雪男 青木酒造 Yukiotoko Aoki Shuzo

Founded in 1717, Aoki Shuzo is the oldest sake brewery in the Minami-Uonuma area, boasting a history of over 300 years in the Shiozawa district of Niigata Prefecture—a region famous for its exceptionally heavy snowfall. While Niigata sake is widely renowned for its clean and dry (Tanrei Karakuchi) style, Aoki Shuzo delights enthusiasts with a remarkably diverse spectrum of expressions: the Yukiotoko series offers a crisp, dry profile; the Kakurei series delivers a rich, savory style (Nōjun Umakuchi) bursting with rice umami; and Bokushi presents a magnificent, ultra-premium Daiginjo.

Yukiotoko

"Yukiotoko" (meaning "Snow Monster") is another label from Aoki Shuzou, crafted in a dry style. While Aoki Shuzo is located in Niigata—the heartland of Tanrei Karakuchi (delicate and dry) sake—the brewery is actually best known for its Nōjun Umakuchi (rich and savory) style. However, this Yukiotoko is uniquely crafted to be Tanrei Karakuchi. It focuses on the pure umami of rice and a sharp, clean finish. This Junmai-shu is made from 100% Miyama-Nishiki rice with a polishing rate of 60%. Excellent served both chilled and warmed, it is a great standard for any sake lover.

The adorable, furry character depicted on the label is the "Yukiotoko" (Snow Monster). It is based on a "strange beast" featured in Hokuetsu Seppu (Snow Country Tales), a late-Edo period bestseller written by Uonuma-native author Bokushi Suzuki, which portrays life in Japan's snow country. In the book, this character is described as a kind-hearted mountain spirit who, in exchange for a rice ball from a traveler lost in the mountains, helps them by carrying their heavy luggage and guiding them to safety. Inheriting this spirit of mutual aid, Aoki Shuzo has been donating a portion of the sales from the "Yukiotoko" series to the local mountain rescue and accident prevention council since 2010. Even today, Yukiotoko remains a deeply meaningful and romantic sake that actively supports rescue missions to keep mountain climbers safe.

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