Fruit & Mint Liqueur
from Okayama
A liqueur made with ample fruit juice and natural mint

Takahashi River Basin Collaboration Central Branch Area ProjectThe sweetness of fruit gently envelopedby the fragrance of fresh Japanese mint

A refreshing liqueur for adults.
Fresh fruit juice and a soothing feeling of coolness.
HARERU is a new liqueur with an adult taste
originating in Okayama, Japan’s Sun country.
The exhilarating flavor of the peppermint produced in Yakage Town
in Okayama Prefecture and the sweetness and sourness of fruit is brought together in a light drink.
If you feel that simple sweet drinks aren’t enough for you, then by all means,please try this gem of a brilliant yet comforting drink.
Text by Maki ICHIDA (writer on sake)

HARERU was first made when freshly-squeezed fruit
juice and mild Japanese mint was combined withJapanese Shochu. This is a fruit liqueur for adults; thefruits have received the grace of the sun and have both
sweetness and sourness, enfolded gently inside the flavorsof mint.
The Japanese peppermint used has a fresh green flavorthat fills the mouth, and has an ever-so-slight bitteraftertaste. Yakage Town, located in a mountain range inthe southwestern part of Okayama Prefecture, is home tothis type of mint. The southern part of Okayama
Prefecture that includes Yakage Town was originally thehabitat of Japanese peppermint; in 2010, it was
discovered growing near a river flowing through town,
and cultivation has been revived. Yoikigen Brewery is thebrewery which makes liqueur using the gifts of the land;
they are the brewery making sake in the area along theIhara Railway, between Soja City where the brewery is
located to Yakage Town, home of Japanese mint. The
approach of making each bottle by hand using
old-fashioned methods is carried through to liqueur
making, and the charm and deliciousness of theingredients are drawn out.
This fruit liqueur with a rich mint flavor may be enjoyedstraight or on the rocks. Depending on your mood, theliqueur can be mixed with soda or milk for a sparkling or
mellow mouthfeel, respectively. Furthermore, whencombined with sweets such as chocolate and vanilla ice
cream, the liqueur can be enjoyed even more. Enjoy
HARERU as your preference and will dictates.
Maki IchidaFreelance writer, sommelier, lecturer onJapanese sake. Ms. Ichida disseminates
the charm of sake through her writing,
events, seminars, and more. She is making
it her life work to convey the splendor of
the climate around sake making, from therice paddies of summer to actively visiting
breweries in the winter.

About HARERU

with sodawith milk

Handmade liqueur that boasts
the creativity and locality are
the pride of the brewery

HARERU is an original liqueur made by
the Yoikigen Brewery in Soja City,
Okayama Prefecture. The charm ofJapanese mint from Yakage Town inOkayama Prefecture interweaves withfresh fruit to create a unique, refreshingfeeling. Among the liqueurs, the Mikan +Mint ﬂavored liqueur using Kurashiki
mikan citrus fruit won the grand prize in
the Gourmet & Dining Style Show 2015 in
the new products category. In theprevious year, “yuzu + mint” was awarded
second place in the contest, and earned
high praise for topicality and quality. Thistime, Pione grape + mint also joins theline-up. Enjoy the HARERU ﬂavor you like,the way you like it.

Ichiro Hiramatsu

A Cool liqueur,
created from Hot passion

President of the Okayama

Regional Sake Warehouse
ICHIRO S, Ltd., Rice
Liqueur Center;

International Sake

Sommelier; Sommelier

Text by Ichiro HIRAMATSU (Okayama Regional Sake Warehouse ICHIRO’S)

with the JapaneseSommelier Association.

While collaborating withThis new brand “HARERU” is a very unique and “cool” liqueur in which the richflavor of fruit and the refreshing feeling of Japanese mint can be simultaneously
enjoyed. The passion and dedication of the people involved in this project
supported the birth of this brand.
Japanese mint was thought to be extinct at one time, until a man found somesprings accidently near a riverbed while he was tracing the path of literature; theseedlings were brought back and propagated using natural farming methods. This isa rice ‘shochu’ which was made by the vacuum distillation method usingsafely-produced, local Japanese mint and plentiful fruit juice. The brewery uses
ingredients without regret and without regard to profitability, in order to produce
this one-of-a-kind liqueur.
The package designer created a universally appealing logo and design to target not
only women in in their twenties and thirties with a strong awareness of fashion,
but also the overseas market.
As the second product in our Okayama Regional Sake Warehouse ICHIRO’S andunder our company policy of “Continue to Discover Sake”, I am pleased continue
to promote this product in the domestic and foreign markets.
I hope many people can enjoy the charm of this fruit liqueur for adults,“HARERU”, which gently encompasses a mild mint flavor with the rich sweetness
and sourness of fruit that has received the grace of the sun.

liqueurthe sake brewers in theprefecture, Mr. Hiramatsu

makes unwavering efforts
to promote

Okayama-produced sakeboth within and outside of

the prefecture as well as ininternational markets.

http://jizakesohko.okayama.jp

Hideto Sato
Art director, designer.

Active in diverse areas ofdesign with branding as

the main axis. Recipient of

the Japan Package DesignAwards and selected toappear in the Japan

Typography Yearbook.
Member of the Japan
Graphic Designers
Association.

http://hidetosato.com/

500ml or 180ml

Alcohol content: 7~8% (Shake well before opening. Keep refrigerated after opening.)
Underage drinking is forbidden by law. Drinking during pregnancy or while breast feeding may adversely affect the fetus and infant.
Produced by: Yoikigen, Ltd. - Kaminakajima 372-1, Kiyone, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Distributed by: Okayama Regional Sake Warehouse ICHIRO’S - Miyamae 369-1, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, JAPANURL: http://jizakesohko.okayama.jp

E-MAIL: komesake@crest.ocn.ne.jp