episode 1
In Pursuit of “UMAi”
What is the essence of “delicious”?
Where does that spontaneous smile come from—the one that appears the moment you take your first sip?
Is it sweetness? Umami? Aroma? Balance?
Perhaps the lingering sensation on the tongue isn't just flavor.
It’s the scent of the air, the smile beside you, the weight of the vessel, fragments of memory.
Moments that transcend the five senses and stir your sensibilities—
That might be the essence of what we call “UMA-i.”
A question that begins with flavor, and ends with feeling.
As a small, family-run brewery, we have the freedom—and the calling—
to chase after tastes no one has yet put into words.
We want to share the beginning of that journey with the world.
“UMA-i”—a word that doesn’t quite translate to “delicious.”
We write it UMA-i, not umai, because:
- It eludes the typical scale of “good” or “bad.”
- It’s hard to explain, yet strangely unforgettable.
- It may be quirky, but you’ll want another sip.
It’s a sensation both undefined and deeply personal—
a moment of flavor that’s as mysterious as a UFO,
but profoundly moving.
“Delicious” is a language beyond words.
Across the world, people instinctively exclaim “Wow!” or “Mmm!”
Not because the taste is scientifically perfect,
but because something resonated, instinctively, humanly.
A memorable flavor isn’t just about a label or a brand.
It’s a memory, a shared moment, a breath of air, a familiar smile.
At Ito Shuzo, we seek to craft sake that becomes
the unspoken moment of resonance.
Sometimes bold, sometimes fleeting, sometimes astonishing—
but always leading to the same, simple joy:
when you share a sip with someone and smile together,
“UMA-i, isn’t it?”
That, we believe, is how we connect with the world.
Fermentation is a journey of questions.
No two days are alike.
No two batches are ever the same.
Rice. Water. Microorganisms.
The air. The seasons.
Every brew is an encounter of one time only.
All we can do is keep asking questions:
What makes flavor resonate?
What should be added, what should be left out?
We don’t “control” the brew—we listen and guide it.
This questioning, this dialogue with the brew,
is the very heart of our craft.
People often say:
“There’s just something about this.”
“I can’t explain it, but I love it.”
Precisely because it defies explanation,
you want to taste it again.
That’s the kind of sake we strive to make—
sake that asks a question with every drop.
UMAi is a sensory treasure hunt.
What we offer is not just “delicious sake,”
but an invitation:
to rediscover what “delicious” means to you.
The questions infused in every drop
expand your map of sensation,
like setting off on a flavor journey through memory and emotion.
Let’s go treasure hunting.
Let’s seek the unexplored UMAi.
It may not be a flashy or exotic taste.
Rather, it’s something nostalgic yet new—
a quiet reunion with a feeling long forgotten.
And today again, a new taste is being born at our brewery.
We sense the potential for a new chapter in this journey.
What is UMAi?
That is the question our fifth-generation brewmaster
has been chasing all along.
Toward answers that bloom, quietly,
in the palms of our hands.