Beau Michelle, from Tomono Shuzo in Saku City (佐久市).
Location: Nagano Prefecture

Among all the sake I drank in June 2025, Beau Michelle was the most impressive.
And when winter came, the Snow White I drank was also outstanding.

About two years ago, I graduated from sneakers and started wearing dress shoes regularly.
Among the pairs I own, the one I wear year-round, regardless of season, is a pair of leather shoes from Sanders.

I first bought Sanders shoes around 2024 and kept wearing them. The comfort, the fact that they work in any season, and their classic design that pairs well with most of my clothes—all of it felt right. If I ever buy another pair of dress shoes, I already know I’ll be looking at Sanders again.

After wearing them continuously from the very first day until now, I realized how perfectly they suited me. Naturally, that led me to take interest in other shoes from the same brand. In other words, that first pair of Sanders shoes turned me into a fan of the company.

Beau Michelle from Tomono Shuzo, which I want to talk about today, feels very much the same.

Around mid-June 2024, when I first drank Beau Michelle, I felt it instantly.

“This is number one—out of everything I’ve drunk this month, and everything I will drink.”

Because the first impression was so strong, even now, whenever I spot Beau Michelle in a sake shop, a positive feeling immediately rises inside me.

I became a fan of the label called “Beau Michelle.”

I’ve always liked sake that’s easy to drink, and that may be one of the reasons I felt this way. But at the time, I clearly thought: Beau Michelle is a sake that’s hard to dislike.

For customers looking for sake with a certain level of sweetness, I recommended it as my top choice throughout June, and the reactions were consistently positive.
Occasionally, after getting friendly with an older gentleman, I’d suggest, “Just one glass,” and get scolded for it—okay let’s move on to next page.

Beau Michelle is one of Tomono Shuzo’s flagship products.
With its low alcohol content and wine-like character, it was selected in 2023 for an award recognizing sake that’s especially enjoyable for women.

One of the most interesting things about Beau Michelle is that, to infuse a pop-like sensibility, they play Beatles music during fermentation—the process in which sake is born.

Some people might wonder what meaning there is in playing Beatles music during fermentation. Others might simply think, “That’s amusing.”
But I’m someone who believes in the power of things we cannot see.

I believe that Beatles songs resonating throughout the brewery during fermentation must have some influence on the sake.

As I write this now, I’m listening to “Mia & Sebastian’s Theme” from La La Land.
The music you listen to while writing undeniably affects the writing itself.

Rather than writing purely on instinct or being carried away by the flow of words, I often play calm music on purpose to steady my mind and write according to the structure and plan I prepared in advance.

On the other hand, if I were constantly listening to Kanye West’s Stronger or Black Eyed Peas’ Pump It while writing or brainstorming, my thoughts might scatter, and the writing could end up driven purely by instinct—my hands moving faster than my mind.

That’s because music is a language that doesn’t speak to the ears, but to the heart, to the subconscious, planting what it wants to say directly inside you.

For this reason, I believe that the Beatles’ Michelle, echoing throughout the brewery during fermentation, plays a role in shaping Beau Michelle.
When the brewers arrive at work and play Michelle, and when other staff arrive and hear the song already flowing, they may begin to assign deeper meaning to the sake they are making—more than to other sake. They might work with lighter hearts while enjoying the music. Or perhaps the fermenting moromi itself “hears” the sound and gathers strength, leading to a better fermentation.

I don’t know if this is the reason I came to love Beau Michelle.
But one thing I can say with certainty is this:

If you’re looking for a moderately sweet sake and haven’t tried Beau Michelle yet, you will almost certainly love it.

Beau Michelle also releases various seasonal expressions—Snow Fantasy, Bliss, Cotton Candy, and others.
If you happen to see one while visiting Japan, I highly recommend giving it a try.