Urakasumi Sake: The Miyagi Brewery Behind Kyokai Yeast No. 12

The brewery describes Urakasumi Zen as gently fruity, fresh, and moderately savory. Zen is restrained rather than strongly perfumed, which makes it, in our view, an easy partner for sushi and grilled fish. Yet behind the bottle lies a remarkable piece of sake history. A technician at a Miyagi brewing laboratory isolated the strain later known as Kyokai Yeast No. 12 from Urakasumi’s ginjo mash.

Urakasumi (浦霞) is made by Saura Co., Ltd., a Miyagi brewery founded in 1724. This guide covers which bottle to try first and how the main releases taste. It also explains why the yeast mattered and what to know before you visit the brewery’s sake gallery.

What Is Urakasumi Sake?

Urakasumi is a sake brand made by Saura Co., Ltd. (株式会社佐浦) in Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. Founded in 1724, the brewery is especially important because Kyokai Yeast No. 12 was isolated from its ginjo mash around 1965. Today, its range includes the long-running flagship Urakasumi Zen and the modern No.12 series.

Urakasumi is a range, so do not expect one flavor. Instead, it runs from light Junmai Ginjo to kimoto Junmai meant for warming, plus sparkling and seasonal releases. Across those bottles, though, the brewery’s notes keep pointing to moderate aroma, lively acidity, and a crisp finish rather than loud perfume.

Which Urakasumi Should You Try First?

Choose Urakasumi Zen for the brewery’s established, food-friendly Junmai Ginjo style. If you specifically want a bottle made with Kyokai Yeast No. 12, choose the Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi No.12 instead. For warm sake, start with the richer Kioke Kimoto No.12, and for a premium seasonal option, look for the Junmai Daiginjo No.12.

Bottle	Rice and polishing	Flavor in plain English	Suggested starting temperature	Availability
Urakasumi Zen (浦霞禅), Junmai Ginjo	Yamada Nishiki and Toyonishiki, 50%	Gentle fruit, fresh, moderate savoriness	Chilled, then try at room temperature	Core lineup
Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi No.12	Miyagi Kuranohana, 55%	Fresh aroma, bright acidity, crisp finish	Chilled	Core lineup
Kioke Kimoto Junmai Urakasumi No.12	Toyonishiki, 70%	Mellow honey-like aroma, savory depth, higher acidity	Warm	Check the official shop
Junmai Daiginjo Urakasumi No.12	Yamada Nishiki, 45%	Calm aroma, soft texture, crisp finish	Chilled	Seasonal and limited
Kuranohana Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi	Miyagi Kuranohana, 55%	Moderate aroma, pleasant acidity, soft sweetness	Chilled	Miyagi-only release

We checked product specifications and official flavor descriptions against Saura’s product pages on October 26, 2026. Suggested starting temperatures and food pairings are our editorial recommendations, not exclusive serving rules, since the brewery lists a wide range for each bottle. Prices differ slightly between its brand pages and online shop, so please confirm them on the official product pages.

How to Spot the No.12 Bottles

In the brewery’s current lineup, products in the yeast-themed series carry “No.12” in the name. For other Urakasumi bottles, check the listed yeast rather than inferring it from the brand. Zen’s current product page, for instance, does not list a yeast strain at all.

What Does Urakasumi Taste Like?

Urakasumi usually favors balance rather than highly perfumed sweetness. Zen combines gentle fruit with moderate savory depth, while the Junmai Ginjo No.12 feels brighter and more acidity-led. The kimoto No.12 is fuller and more savory, and the brewery says it is especially expressive when warmed. So Urakasumi is better understood as a range than a single flavor profile.

Then there are the numbers. Between Zen and the No.12 Junmai Ginjo, Zen has slightly higher acidity and a higher sake meter value. The brewery’s notes for No.12 stress a refreshing aroma, while those for Zen stress gentle fruit and moderate umami. Honestly, though, the easiest way to decide is to taste them side by side.

Bottle	Alcohol	SMV	Acidity
Zen	15%	+2 to +3	1.6
No.12 Junmai Ginjo	15–16%	+1 to +2	1.5
No.12 Kioke Kimoto	15%	+2 to +3	1.9
No.12 Junmai Daiginjo	16%	+1 to +2	1.4
Kuranohana Junmai Ginjo	15%	+1 to +2	1.6

A positive sake meter value (SMV) often points toward a drier impression, but it is not a direct sweetness score. After all, acidity, alcohol, aroma, and temperature all change how dry a sake tastes. For example, the kimoto No.12 has the highest acidity here, so it may feel fuller and sharper. Our guide on how to taste sake and read its specs explains more.

Why Is Urakasumi Famous for Kyokai Yeast No. 12?

Urakasumi is famous for both its long history and its link to Kyokai Yeast No. 12. The strain was isolated from an Urakasumi ginjo mash around 1965 and distributed to breweries across Japan from around 1985. Today, the brewery uses it again, so you can taste it in the No.12 series.

Where the Yeast Came From

Yeast is the microbe that turns sugar into alcohol, and it also creates many aroma compounds as it works. “Kyokai” literally means “association,” but here it refers to standardized yeast cultures distributed by the Brewing Society of Japan. The society began distributing pure cultures in 1906, and each strain carries a number. Our guide to what sake yeast does covers the basics.

Still, Urakasumi did not invent the strain. According to the brewery, a technician at a Miyagi brewing laboratory isolated it around 1965. The lab belonged to the prefecture’s sake brewers cooperative, and the source was Urakasumi’s ginjo moromi, the fermenting sake mash. A 1985 technical paper from that laboratory dates the isolation to brewing year 1965, which spans 1965 and 1966.

The Nada Sake Research Association, a group of sake brewers, also lists two nicknames. Brewers called it Urakasumi yeast as well as the first-generation Miyagi yeast. It says the strain remained in distribution until 1995. As for what happened next, the brewery explains that ginjo tastes shifted and the yeast fell out of use. Then, in Japan’s Reiwa era, which began in 2019, Urakasumi brought it back.

What the Yeast Changes in Sake

The Nada association describes No. 12 as suited to moromi kept at low temperatures, with strong aromatics that fit ginjo sake. More broadly, sake yeast produces fruity compounds as it ferments, according to a 2015 review. Two key ones, for example, are ethyl caproate, which smells like apple, and isoamyl acetate, which smells like banana. That review does not test No. 12, so it explains the mechanism rather than this strain’s exact profile.

Urakasumi’s own history adds a detail: its earlier ginjo sake once gave off a strawberry-like aroma. Of course, that is the brewery’s memory, not a lab result. Even so, it hints at why brewers found the yeast worth sharing.

Why the Same Yeast Does Not Mean the Same Flavor

A yeast strain is one ingredient, not a recipe. Rice, koji, water, temperature, and the starter method also change the result. Urakasumi’s own No.12 bottles show this clearly. One is a crisp, acidity-led Junmai Ginjo, while another is a fuller kimoto Junmai that becomes more savory when warmed. Shared strains gave brewers a reliable starting point, but no single yeast shaped modern sake on its own.

Inside the No.12 Series: Wooden Tubs and Bubbles

Each No.12 bottle uses Kyokai Yeast No. 12 but takes it in a different direction. Two of them need more explanation than a table can give.

Kioke Kimoto Junmai Urakasumi No.12 pairs No. 12 with kimoto, the traditional yeast starter. First, kimoto brewers mix steamed rice, koji, and water in shallow tubs. Then they grind the rice and koji with paddles, a step called moto-suri or yama-oroshi. This creates conditions in which lactic acid bacteria can develop before the main fermentation. At the end of 2024, the brewery introduced half-cut tubs of Miyagi cedar for this step. As a result, it says the sake now uses wooden vessels throughout the process. This is not barrel aging like wine or whisky, though. Instead, the tubs serve the brewing steps, including moto-suri, rather than mainly adding a wood flavor to the finished sake.

The series also includes a bottle-fermented Urakasumi No.12 Sparkling Silver Label. The brewery announced that it won the sparkling category at the Oriental Sake Awards 2025 in Hong Kong. Our guide to sparkling sake explains the style.

The History of Saura and the Urakasumi Name

Saura traces its founding to 1724. According to a brewery publication, that was when the founder took over a sake brewing license in Shiogama. The brewery marked its 300th anniversary in 2024, and today the 13th-generation head of the Saura family leads the company.

Sake for Shiogama Shrine

In the late Edo period, the brewery became a supplier of omiki for Shiogama Shrine. Here, omiki means sake offered to the gods at a Shinto shrine. The shrine is the historic ichinomiya, or leading shrine, of the old Mutsu Province. As the brewery tells it, Shiogama grew as both its gate town and a port. Still, this role is cultural history, not a claim that the sake has special power.

Why Is It Called Urakasumi?

Urakasumi means “haze over the bay.” The brewery took its name from a poem by Minamoto no Sanetomo, a 13th-century shogun and poet, in his collection Kinkaishu:

As the brewery explains, the name aims to capture a gentle, spring-like feeling of pleasant drinking. It also points to a real view, since Shiogama faces Matsushima Bay and its many small islands.

The Hirano Toji and Urakasumi Zen

After World War II, Urakasumi’s ginjo reputation grew under Hirano Sagoro, a Nanbu toji, or master brewer. The Nanbu guild is based in Iwate. The brewery credits him and his nephew and successor with its koji-making skill and long, low-temperature fermentation. Also, a 2018 magazine profile adds that Sagoro regularly placed near the top in sake competitions.

In 1973, the brewery launched Urakasumi Zen. At first, it was a ginjo with added distilled alcohol. The name came, the brewery says, from a monk’s remark about interest in Zen in France. Between the mid-1970s and early 1980s, Zen became a Junmai Ginjo made with local Toyonishiki. After that, Yamada Nishiki became its koji rice. For the wider picture, see our history of the postwar ginjo revival.

Shiogama, Rice, and Food Pairings

Shiogama is a Pacific port city just northeast of Sendai. The brewery says Urakasumi’s character developed alongside the town’s food culture. Of course, geography does not decide a sake’s taste. Still, the setting helps explain why so many bottles feel built for the table.

A Port Known for Fresh Tuna

Shiogama is widely known as one of Japan’s major ports for fresh, unfrozen tuna. Tourism materials also say it has one of Japan’s highest numbers of sushi restaurants per resident. That is a promotional claim, though, not an official ranking. In season, local wholesalers certify top fresh bigeye tuna as Sanriku Shiogama Higashimono, judging freshness, color, and fat.

Miyagi Rice: Kuranohana

Kuranohana is a Miyagi-bred sake rice, crossed from Yamada Nishiki and a Tohoku breeding line in 1987 and registered in 1997. Breeding notes describe slightly larger grains than Miyama Nishiki, low protein, and strong cold tolerance. Rice alone never sets the flavor, but it still gives the No.12 Junmai Ginjo a local base. Our guide to sake rice and polishing explains more.

What to Eat With Urakasumi

If you want a simple rule, our advice (not the brewery’s) is to start with seafood. Zen or the No.12 Junmai Ginjo works well with sashimi and tuna sushi, because their acidity refreshes the palate between bites. For grilled fish, salted dishes, or simmered vegetables, try the warm kimoto No.12. Miyagi favorites such as sasa kamaboko fish cakes also fit, and so do tofu and yakitori. See our sake and food pairing guide for more.

How to Serve, Store, and Buy Urakasumi

Serving temperature depends on the bottle and your taste. Still, the brewery lists a wide range for its main bottles. It runs from chilled at 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F) to warm at 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F), and even hotter. Many drinkers chill aromatic Junmai Ginjo, while the brewery notes that warming brings out the kimoto No.12’s rich umami.

A small sake cup works fine, and so does a wine glass for aromatic bottles. If you are unsure, our guide to choosing a sake cup or wine glass compares them. As for storage, the brewery lists a cool, dark place for unopened bottles. The cited product pages do not give a fixed drink-by period after opening. So refrigerate the bottle, close it tightly, and watch for a clear loss of aroma or flavors that no longer seem fresh. Delicate aromatic bottles generally benefit from being finished sooner than robust styles, but follow the label if it gives specific instructions.

Where Can You Buy Urakasumi Outside Japan?

Availability varies by country and importer, and we did not find a current export list on the brewery’s site. When you shop at specialist sake retailers, search for “Urakasumi” and also the producer name, “Saura.” Check the product name carefully, because overseas selections may not include the full No.12 series.

Visiting the Urakasumi Sake Gallery in Shiogama

The brewery’s shop, the Urakasumi Sake Gallery, sits at the main brewery address in central Shiogama. You can buy sake there and use a coin-operated tasting server, with a cup-and-coin set starting at 300 yen. However, the brewery guide is suspended for now, so do not plan on a production tour.

Even so, Shiogama Shrine and the fish market make the trip worthwhile. For more ideas nearby, see our guide to food in Sendai.

Urakasumi vs. Masumi: Two Yeast Stories

Urakasumi is linked to Kyokai Yeast No. 12, isolated in Miyagi around 1965, while Masumi is linked to No. 7, isolated in Nagano in 1946. No. 7 is still distributed today. No. 12, by contrast, had a shorter distribution history and is now central to Urakasumi’s revival series.

Point	Urakasumi	Masumi
Home	Shiogama, Miyagi	Suwa, Nagano
Yeast	Kyokai No. 12	Kyokai No. 7
Isolated	Around 1965	1946
Distribution	From around 1985; until 1995, per the Nada Sake Research Association	Still distributed by the Brewing Society of Japan
Modern revival	The No.12 series	Its own No. 7-related strains since 2019

Neither brand is “better.” If you enjoy history, though, try a No.12 bottle beside one from Masumi, the brewery behind Yeast No. 7.

Common Misconceptions About Urakasumi

On that third point, Japan’s labeling rules are clear. Junmai Ginjo uses only rice and rice koji, with rice polished to 60 percent or less. Also, koji rice must make up at least 15 percent, and the sake must use ginjo brewing and meet a sensory standard. Junmai Daiginjo requires rice polished to 50 percent or less and must meet the standard’s stricter wording on characteristic aroma, flavor, and appearance. These are category requirements, not a guarantee that every Junmai Daiginjo tastes better than every Junmai Ginjo.

Final Thoughts: Urakasumi’s Place in Japanese Sake

In short, Urakasumi deserves attention for three reasons. First, it has brewed in Shiogama for three centuries, beside a shrine and a busy fishing port. Second, a Miyagi laboratory technician isolated the strain later registered as Kyokai Yeast No. 12 from an Urakasumi ginjo mash, and it traveled far beyond Miyagi. Finally, its range, from Zen to the No.12 series, keeps that history drinkable.

A glass of No.12 Junmai Ginjo with a plate of Shiogama tuna is a pleasant place to begin. It shows, in a small way, how one brewery’s local experience became part of the wider story of Japanese sake.

Frequently Asked Questions about Urakasumi Sake

The Brand and Its Yeast

Does Urakasumi Zen use Kyokai Yeast No. 12?

The brewery’s current Zen product page does not list a yeast strain. So do not assume Zen uses No. 12 just because Urakasumi is linked to it. Instead, for the yeast story, choose a bottle with “No.12” in its name.

Is Kyokai No. 12 still sold to other breweries?

National distribution began around 1985, and the Nada Sake Research Association reports that it continued until 1995. We did not confirm any current general availability with the Brewing Society of Japan.

What is the difference between Urakasumi Zen and Urakasumi No.12?

Zen is the brand’s long-running Junmai Ginjo, first released in 1973. The No.12 series, by contrast, explicitly uses Kyokai Yeast No. 12 to tell the brewery’s yeast story.

Drinking and Visiting

What is the best Urakasumi sake for beginners?

Urakasumi Zen is the simplest starting point, because it is the brewery’s long-running flagship with a balanced, food-friendly profile. If your interest is Kyokai Yeast No. 12, choose the No.12 Junmai Ginjo instead.

Is Urakasumi sweet or dry?

In short, it varies by bottle. The main bottles in this guide have slightly positive sake meter values and moderate acidity. As a result, they tend to taste balanced rather than very sweet or very dry.

Should Urakasumi be served cold or warm?

Both can work, since the brewery lists a range from chilled to hot. Light Junmai Ginjo bottles are a good fit chilled, while the brewery says warming brings out the kimoto No.12’s rich umami.

Can you visit the Urakasumi brewery?

Yes, you can visit the Urakasumi Sake Gallery shop, which also offers paid tastings. However, the brewery guide is suspended for now, so check the official calendar before you travel.

References

Government, Industry, and Regional Sources

• National Tax Agency – Overview of the Sake Production and Quality Labeling Standards (Accessed October 2026)
• Japan Tourism Agency Multilingual Explanation Database – Sushi in Shiogama (PDF) (Accessed October 2026)
• Brewing Society of Japan – Kyokai Yeast (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Miyagi Prefecture – Launch Ceremony for Sanriku Shiogama Higashimono Tuna, October 2024 (PDF) (Accessed October 2026)
• Nada Sake Research Association – Kyokai No. 12 Yeast (Accessed October 2026)
• NARO Tohoku Agricultural Research Center – Variety Notes: Kuranohana (PDF) (Accessed October 2026)
• Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization – Saura Co., Ltd. / Urakasumi Sake Gallery (Accessed October 2026)

Academic and Media Sources

• J-STAGE – Sato, K. (1985). Kyokai Yeast for Sake No. 12: Key Points of Ginjo Brewing with Miyagi Yeast. Journal of the Brewing Society of Japan, 80(9), 598–600 (Accessed October 2026)
• Japan Association on Odor Environment – Tsutsumi, H. (2015). Aroma-Production Mechanism of Sake Yeast. Journal of Japan Association on Odor Environment, 46(5), 346–349 (Accessed October 2026)
• Walkerplus – Tokyo Walker Profile of Urakasumi and Its Toji, October 2018 (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)

Brewery Sources: History and Visiting

• Saura Co., Ltd. – Company Profile and History (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Urakasumi 300th Anniversary (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – Urakasumi Brewery, Founded 1724 (PDF, Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Our Commitment to Sake Brewing (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – The No.12 Series: Sake Brewed with Kyokai No. 12 Yeast (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Urakasumi Zen: History and Tradition (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – Shiogama, Where We Were Founded (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Urakasumi Sake Gallery (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – Sake (English) (Accessed October 2026)

Brewery Sources: Products

• Saura Co., Ltd. – Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi Zen (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi No.12 (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – Junmai Daiginjo Urakasumi No.12 (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Official Urakasumi Website – Kioke Kimoto Junmai Urakasumi No.12 (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Saura Co., Ltd. – Kuranohana Junmai Ginjo Urakasumi (Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)
• Zaikei Shimbun (Saura press release) – Urakasumi No.12 Sparkling Silver Label Wins at Oriental Sake Awards 2025 (press release, Japanese) (Accessed October 2026)

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