Based in Nabari City, Mie Prefecture, Kiyasho Shuzo is a brewery that masterfully blends meticulous handcraft with modern technology, centered around its flagship brand, “Jikon.” The sake is characterized by a fresh, transparent aroma and a superb harmony of sweetness, acidity, and umami. The name “Jikon” is a Zen term meaning “to live the present moment to the fullest, untethered by the past or future.” To highlight the unique characteristics of specific sake rice, the brewery releases different limited-edition products almost every month. Since its birth in 2005, the brewery’s steadfast commitment to small-scale, high-quality production has earned overwhelming support from sake enthusiasts worldwide, establishing it as one of the most difficult brands to obtain in the modern sake scene.
1. History and Background
Kiyasho Shuzo is a venerable brewery with over 200 years of history, founded in 1818 during the late Edo period. The founder, Shohachi Onishi, was originally a lumber merchant, and the trade name “Kiyasho” was carried over as the name of the brewery. Located in Nabari City, an area that still retains the atmosphere of an old post town, the brewery’s shop and main residence are designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan, symbolizing the depth of its heritage.
For many years, the brewery produced sake under the “Takasago” brand, beloved by the local Iga region. The major turning point came with the appointment of the sixth-generation owner and Toji (Master Brewer), Tadayoshi Onishi. With a background in science and technology and experience working for a dairy company, Onishi became the Toji in 2004. In 2005, he named his first original brew “Jikon.” The launch of this new brand was a high-stakes challenge to pivot the business from mass-market sake to small-batch, premium Tokutei Meishoshu (special designation sake) to ensure the brewery’s survival.
2. Brewing Philosophy
At the heart of Kiyasho Shuzo’s brewing philosophy is the Zen spirit of “Jikon”—living this very moment with all one’s might. This symbolizes a stance where no compromise is allowed, pouring total effort into every single step of the process.
Their methodology skillfully merges traditional manual labor—honed by the brewers’ five senses—with the latest quality control technologies. The brewery views sake brewing not as a process where humans create everything, but as “providing and caring for an environment where microorganisms (koji mold and yeast) can work easily.” Based on this idea, modern technology is positioned as a tool to complement the delicate sensibilities of the craftsmen and to brew consistently high-quality sake.
Furthermore, their strategy of shipping different products every month to suit the season and highlight the individuality of various sake rice varieties is supported by a restless spirit of inquiry and evolution.
3. Characteristics of Ingredients and Production
The rich terroir of Nabari is fully utilized in the water and rice that form the foundation of their sake.
- Brewing Water: They use pure spring water (medium-soft water) from the Nabari River. This water is filtered through a natural system of volcanic ash deposited 8 million years ago, resulting in extraordinary transparency.
- Sake Rice: Starting with high-quality Yamada Nishiki from the local Iga region, they use strictly selected rice from across Japan, including Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo’s Special A district, Omachi from Okayama, and Hattannishiki or Senbonnishiki from Hiroshima. They highly value the local Nabari-grown Yamada Nishiki, noting that its cultivation environment rivals that of Hyogo’s Special A district.
- Production Methods: Essential processes such as rice washing and koji making are done entirely by hand, maintaining a small-batch production system. On the 200th anniversary of the brewery, they also revived the traditional “Kimoto” method, applying it to their heritage brand “Takasago” as a challenge to ancestral techniques.
4. Current Initiatives
Kiyasho Shuzo currently works in close coordination with local agriculture, contributing to the sustainability of the regional economy and environment.
Specifically, they collaborate with local farmers from the planting stage to cultivate sake rice, practicing brewing with “local rice and local water.” The “Jikon Junmai Daiginjo NABARI” born from this initiative has gained international acclaim, even being selected for ANA International First Class service.
To protect the quality of the products, they employ a strict authorized retailer system (Tokuyakuten). They do not offer direct sales at the brewery or public tours; instead, they distribute exclusively through a limited number of partners who maintain thorough temperature-controlled environments. This ensures that the quality is guaranteed until the moment it reaches the consumer. While respecting tradition, they continue to build a sustainable business model based on modern craftsmanship.