Tail of the Turtle – Kame no O Sake Rice

Last Updated 6/30/2020

Sake made from Kame no O often have subdued aromatic intensity, but a rich, citrusy flavor profile. It tends toward the dry side and is often earthy with umami that lingers on the palate. Acidity can be elevated and features sour cream or yogurt notes.

Natsuko no Sake 夏子の酒 by Akira Oze

Kame no O 亀の尾 was discovered in Yamagata around 1900, and quickly became widespread due to its quality and its hardiness to cold. However, the tall grain is frail and is susceptible to wind damage. Kame no O has a famously delicate nature and must be carefully grown by hand. Pests also seem to enjoy munching on the plant. For these reasons, it fell out of favor and completely disappeared by the 1950s

In the 1980’s it was revived by Kusumi Shuzo of Niigata using a handful of seeds from a seed bank. It took three years to grow enough grain to produce sake. The events surrounding this were so interesting they spawned a manga: Natsuko no Sake 夏子の酒! Kame no O has spread from Niigata, back to Yamagata, and it is grown in Kanagawa and Akita as well. Koshihikari and Sasanishiki (ササニシキ) have Kame no O roots.

Confusingly, Koikawa Shuzo of Yamagata also claims to have had some Kame no O grains, and around the same time as Kusumi, brought it back. Their version tastes and brews basically the same way, but is visually slightly different, and probably isn’t the same rice. The Koikawa cultivar transplanted well and blew up across Western Japan.

Physically, Kame no O has moderate sided grains compared to the average sakamai. However, despite the fact that it’s a pure strain, Kame no O is not a sakamai– it’s table rice (hanmai). This is due more to a bureaucratic technicality– the grain is so ancient its roots can’t be confirmed or certified. This table rice’s grain size, its low protein content, and its history are major reasons for its revival.