One of the most popular souvenirs to buy in Japan is sake, simply put fermented rice wine. Other than the fact that sake is delicious, one of the key points to choose it as a souvenir is the variety of sizes, designs, and packages these come in.
From sake one cups to two-liter bottles, labeled using washi (Japanese paper) and beautiful, bold calligraphy or printed with unique regional motifs. One such award-winning design is the sake called “KOI” by Imayo Tsukasa Brewery in Niigata.
Design and Niigata Heritage
What makes this one so special?
The word Koi means carp. Nishikigoi are colored carps, and it is said that Niigata prefecture is where the colored variety of carps originated. Niigata is also known for its unbelievably favorable climate for producing rice and, therefore, sake.
Design studio Bullet came up with this amazing design that features a gorgeous carp on a glass bottle. The thin cardboard box with a cut of a carp looks just like a carp in the water.
There is another reason why the sake brewery chose a carp design. In the olden days when rice was a precious commodity, sake breweries would water down sake before delivering them to shops. This practice came to be called kingyo-zake (goldfish sake) as it was even possible for a goldfish to swim in the watered-down version. However, Imayo Tsukasa never did this!
Pricing
Costing 6,710 yen for 720 ml and 14,850 yen for 1,800 ml.
Online Shop: https://www.imayotsukasa.com/index.html
A Symbol of Resilience
KOI sake is a perfect souvenir, not only for its Junmai Daiginjo quality but for its powerful symbolism. The award-winning packaging celebrates the resilience of both the fish and the brewery, making it a thoughtful gift for any celebration.
