三輪酒造 Miwa Shuzo

Miwa Shuzo is a historic sake brewery located in Jinsekikogen Town, Hiroshima Prefecture. Founded in 1716 during the mid-Edo period, it stands as the third-oldest brewery in Hiroshima, boasting over 300 years of traditional brewing history.

Situated at an altitude of approximately 500 meters in the Chugoku Mountains, Miwa Shuzo is the highest-elevation sake brewery in Hiroshima Prefecture. This region features a cool climate with average temperatures comparable to the Tohoku region. Winter brings a harsh environment where temperatures frequently drop below freezing, yet these conditions are ideal for sake brewing, enabling a "slow, low-temperature fermentation" process. Furthermore, the cool summer climate is perfect for aging, allowing the sake to refine its quality over time. The supple resilience of Shinrai’s sake is born from this cool climate.

In addition, two types of groundwater are essential elements that characterize Shinrai: soft water drawn from a shallow well in the back mountain, and medium-hard water pumped from 50 meters beneath the brewery. These water sources extract a soft, rich flavor from Hiroshima-grown rice while maintaining a beautifully structured profile. In this way, Shinrai truly embodies a terroir-driven sake, woven together by unique weather conditions, water quality, and locally grown rice.

The name of the flagship brand, "Shinrai", translates directly to "Divine Thunder". According to local lore, lightning once struck the brewery building, yet it miraculously suffered no fire or serious damage. This fortunate event led to the name, celebrating the "lightning where a deity resides" as a symbol of good luck, strength, and resilience.

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Shinrai Iwakura

Mr. Yuji Miwa, who has led the brewery as the 15th-generation head since 2016, first joined the sake-making process in 2005 and has since steadily driven reforms and evolution in his brewing. Having partnered with Miwa Shuzo since 2017, we have closely witnessed this evolution over the past decade or so. Essentially, he has introduced changes with great care, yet at times with bold determination. In 2026, as the culmination of various trials and transformations, they refreshed their main brand with the launch of "Shinrai Iwakura.

Iwakura is a prehistoric form of worship in Japan that predate built shrines. Large rocks or boulders marked with shimenawa ropes or enclosed by tamagaki fences are treated as sacred places where deities are believed to dwell or temporary descent point.

Miwa Shuzo is located in Jinsekikogen, and “Jinseki” literally means “divine stone,” which is Iwakura itself. Mr. Miwa says that the name Iwakura reflects his wish to brew sake while giving thanks for the blessings of nature in the land of Jinseki=Iwakura.

This "Shinrai Iwakura" series is far more than a simple label update of the previous Blue, Black, White, and Green editions. While it still carries hints of the former series, a profound overhaul has taken place at the very core of their sake-making process. Those who have been purchasing Shinrai from us for many years will notice the difference immediately. The distinct personality of each cuvée is now more sharply defined, and the overall quality of every sake has been significantly elevated.