Senjo, a long-loved local sake brewery in the town of Takato

At the end of the Edo period, founder Kurokawa Matsujiro established a sake brewery in Takato, Shinshu, under the name of Taimatsu Sake Brewery. When Chiyotaro, the second generation, took over, the brand "Chiyotomo" was born, whose sake bottles are still in production today. In an era of rapid industrialization, Chiyotaro also worked hard to develop the local economy in addition to sake brewing, serving as president of a local hydroelectric power plant.

Takato Castle Park became a famous cherry blossom spot when cherry trees were planted on the site of Takato Castle, which was demolished when the feudal domains were abolished and prefectures were established in 1871. It seems that Senjo's sake has been an essential part of the cherry blossom viewing that locals enjoy here since back then. It is clear that Senjo was a sake brewery that was loved by the locals for a long time.

In the Showa era, the company changed its name to Takato Shuzo Co., Ltd., and then to the current Senjo Co., Ltd. After the war, its current representative brand, "Kuromatsu Senjo," became popular as a gift and gained recognition in the Hokushin region. There were also rapid improvements in quality, working conditions, and production efficiency, and sake brewing made great progress.

Kuromatsu Senjo has been loved by locals since its launch in the 1970s

Senjo carefully brews its own sake in the Ina Valley region, blessed with high-quality rice and water. They pay close attention to every step of the process, from polishing rice using a high-performance rice polisher to making koji using two different methods.

When it comes to koji making in particular, they use two different methods: the traditional method of having artisans make koji by hand in a koji room, and a method that reproduces the traditional koji making method using machines, thus respecting tradition while also incorporating new technologies in a well-balanced way.

The name of the representative brand "Kuromatsu Senjo" that was born in the 1970s is derived from the name of the founder Kurokawachi Matsujiro, with "Kuromatsu" coming from the name of the founder, and "Senjo" coming from Mount Senjo in the Southern Alps. The first-class sake "Kuromatsu Senjo" is also affectionately known as "Kuromatsu" and is characterized by its mellow sweetness and soft mouthfeel. It can be enjoyed warm or cold without getting bored. The sake wrapped in wrapping paper is also highly valued as a gift, and has become a well-known brand not only in the Kamiina region, but also in the Hokushin region, including Shimoina, Nagano, and Matsumoto.

Amazake, rice malt, shochu, and sake lees are also made using the techniques used to make koji.

In 2005, they started selling amazake made with rice koji using koji-making techniques. In 2017, they revived the koji room, where koji can be prepared by hand, for the first time in 33 years, and have continued to evolve the history and techniques of sake brewing in a wide range of areas, such as creating an environment where they can brew higher quality sake in small lots.

Senjo celebrated its 2016th anniversary in 150. In addition to sake and amazake, the company also handles a wide range of fermented rice products, including rice koji, shochu, and sake lees, and continues to work with rice and koji in order to pass on Japan's rice fermentation culture to the future.