Tenryohai is one of just five breweries on Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata prefecture. Contemporarily dubbed
“The Sake Lover’s Paradise”, Sado features unique climate, water, and rice that serve to inspire open-minded
brewers. Rooted historically in three breweries dating back centuries, the current iteration of Tenryohai was
founded in 1983 and has been led since 2018 by Toji Kato Senichi.
When the 24 year-old Kato acquired Tenryohai, years of focusing on basic, generic sake had put the slumping
brewery on the verge of closure. This forced Kato-san to learn on the fly, permitting his curious mind to happen
upon innovative methods. The 2019 release of his Utashiro line crystalized his vision, and by 2022, the renovation
of the brewery was finally finished, making it the pride of an island that takes sake very seriously.
Kato’s ‘New Niigata Tanrei’ style reinterprets Niigata’s traditional tanrei (light and elegant) character. The
breakthrough that created this style was an accident. While fermentation usually takes place at around 8°C, Kato
inadvertently pushed the boundary down to 4°C, resulting in his signature technique,
which yields a finished sake with alcohol around 12.5% ABV. Toji Kato’s signature is dry,
crisp, exacting, and refreshing, exemplified by these seemingly-contradictory naturally
low-alcohol genshu (undiluted) sakes.
Water-white with subtle golden flecks, Hiyori opens with an inviting nose of apple blossom, white pear, papaya skin, and yogurt. The palate feels gently sweet and supple, seamlessly balanced by a striking core of river rock minerality and chalk-laden depth. An extraordinarily long finish carries these complex layers with stunning persistence.
Brewery: Tenryohai (since 2008)
Founded: in the late 1800s as Sado Meijo
Location: Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture
Toji: Senichi Kato
Water source: Medium-soft snowmelt from Mt. Kinpoku, arriving as underground spring water
Sub-category: Genshu
Koji-mai: Yamadanishiki (Sado Island-grown)
Kake-mai: Koshitanrei (Sado Island-grown)
Koji: Byakuya/Hikami Ginjo blended, super so-haze
Shubo: Ko-on Toka Moto
Yeast: G74
Pressing: Yabuta
Filtration: Super-fine filter
Pasteurization: Binkan hi-ire: six different exacting and brief periods of time at temperature depending on the rice and fermentation
ABV: 12.5%
Water-white with subtle golden flecks, Hiyori opens with an inviting nose of apple blossom, white pear, papaya skin, and yogurt. The palate feels gently sweet and supple, seamlessly balanced by a striking core of river rock minerality and chalk-laden depth. An extraordinarily long finish carries these complex layers with stunning persistence.
Brewery: Tenryohai (since 2008)
Founded: in the late 1800s as Sado Meijo
Location: Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture
Toji: Senichi Kato
Water source: Medium-soft snowmelt from Mt. Kinpoku, arriving as underground spring water
Sub-category: Genshu
Koji-mai: Yamadanishiki (Sado Island-grown)
Kake-mai: Koshitanrei (Sado Island-grown)
Koji: Byakuya/Hikami Ginjo blended, super so-haze
Shubo: Ko-on Toka Moto
Yeast: G74
Pressing: Yabuta
Filtration: Super-fine filter
Pasteurization: Binkan hi-ire: six different exacting and brief periods of time at temperature depending on the rice and fermentation
ABV: 12.5%