<Bulk Purchase Discount Sale> [Purely Original Natural Fermented Food] Kyushu Takumi Junmai Vinegar

Get 300ml of pure rice vinegar with one purchase

Discounts available for purchases of 2 or more!

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・Get 5% off when you purchase 2 bottles of 300ml pure rice vinegar

Regular price ¥2,100 → Discount price ¥1,996

・20% discount when purchasing3 bottles of 300ml pure rice vinegar

Regular price ¥3,150 → Discount price ¥2,520

*When you add the product to your cart and proceed to checkout, the discounted price will be displayed.*

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A masterful taste made by a vinegar brewer with 300 years of experience

<Purely's original pure rice vinegar, made with natural cultivation and fermented with natural bacteria>

Okawa and Jojima in Fukuoka Prefecture are known as areas rich in water suitable for sake brewing. The history of Shobunsu began here three and a half centuries ago, in 1624, the first year of the Kanei era, which was the beginning of the Edo period. Shobunsu has been making vinegar using the traditional static fermentation method for 300 years.

They also value fermentation techniques using "natural bacteria" and produce vinegar fermented using natural bacteria, which is extremely rare nationwide.

This time, during the spring equinox, Shobunsu was preparing our Purely original vinegar, "Kyushu no Takumi Junmai Vinegar," so we went there to be present when our vinegar was being made.

The people at Shobunsu are passionate about vinegar.

A 260-year-old brewery that dates back to the Edo period
Shobunsu's brewery is located in a quiet residential area with the abundant waters of the Chikugo River flowing nearby. As you walk through a narrow alleyway, a traditional Japanese storehouse with white walls comes into view.

Built 260 years ago, the storehouse dates back to the Edo period and still retains the traditional townhouse style, with the storehouse and accounting office at the entrance and the residence and preparation storehouse at the back.

The current head of Shobunsu is Takahashi Issei, the 14th generation.
The Takahashi family has lived in this place for generations, and still lives in this 260-year-old building. "We eat our meals together as a family every day in the living room at the back. In the old days, the store and the living space were all one and the same."

A brewery that has been in business since the Edo period. A designated cultural asset of the city.

Shobunsu has been in business for 300 years since the fourth generation Seiemon started the vinegar business in 1711. The storehouse, which is a designated cultural property of Okawa City, has a sense of history in every beam.

While I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the brewery, someone said to me, "They're just about to start brewing, so let's go take a look," so I headed straight for the brewing area.

The water used for brewing is well water pumped up from underground

The people who showed us how to prepare the vinegar were the company president, Mr. Takahashi, and the sales representative, Mr. Matsuo. Mr. Matsuo also came to the storefront market at our founding festival the other day, and we are always grateful for his help.

The craftsmen who prepare the ingredients are the factory manager, Mr. Fukuyama, and the former factory manager and now advisor, Mr. Yamada. Mr. Yamada rushed to the scene immediately after the earthquake and delivered water and food.

The preparation of vinegar starts with washing the rice. Purely sends us naturally grown rice from Kumamoto Prefecture, which is carefully washed and left to soak overnight to allow the rice to soak in water. All the water used in this process is well water pumped up from the brewery.

When making regular vinegar, it is necessary to use tap water due to the time and effort involved, but when making Purely's pure rice vinegar, we make a special request to use well water.

The well water pumped up in a wooden barrel had a soft, gentle flavor.

Yamada speaks passionately about his commitment to well water.

The soaked rice is then steamed in a large pot. The water used for steaming is also 100% well water.

According to Yamada, "rinsing in well water, soaking, and steaming the noodles results in a soft flavor." We tried drinking the well water, which was very soft and slightly sweet, and delicious.

A huge cauldron for steaming naturally grown rice. It was very impressive.

All ingredients are naturally grown and fermented with natural bacteria
It takes about an hour for steaming. During this time, well water is poured into a large jar buried in the ground.

The jar has a capacity of 600L and has been in use since the early Showa period. It is extremely valuable, as jars of this size can no longer be made with current pottery techniques. It is said that there are no more kilns of this size left in Japan. Shobunsu has been steadily collecting jars from all over Japan, and continues to use them while carefully repairing them.

After pouring well water into the jar, the next step is to add the rice koji. This rice koji is Purely's original rice koji, made from Sasanishiki rice grown naturally by Matsumoto Kazuhiro in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and fermented with natural bacteria by Marukawa Miso Co., Ltd. in Fukui Prefecture. "Koji fermented with natural bacteria has a strong fermenting power, so the koji membrane is strong. This allows us to produce a stable, delicious vinegar fermented with natural bacteria."

Naturally grown rice koji fermented with natural bacteria. It's so beautiful.

Meanwhile, the steamed rice was getting just the right seasoning. "Try a bite," Yamada said, and I took a bite of the freshly steamed rice. It was so delicious that I couldn't help but exclaim out loud, "It's delicious!!"

This incredibly delicious steamed rice is then placed into the same jar.
Divide the rice into small portions into wooden buckets, run it over to the jar, and once all the rice has been added, stir well for about a minute.

To finish, add the remaining rice koji on top to cover the mixture. "By adding the rice koji, you create a lid with the koji mold. This makes it easier to form a film on the surface and prevents the infiltration of other bacteria."

Freshly steamed, naturally grown rice. Superbly delicious.

Thoroughly committed to natural materials
Finally, the jar is covered with Japanese paper, the name is inscribed, and the preparation is complete. The Japanese paper is coated with a mixture of natural funori (a type of seaweed) and persimmon tannins to give it anti-mold, anti-rot, and anti-insect properties.

"Because funori is seaweed, it helps prevent mold. Also, by using only natural materials to cover the container, the bacteria that make the vinegar can still breathe."

Ginkgo leaf, the raw material for funori

Astringent persimmon. Thorough commitment to using natural ingredients.

Shobunsu does not use any chemicals in the process, from washing the rice to putting the lid on. They make vinegar using traditional methods, preserving an environment in which the natural bacteria that live in the brewery can thrive.

"In our brewery, the pillars and ceilings are densely populated with natural bacteria such as koji mold. These bacteria help produce delicious, natural vinegar." The pillars and ceilings of the brewery we were shown around had turned black in color. This was the very proof that natural bacteria were living in the brewery. I could feel the breath of natural bacteria all over the brewery.

"We pay a lot of attention to air flow and ventilation so that bacteria can easily live there."

The pillars of the vinegar storehouse are blackened by natural bacteria and are imprinted with many years of history.

Static fermentation for 3 months, long-term aging for over 6 months
After the preparation is complete, the vinegar is left to ferment slowly in a jar using natural bacteria for about three months. During this time, craftsmen monitor the fermentation process day and night, cultivating the vinegar with their hands and love.

After that, it is aged for another six months to two years before the "Kyushu no Takumi Junmai Vinegar" is finally completed.

"Most of the vinegars sold in stores today are quick-brewed, meaning they can be made in a short period of time. But we are committed to making delicious vinegar using the power of nature and bacteria."

I was able to feel firsthand the passion of the craftsmen who live alongside natural bacteria in this 260-year-old brewery.

A personalized Purely original pure rice vinegar jar.

After three months of static fermentation in an earthenware jar, the vinegar is then aged for another six months or more before it is ready to be made into pure rice vinegar.

Finally, we asked Yamada about the things that Shobunsu holds dear.

"We value the promises we make to our customers. For example, when making Purely's vinegar, we have detailed rules: all water must come from a well, the bacteria must be natural, and the rice must be organically grown. We have kept these rules and continued to make honest vinegar. Trust and reliability cannot be replaced by money. It is the job of a craftsman to stick to our promises."

Factory manager Fukuyama (left) and former factory manager Yamada (right). They are both very kind people.

Despite their busy schedules with preparations and new store openings, we visited the Shobunsu brewery and had the opportunity to hear some very valuable information from Representative Takahashi, former Factory Manager Yamada, Factory Manager Fukuyama, and Sales Manager Matsuo. It was a wonderful time where we were able to experience 300 years of tradition and the passion of the craftsmen who are dedicated to vinegar making.

Please enjoy the vinegar from Shobunsu, which is the result of natural cultivation, natural bacteria, and the skilled craftsmanship of our artisans.

The vinegar preparation process of Shobunsu's "master"
1. Wash the naturally grown rice with well water. The water used in this process is 100% well water.

②The naturally grown rice is steamed in a large pot that has been used for many years. It is steamed for about an hour using well water.

③ Well water is poured into the large jar. Well water is forcefully poured into the 600L large jar.

④Put naturally grown rice koji into the large jar. The rice koji is specially made with natural bacteria by Marukawa Miso Co., Ltd. in Fukui Prefecture.

5. Steamed naturally grown rice. Slightly sweet and absolutely delicious.

⑥The steamed naturally grown rice is put into a large jar. It is then divided into small wooden barrels and transported while still hot.

⑦Stir the large jar. Using a large wooden spatula, stir the jar at a steady pace with skilled technique.

⑧ To finish, add the rice koji, a natural bacteria that helps ferment and prevents the infiltration of bacteria.

9. Cover the container with washi paper. The washi paper is coated with a mixture of natural funori (a type of seaweed) and persimmon tannins to give it anti-mold, anti-rot, and anti-insect properties.

⑩ We wrote the names. The staff divided the work and wrote the names.

⑪ The vinegar is covered with straw and left to ferment in a jar for three months. It is then left to mature for another six months before the pure rice vinegar is finally complete.

Purely's original pure rice vinegar is made over many years, with the combined skills and passion of our artisans. It has a rich aroma that is unimaginable from the conventional wisdom of vinegar, and is a masterpiece that allows you to experience the deliciousness of naturally grown rice. Please try Purely's original pure rice vinegar, which is made with the utmost care in the ingredients and manufacturing process.