HACHINOHE - MUTSU HASSEN GINJO

Brewery Information

Mutsu Hassen is the modern and expressive sake label of Hachinohe Shuzo, a historic brewery from Hachinohe City in Aomori, in the far north of Japan. The brewery was founded in 1775 and is located in Minatomachi, the historic port district of Hachinohe in Aomori. This location on the Pacific coast, surrounded by fishing culture and cold northern sea air, contributes to the fresh and gastronomic character of Mutsu Hassen.

Hachinohe Shuzo brews with a clear focus on local identity. The brewery uses rice and yeast from Aomori and works with pure water from the Kanisawa region of Hachinohe. The historic brewery buildings also tell part of the story: several buildings from the Taishō period are now registered as tangible cultural heritage in Japan.

Within the brewery, there are two important lines. Mutsu Otokoyama is the drier, more classic sake, beloved in the local fishing culture of Hachinohe. Mutsu Hassen shows the brewery’s more aromatic, lively, and contemporary side: fresh, fruity, juicy, and at the same time clearly gastronomic.

The name Mutsu Hassen refers to the region and to an old drinking legend. Mutsu is the historical name for the northern part of Honshū, including Aomori, while Hassen refers to the eight drunken immortals. The name suits the character of the sake perfectly: expressive, charming, and made to be enjoyed.

For the Pink Label, Hachinohe Shuzo uses two local rice varieties from Aomori: Hanafubuki and Masshigura. Hanafubuki, polished to 55%, is used for the shubo, the yeast starter of the sake, and is combined with white kōji. White kōji is less common in sake and brings a fresh citrus note and a playful sweet-sour tension. This gives the sake its energetic, juicy character.

Masshigura, with a polishing ratio of 60%, is used as kake-mai during the main fermentation and works with yellow kōji, the classic kōji for sake. This local Aomori rice gives the sake its soft mouthfeel, juicy fruitiness, and rounded rice foundation. This keeps the Pink Label beautifully balanced: fresh and lively thanks to the white kōji in the shubo, yet at the same time round, fruity, and harmonious thanks to the Masshigura and yellow kōji in the main fermentation.

Toji master Nobuyuki Komai deliberately chose not to make this sake a junmai, but instead to add a small amount of brewer’s alcohol before pressing at the end of fermentation. This technique helps bring the aromatic notes forward even more and gives the sake extra lift, expression, and finesse. We find this especially successful: the fruity aromas remain clear and vibrant, while the sake stays precise, juicy, and perfectly balanced.

In the glass, Mutsu Hassen Pink Label is expressive and seductive, with aromas of melon, cherry, sakura, white blossoms, bubblegum, and citrus. On the palate, it is juicy and soft, with a beautiful balance of fruity sweetness, fresh acidity, and pure rice umami. The finish is energetic, lightly citrusy, and especially refreshing.

Serve lightly chilled as an aperitif or with dishes that show freshness and finesse. Delicious with sashimi, oysters, ceviche, grilled fish, tempura, fresh salads, light chicken dishes, soft cheeses, and Asian dishes with citrus or a gentle spicy touch.