Photo/Illutration Takao Nishimukai, head of Sawanotsuru Co.’s manufacturing department, shows off the 1995-labled Kimoto Junmai Koshu sake bottle on Dec. 11 in Kobe’s Chuo Ward, prior to its release. (Koji Nishimura)

KOBE--Sake brewers nearly put out of business by the Great Hanshin Earthquake will mark the 30th anniversary of the disaster in January with a limited release of vintage sake produced during that challenging time.

Sawanotsuru Co. in Kobe’s Nada Ward plans to market Kimoto Junmai Koshu vintage sake that was brewed soon after it partially resumed production in March 1995.

Slated for release on Jan. 17 to mark the 30th anniversary of the disaster that killed more than 6,000 people, the 1995-labled sake was stored and matured over the course of 40 days in an oak cask normally used for whisky production.

Only 10 bottles, each with a 720-milliliter capacity, will be available for 100,000 yen ($657) after tax.

Proceeds from the limited-edition sake will go to the Nippon Foundation’s disaster recovery support program.

The January 1995 quake destroyed seven wooden brewing facilities at Sawanotsuru and claimed the lives of two production staff. A reinforced concrete brewery barely survived the temblor. The damage included a half-collapsed tank.

Despite the setback, Sawanotsuru managed to partially resume manual production as early as March.

Takao Nishimukai, 59, who now oversees Sawanotsuru’s brewing procedure, said the magnitude-7.3 quake hit in his sixth year at the company.

“We were committed to producing the best possible sake, struggling to continue in business,” Nishimukai recalled. “Demonstrating that we now craft superb sake may help console the souls of those lost in the disaster.”

Sake from that period of time was also released to the market on the 20th and 25th anniversaries of the earthquake. The flavor of rice wine is said to grow richer and deeper over time.

Orders for the special tipple will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by phone and via the brewer’s official shopping website from 10 a.m. on Jan. 17.

Kobe Shu-Shin-Kan Breweries Ltd. in Kobe’s Higashi-Nada Ward is planning to roll out five bottles of Fukuju Fukko no Itteki. Perfected in December 1994, the 720-ml product will carry a price tag of 1 million yen, including tax.

The brewer’s predecessor sustained substantial damage in the earthquake, such as a wooden brewery building collapsing. A great number of sake bottles were smashed.

The sake to be released in January survived the catastrophic disaster unscathed. Since then, the top-quality “daiginjo” sake has been stored in a low-temperature environment as part of the aging process.

Reservations can be made on the website of Kobe Shu-Shin-Kan Breweries until 5 p.m. on Jan. 16. If the number of purchase applications exceeds availability, a lottery system will be implemented.

Kobe Shu-Shin-Kan Breweries said that money from the sales of the vintage sake will be donated to support educational programs on natural calamities and disaster preparedness.

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