[B139] Suiryu Kimoto Utatane 睡龍 生酛純米吟醸 長期熟成一二三 久保本家酒造 奈良県 19BY(2007) 1800ml

19BY (2007) Kimoto Junmai Ginjo
Rice polishing rate: 50%

The combination of complete fermentation and a long lapse of time makes this an unparalleled Kimoto Junmai Ginjo. This sake was brewed in 2007 and cellared for 15 years. Kubo-honke Shuzo believes that, although this sake has not yet reached perfect maturity, this moment too is an unmissable, beautiful scene in its life cycle. They have thus decided to release it at this captivating stage. (Released in November 2022) Thereafter, we hope you will take pleasure in aging it further with your own hands, for as long as you wish.

Although the label features the kanji characters for "one, two, three" (一二三), it is meant to be read as "Utatane," which translates to "dozing" or "napping." This signifies a dragon taking a light nap, not yet fully awake—a poetic metaphor for a sake that is still in the middle of its aging process.

>>>Read more stories at the News Archive

Kimoto Method

Kimoto is a traditional brewing method featuring 'Yama-oroshi'—a labor-intensive process where brewers manually mash steamed rice and koji into a paste using wooden poles. This traditional technique fosters natural, wild lactic acid bacteria, yielding a sake with a robust, deeply layered umami and a crisp acidity.

Dragon Legends

People in Chinese culture really love dragons. In China, dragons are revered as sacred symbols of power, good fortune, and the emperor, embodying benevolence as masters of rain and water. This influence reached Japan through Tang dynasty envoys during the Nara period, forming the foundation of dragon deity worship. Nara is truly the heartland. Particularly around Uda City’s Murou district—near Kubohonke Shuzō—abundant dragon legends, sacred sites, and spiritual power spots exist, with rain-prayer rituals still performed today. 

Meanwhile, in Japan, long before dragon deity worship was transmitted from the Tang dynasty, the Ōmononushi no Kami had been venerated as the serpent god, water god, and thunder god at Ōmiwa Shrine on Mount Miwa. We will set aside a separate occasion later to explain this clearly and simply.

Among the various dragon legends, “Suiryū” means “sleeping dragon,” symbolizing sealing and protection. Kubohonke Shuzō’s “Suiryū” (“Sleeping Dragon”) evokes a dragon awakening from deep slumber, symbolizing sake that reveals its true character through patient maturation. Far from flashy youth, this is sake that grows richer and deeper with time.

This slender, ribbon-like paper label, spiraled around the bottle, is a stylized design of a dragon—and it’s a registered trademark of Kubohonke Shuzō.

>>>Read about Dragon Legends at the News Archive

>>>Read more about history of Nara and Suiryu at the News Archive