Oita - The Original Oni Koroshi
Est. circa 1720, Takayama, Japan.
Oita have been brewing sake since the Edo period. A renegade brewer during their infancy they started making superdry sake during a time when sweet sake was in vogue.
About Oni Koroshi
Oita have been making dry sake since their ancestors launched a sake brewery in the 1720s (Edo period). At that time, sweet sake was regarded as high quality and dry sake unpopular. Moreover, dry sake was thought of as bad sake. Therefore, people said that even ‘Oni’ or demons would die if they drank such dry sake. Many dry sake produced in Japan were nicknamed ‘Oni Koroshi’ which translates as Demon Slayer/Killer, but the original ‘Oni Koroshi’ (sadly there was no trademark legislation back in the day) brand was Oita.
Dry sake gradually disappeared from the market. However Oita’s ancestors did not give up making dry sake. Nowadays, dry sake is incredibly popular and with the boom, old Oni Koroshi brands have been revived or have been newly produced throughout Japan. There are about 200 Oni Koroshi brands in Japan now. It is the era of Oni Koroshi.
On the other hand, some of the new mass market Oni Koroshi brands are unfortunately of the cheap low quality variety and because of this ‘Oni Koroshi’ is regarded as a synonym of bad sake like it was in the 1720s.
Oita Oni Koroshi – the original Oni Koroshi - uses very carefully selected rice, from which impurities are removed and milled to that of a premium ginjo. Oita would like you try the original and true Oni Koroshi and by drinking it hopes you may able to eradicate your own personal demons as illustrated on the label.
The present
Oita Shuzo is now in it’s 15th generation under Hideo Oita. There are 3 kurabito (brewery staff) including toji (master brewer) and three family members are involved in the brewery. Oita produces 400kL of sake and shochu a year.
The majority of Oita’s sake is sold to the locals in bottleshops and restaurants such as Steak House Kitchen Hida and Soba Sumikyu. Their sake is hugely popular with soba and steak restaurants. It’s also sold in a few department stores such as Mitsukoshi, Seibu and Daimaru.
Oita’s philosophy is to pursue sakemaking using valuable tradition while embracing new technologies. Oita moved their brewery from Takayama central to Kiyomi, to chase even more pure waters from the Hida mountains.
Chef’s Armoury are proud to be the exclusive distributor for Oita Shuzo in Australia.
Oita Sake Online
- Oita Oni Koroshi Dohatsu Shōten Dry
- Oita Hida Takayama Junmai Ginjō
- Oita Oni Koroshi Daiginjō
- Oita Oni Koroshi Ginjō
- Oita Junmai Nama Sake
- Oita Oni Koroshi Junmai Daiginjō
Oita Shochu Online
- Oita Ryu No Hitomi Shochu - Honkaku Kome (single distilled rice shochu)
- Oita Yomogi Shochu - Honkaku Yomogi (single distilled mugwort shochu)
Click here to view Oita Sake
Click here to view Oita Shochu
