Hoyo - Genji "Shining Prince" Junmai (720ml)

Genji takes its name from one of Japanese literature's most famous figures, Hikaru Genji, the hero of Murasaki Shikibu's eleventh century classic The Tale of Genji, often called the world's first novel. Known throughout the story as the "Shining Prince" for his beauty and charm, Genji lent his name and reputation to this sake from Uchigasaki Brewing Company in Miyagi Prefecture, a fitting tribute given the elegance the brewery hopes to capture in the bottle.

Genji is brewed from Kura no Hana, a rice variety native to Miyagi, and polished to around 55 percent using Association 901 yeast. Classified as a tokubetsu junmai, it sits deliberately between the brewery's more robust standard junmai offerings and its lighter, more refined ginjo styles, aiming to capture the best qualities of both without fully committing to either extreme.

The result opens with gentle citrus and fresh grass on the nose, layered with a subtle cedar note that gives the sake its distinctive character. On the palate, orchard fruit flavors like pear and green apple mingle with hints of jasmine, finishing crisp, clean, and refreshingly balanced. Serve it chilled with seared tuna and grilled asparagus for a natural match.