SAKE blog
Published: 2023.11.30
Last modified: 2026.10.26
Luxurious Sake brand TAKANOME launches a new item! Aiming to match the Japanese beauty sense and international cuisine, TAKANOME Hi-ire is newly released
TAKANOME Hi-ire is launched from TAKANOME, a Sake brand operated by Forbul Inc. (HQ: Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, Representative: Seiya Hirano) on 21 October 2023 through LINE official accounts and the company’s email subscribers. Public sales start on 23 October on its official EC website.
TAKANOME, a luxurious Sake brand launched in 2019, has its motto to pursue umami without being obsessed by conventional concepts.
The newly launched TAKANOME Hiire is made with one-time pasteurization after the bottling process.
It is made by pasteurizing the bottled Nama-Genshu at 63-65℃, cooling it by the well water till about 18℃ and being stored in the fridge for flavour stabilization.
Here, the company places a focus on rapid cooling after the pasteurization to maintain fruity flavours and delicate textures of Sake .
Behind the development efforts, there has been a challenge to seek for a supreme pairing with international cuisine.

TAKANOME has drawn attention from first-class restaurants across the world for its extremely fruity flavours, therefore it was presented at prestigious restaurants and events in Hong Kong, Singapore, United States, and Europe.
Thanks to Hi-ire pasteurization process, umami of rice is extracted to add richness to its flavours. TAKENOME Hi-ire creates harmony not only with Japanese cuisine, but also with various cuisine including Western cuisine. Thus it is determined to challenge further in the world.
Its label design was inspired by the beauty of (Japanese) calligraphy, born in the Japanese culture. Besides, it simultaneously delivers the brand’s commitment “Contribute to the development of Japanese culture through Sake”
TAKANOME Hi-ire is available on its official website and selected restaurants inside and outside Japan. Try TAKANOME Hi-ire to taste Sake that was developed for supreme harmony of Japanese beauty and international cuisine

TAKANOME Hi-ire
■ Price:¥18,700(Tax and delivery fee is included)
■ Ingredients:Yamadanishiki(100% Produced in Yamaguchi Prefecture)
■ Degrees of alcohol:16%
■ Content:720ml
■ Producer: Hatsumomiji (from Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Information on the polishing ratio is unreleased simply to let people enjoy the product without being influenced by perception on polishing ratio.
■Product webpage:https://takanome-sake.com/pages/heat
Product information
Tasting notes
・Aroma:Delicate aroma of tropical fruits
・Taste: Delicate sweetness of pineapple spreads gradually onto the tongue. Refreshing acidity and profound alcohol presence create a well-balanced harmony in the mouth.
At low temperature (around 5℃), it provides a clear mouth touch, whereas at a room temperature (around 20℃), it comes to emit a deeper flavour.
・Pairing:Steak of Wagyu, Roasted duck, tempura and Bangbang chicken
・Recommended presentation:wine glass
Its design theme was set to (Japanese) calligraphy. The style was selected to present to the world the Eastern & Japanese spirited beauty sense.
Words from a Toji, Ms. Mie Abe


The brewery performs rapid cooling right after Hi-ire, thus flavours and aroma of Sake are maintained at most.
If we compare Sake with Hi-ire and Nama-zake, both Sake have their own charms.
Nama-zake has a refreshing character while hi-ire Sake has a harmonic deeper flavour with a pleasant sweetness left behind as an aftertaste.
I strive to continue the production of delicious Sake to please our clients.
Seiya Hirano, representative of Forbul Inc., is a modern nomad
“I do not own my own house. I move around and live here and there. I could call myself as a modern nomad.
The reason I became what I am now is simple: When starting business, I had no credit to rent a room. I therefore started to live at hotels. I used to moving around Japan and travelled abroad whenever I had time to spare. Looking back the past, I came to think these experiences had a powerful influence on the work born from TAKANOME.
I visited places driven by curiosity, to experience the local culture, and to understand its natural features. Impressed by various values of the world, I was relieved to realize that we are all humans and alike when opening up our hearts over a drink. TAKANOME Hi-ire is a work originated from my journey as an entrepreneur and inspirations acquired in the world last couple of years. I hope you enjoy it.”
About TAKANOME

TAKANOME is a luxurious Sake brand co-developed by Hatsumomiji, a long-lasting Sake brewery based in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2019, under a motto of ‘simply seek the best gout’.
Through Sake, an artisanal work made by craftsmen, it challenges to become a luxury brand adding chic style to life with beauty and traditions of Japanese culture.
TAKANOME is characterized by pineapple-like aroma, which is highly evaluated by Michelin starred chefs and sommeliers from 5-starred hotels.
Its brand name TAKANOME (鷹ノ目) was named with our hopes of ‘The Sake looks things from a high viewpoint like eagles (eagles are ‘TAKA’ in Japanese), creates new values of Sake over conventional concepts, and the Sake ‘flies’ elegantly across the world.
■Official website:https://takanome-sake.com/
■Official Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/takanome.sake/
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000046.000037523.html
President & CEO, Kobayashi Junzo Shoten Co., Ltd.
Based in Osaka, I lead Kobayashi Junzo Shoten, a sake wholesaler founded in 1890. Through the cultural richness of Japanese sake, my mission is to connect people and bring smiles to dining tables around the world.
While technology continues to make the world feel smaller, the stories and traditions behind sake brewing can easily fade into the background. I see my role as a bridge—sharing the passion of brewers, opening doors for new audiences, and delivering sake in a way that feels more approachable and relatable.
I enjoy visiting sake breweries, learning about new rice varieties and brewing techniques, and spending time with toji (master brewers) and kurabito (brewery workers) to experience the spirit of sake-making firsthand. On this blog, I’ll share those encounters, my personal insights, and tips to help you enjoy sake even more.
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to connecting with you.
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