Yomeishu

The drink of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and of the 47 Ronin

Brewed for over four centuries in the Ina Valley of Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture) Yomeishu is a medicinal herbal liqueur made with a secret blend of 14 types of herbs and spices (sounds a bit like KFC doesn’t it?) and containing about 14% alcohol. With the natural flavour of cinnamon and a slight sweetness, Yomeishu has an agreeable taste and was enjoyed by the Edo period samurai and elite.

Yomeishu production was formulated by Shiozawa Sokan, head of the Shiozawa clan and village headman of Okusa village in Ina County, Shinshu (present-day Nakagawa Village, Kamiina County, Nagano Prefecture). It was registered as Tenryukan Co., Ltd. some 320 years later on June 20, 1923. As the head company was founded in 1602 and remains in business to this day, it is one of the world's oldest continuous companies.

As a supplement, Yomeishu seeks to improve circulation, warming, and general health, blended to a proprietary formula to suit the Japanese culture and climate. Combining these different herbs resulted in effects that could not be obtained with the individual herbs on their own. It is suggested that drinking 20ml of the thick, syrupy, burgundy coloured extract three times a day before meals or before sleep provides the best results.

Said to improve circulation, appetite, pallor, and have warming properties, it soon came to the attention of the then ruler of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu was known for having a great interest in health care. He studied traditional medicines, often concocting them himself to try a number of remedies and herbal tonics. He was so impressed by Yomeishu, he awarded the company their Tenryukan flying dragon logo, used to this day, and would suggest it to his vassals and visiting daimyo. This is probably among one of the world's earliest endorsements.

Records reveal that the 47 Ronin of Ako also drank small cups of Yomeishu to ward off the cold and to keep them alert during the freezing conditions of the night of the 14^th day of the 12^th month (January 30) attack on Lord Kira's mansion.