Orise's Amazake is a diluted type of Amazake made from domestically grown, reduced-pesticide rice and rice koji specially made for Amazake, and is flavored with a variety of domestic ingredients.
Among them, the one that stands out as being unique is "Kawai Fruit Farm's Hatsukoi Lemon." Do you know what "Hatsukoi Lemon" is?

"Hatsukoi Lemon" is a lemon brand grown entirely without pesticides by Kawai Orchard, which is also located in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, just like Kojiya Sanzaemon. Hiroki Kawai, the fifth generation owner of the orchard, spent five years searching for ways to coexist with nature, including insects and weeds, to create this precious lemon, which has won numerous awards for its cultivation, including the Japan Agriculture Award Grand Prize in the "Bridge to Food" category.

　

Because they are grown without any pesticides, you can eat them with the skin on, and another big feature is that they are grown until they are fully ripe. While regular lemons are shipped while still green and then ripened before they are put on the market, "Hatsukoi Lemons" are grown until they are fully ripe and then shipped. This gives them a juice that is not only sour, but also has a sweetness that you wouldn't expect from a lemon.

Currently, "Hatsukoi Lemon" has many fans all over the country and is a hard-to-obtain lemon. Kojiya Sanzaemon supports and participates in the "Hatsukoi Lemon Project" which is an initiative by farmer Kawai to revitalize the local area, leading to a collaboration between Hatsukoi Lemon and Amazake in 2020.

Orise's Amazake "Hatsukoi Lemon, made by Kawai Orchards" uses not only the flesh and juice of Hatsukoi Lemon, but also the peel. The flavor of the rice malt used in Orise's Amazake is not too sweet, but refreshing and does not linger, making it the perfect match for "Hatsukoi Lemon."

During the sticky rainy season or summer, if you mix it with ice water or soda, the aroma will spread gently, and the sweet and sour taste of lemon and the flavor of amazake will harmonize in your mouth. The lingering bitter aftertaste of the lemon peel will create an even more relaxing time for adults. Please try taking a break with "Hatsukoi Lemon" amazake at the end of a summer day.