Sho Chiku Bai Products

Takara’s company origins date back to 1842, but it was in Kyoto, Japan in 1933 that the Sho Chiku Bai sake brand was born. “Sho” means “pine tree” and stands for health. “Chiku” means bamboo and represents vitality. “Bai” means plum and signifies beauty. Together, these words symbolize prosperity and happiness. For over 90 years Sho Chiku Bai has been known for exceptional sake worthy of celebration. In March of 1983, Takara Sake, USA released the first American-made Sho Chiku Bai sake — Sho Chiku Bai Classic Junmai Sake. Since then, we have proudly expanded our sake brewing, all of which are worthy of the Sho Chiku Bai label under the Takara mark. In 2001, Takara established Shirakabegura (White Wall Brewery) in the Nada Ward of Kobe City. After Takara’s Nada brewery was damaged by the Kobe Earthquake in 1995, the facility was reconstructed and named Sho Chiku Bai “Shirakabegura.” This brewery is dedicated to artisanal and specials sakes that embrace modernity, but are deeply rooted in sake tradition. As with many other kinds of sake, all Sho Chiku Bai products are made by fermenting rice grains in water with yeast and koji, the mold spore that triggers the fermentation process. Each of these batches then goes through polishing, washing, pressing, filtering, pasteurizing, and aging to achieve just the right flavor balance. An exceptional sake requires skill and precision to produce. Our Sho Chiku Bai sakes offer very subtle yet significant differences between ingredients, sake brewing styles, and special production methods. Whether brewed in Japan or California, Sho Chiku Bai Sakes seek to offer our customers a wide variety of traditional sake experiences.