Hagiwara Shuzo, the only sake brewery in Sakai-machi, Ibaraki Prefecture, has rounded out its new "LOVE, SKY, FOREST" series with the March 17 release of FOREST Rooted Light -The First Batch-, a limited-edition sake brewed using newly introduced wooden barrels (wood-barrel fermentation).
Making Sake Easier to Choose
In recent years, sake has gained recognition overseas, yet it can still feel intimidating — especially to younger drinkers unfamiliar with the technical terminology. Hagiwara Shuzo set out to change that by speaking to the mood and moment rather than the specs. The resulting "LOVE, SKY, FOREST" series frames each bottle around a feeling or scene: an evening alone, a gathering with friends, a moment surrounded by nature.
Three Series, Three Personalities
Following the January launch of the SKY series first release "#Imasora" and the February launch of the LOVE series first release "First Love," the FOREST series debut arrives on March 17.
- LOVE — Aimed at evoking the bittersweet feeling of first love, with fruity aromas and a soft sweet-sour balance. Low in alcohol, it suits sake newcomers and makes a thoughtful everyday gift.
- SKY — Designed for outdoor gatherings and parties, this lightly sparkling sake draws on active-natural and sparkling styles to appeal to fans of craft beer and sour cocktails.
- FOREST — Fermented in traditional wooden barrels (ki-oke), this series focuses on depth, the rhythm of fermentation, and a respect for nature and human craft.
FOREST: Quiet, Careful, Deep
The FOREST series draws on wood-barrel fermentation and traditional methods such as kimoto and yamahai to produce sake with layered flavor. The aim is to reconnect with the origins of sake-making while honoring the passage of time and the mystery of fermentation.
FOREST Rooted Light -The First Batch-
Price: ¥2,970 (tax included) — A portion of FOREST series sales is donated to the Ibaraki Forestry Association's "Green Fund."
A single ray of light falling through the forest.
Soil, water, microorganisms, time.
Surrendered to the workings of nature,
brewed slowly, taking root.Hagiwara's FOREST series is a wood-barrel sake rooted in this land, reaching toward the future.
The inaugural First Batch is titled "Rooted Light."
Savor the present, and let each glass deepen quietly with time.
Available for purchase at the Hagiwara Shuzo online shop.
SKY: Bright and Active
SKY First Release — "#Imasora"
Price: ¥2,200 (tax included)
A day when you feel the breeze.
An afternoon when you want to look up at the blue sky.Hagiwara's SKY series is a sake that keeps pace with that kind of lightness.
The first release is "#Imasora" (meaning "the sky right now").
The origin of SKY, and the sky above Hagiwara today.
A sparkling sip to gently set you free.
Available for purchase at the Hagiwara Shuzo online shop.
LOVE: Sweet, Tart, Light
The LOVE series takes everyone's "bittersweet memories" as its theme, balancing fruity aromas with a soft sweet-sour acidity.
LOVE First Release — "First Love"
Price: ¥2,200 (tax included)
That flavor you fell in love with for the first time.
Smiles shared with someone, a moment when the heart unwinds.Hagiwara's LOVE series re-proposes that "sweetness" from memory through sake.
The first release is "First Love."
The bittersweet, lingering thrill — once more.
A glass for the heart to fall for, at the end of the day.
Available for purchase at the Hagiwara Shuzo online shop.
Hagiwara Shuzo was founded in 1855 (Ansei 2) and has continued crafting sake by hand, using local water and rice. The seventh-generation brewer, Yasuhisa Hagiwara, obtained the "Hitachi Toji" certification recognized by Ibaraki Prefecture in 2024 — only the tenth person in the prefecture to do so.
