" and Miwa Sakura Sake Kasu gluten-free gâteau chocolat set

A quiet residential area on the outskirts of Hiroshima City. After walking up a slope with a large Somei-Yoshino tree as a landmark, you will come to a modernist Taisho-roman-style pavilion. The name of the restaurant is "Sakurashita-tei. Please enjoy the specialties of the famous French restaurant "Sakurashita-tei" with "Miwa Sakura".

Kippodo Toromatto Pudding Miwasakura .Inc Sake Brewery Junmai Ginjo Sake Pudding

A set of pudding from Kippodo for a moment of happiness. The fruity aroma and taste of Junmai Ginjo Sake from the Miwasakura .Inc Sake Brewery will fill your mouth. It is an "adult pudding" that allows you to firmly enjoy the taste of sake. (3.1% alcohol by volume)

Miwa Sakura｜The dizzying taste of Hatsunonomi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miwasakura.me/

X ： https://twitter.com/miwasakura_me

Facebook ： https://www.facebook.com/miwasakura.me

WEB SITE ： https://miwasakura.me/

■Project Members

About Miwasakura .Inc Brewery

Founded in 1832 in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Miwa-machi, where the brewery is located, is blessed with clean air and pure water, and is the hometown of "Yatan-nishiki," "Yatan," and "Senbon-nishiki," rice suitable for sake brewing.

The brewery itself is always passionate about "better quality sake rice and better quality sake brewing" by taking part in the rice cultivation process.

The brewery also polishes the rice in-house, produces firm koji, and aims to create sake with a balance of flavor and aroma that brings out the best of the sake rice.

About □AND DESIGN INC.

AND DESIGN INC. is a creative group that embodies marketing strategies through design and technology. In this project, we are in charge of the branding of "Miwasakura Kuraku Suru Hatsuno no Aji".

Sake has the universal value of "deliciousness. Our goal is to translate "sake" through modern culture and design, while respecting the traditional values of sake, and to serve as a bridge to a "freer and more enjoyable sake culture" created by the next generation.

■About Illustrator aya.m

Illustrator living in Hiroshima Prefecture, with 290,000 followers on Instagram. She enjoys drawing pictures that can be used in various ways, with the aim of conveying the charm of things in the world through illustrations. Her simple and cute touch attracts many fans, and she has been involved in many web media, advertisements, and corporate tie-ups.

Her book "Machikaku Oshogare-san Sketch -Code Secrets You Can Use Today-" is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2024 (Wed.) from KADOKAWA Co.

Official Instagram of aya.m

https://www.instagram.com/aya.m__22/