Gikyo means "chivalrous," and the name was earned: in the 19th century, when rice prices spiked abruptly, the small Yamachu Honke brewery refused to raise its sake prices out of a sense of duty to its customers. Founded in 1813 where the Kiso River meets Ise Bay in Aichi Prefecture, it remains small but carries a national reputation, led since 2020 by 11th-generation owner and brewmaster Masahiro Yamada. The obsession here is rice. Since the 1990s, roughly 80% of what the brewery buys is Grade A Yamada Nishiki from Tojo — widely considered the best sake rice in the world, and released to only about twelve breweries in Japan, alongside legends like Juyondai and Isojiman. Most producers reserve Tojo rice for a flagship daiginjo; Gikyo uses it even in entry-level bottlings. Yamada mills it in-house on a seimaiki machine he invested in specifically for the control, and the grains are washed by hand. The house also refuses to use the word "Daiginjo" at all, labeling everything Junmai Ginjo regardless of polish — 60%, 50%, even 30% — considering "great ginjo" boastful. Many bottles are genshu (undiluted), which is why they drink so powerfully. Decant them, chill them, and use a wine glass.

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