Founded in 1804 (Bunka 40), Kokuryu Sake Brewery in Eiheiji Town, Fukui Prefecture, started brewing ginjo sake in the 1975s, when warm sake was the norm. In 50 (Showa XNUMX), they released the daiginjo sake "Ryu," the first of its kind in the country, and succeeded in commercializing daiginjo sake, which was rare at the time.
The brewery has inherited the philosophy of "making good sake" that has continued since its founding, and continues to be highly regarded by fans both in Japan and abroad.
In this article, we spoke with eighth-generation president Mizuno Naoto about Kokuryu Shuzo's history and challenges, as well as the potential of ice-temperature aging, a method the brewery is focusing on.

I spoke to this person

Naoto Mizuno, CEO of Kokuryu Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.

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Born on October 1964, 10. After graduating from the Department of Brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture, he joined Kyowa Hakko (now Kyowa Kirin). In June 26, he joined Kokuryu Shuzo, and in 1990, he became the company's president.

Reforms to review the distribution process

-Before you became president, what position did Kuroryu Sake Brewery hold in the industry?

Mizuno: After graduating from Tokyo University of Agriculture, I joined Kyowa Hakko (now Kyowa Kirin) and worked as a sales representative in Minato Ward. At that time, liquor stores that specialized in local sake would say things like, 'Kokuryu makes good sake,' but at regular liquor stores, many people had never even heard of the name 'Kokuryu.'"

- After that, you returned to the family business in 1990 and became president in 2005. What was the first thing you did?

Mizuno-san: "I visited my clients all over the country. At the time, I was selling to various wholesalers and liquor stores, but I wanted to know how sake was actually being managed at the stores. I was shocked to find out that sake was being sold without being refrigerated. So I went around telling them to buy refrigerators, but most liquor stores would just say, "That's what the manufacturer brings, isn't it?" So I stopped doing business with those clients."

-Was there any impact from the suspension of trading?

Mizuno-san: "At the time, we reduced our production volume from about 1,000 koku to under 500 koku. My father made sake with the belief that 'we make good sake,' and I learned the importance of distribution at Kyowa Hakko. Distribution management is thorough, and if we don't deal with business partners who are passionate about sake, the sake won't be good by the time it reaches the customer. I consulted with my father and said, 'It's pointless unless we sort this out,' and this was the reform we carried out."

-What is your current production volume?

Mizuno-san: "Currently, we produce around 6,000 koku using the three-season method. Domestic demand is high, so we only export around 5% of our production overseas. We also have issues with managing our sake, so we're not very proactive about distributing it overseas."

Sake brewing that complements the seafood of the Hokuriku region

-Please tell us the concept of the sake produced by Kuroryu Sake Brewery.

Mizuno-san: "I wanted people to drink this with the delicious fish of the Hokuriku region, so the concept was to create a sake that goes well with the mild seafood of Fukui. My father, the previous owner, paved the way for this, but at the time, Echizen crab was considered the highest quality seafood. For that reason, we value sake that goes well with such ingredients."

-Why do you focus on pasteurized sake?

Mizuno: "Namazake, which is difficult to manage, is only shipped between December and February each year. Recently, more and more liquor stores have ice-temperature refrigerators, but they are still in the minority. As there are issues with distribution, we treat namazake as a seasonal pleasure. Our customers for namazake are mainly liquor stores that are highly conscious of refrigeration management, and young managers who will lead the liquor industry in the future."

--Dassai maker Asahi Shuzo President Sakurai Kazuhiro also mentioned distribution issues.

Mizuno-san: "When I went to France about 30 years ago, our current chairman, Hiroshi Sakurai, was actively engaged in sales activities. At that time, in high-end supermarkets, sake was stored at room temperature next to Shaoxing wine. It's difficult to get people to think that sake is good quality when stored like that."

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--In a climate where environmental awareness is on the rise, what are your thoughts on highly polished rice?

Mizuno-san: "We don't throw away the bran, but at first glance it does seem wasteful. To brew Daiginjo sake, 50% of the surface of the brown rice needs to be polished. Currently, we use a joint rice polishing service within the prefecture, but in the future we are considering moving to our own rice polishing and developing products that reuse bran at the ESHIKOTO facility, among other things, to create a recycling system."

Barrel-aged spirits made from sake lees from Bar Toki, attached to ESHIKOTO / Toki Barrel-aged "Sakura", "Kuri", and "Nara"

-Bar Toki, which is attached to Kanshukuen ESHIKOTO, serves barrel-aged spirits made from recycled sake lees.

Mizuno-san: "At Bar Toki, we offer kasutori shochu that has been aged in Sakura, Kuri, and Nara barrels from within the prefecture, under the name Toki Taru-juku. Because it is colored, it is technically not shochu, but falls into the spirits category. We will consider how to handle it in the future while observing the reaction of our customers. Also, because Fukui Prefecture is the largest producer of Rokujo barley in Japan, we are preparing to start making whiskey suited to the climate of Fukui."

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Learning about the aging culture of sake from wineries

- What prompted Kokuryu Shuzo to start working on aging?

Mizuno-san: "What my father learned at the winery was to 'create a culture of aging.' To begin with, before the Meiji Restoration, aged sake was more highly rated. However, due to liquor taxes, the current culture of new wine has developed. In wine, there is new wine like Beaujolais Nouveau, but wine that has been aged for a long time is also highly rated. Wanting to combine the best of both worlds, I am currently involved in activities such as the 'Toki Sake Association.'"

-What do you think about aging temperature?

Mizuno-san: "Each brewery has its own ideas about temperature. In an attempt to organize these, the Toki Sake Association has divided the categories into "old sake," which is sake aged at a constant temperature of around 10 to 20 degrees, and "aged sake," which is sake aged in refrigeration below 10 degrees. After all, aged sake is not the same depending on the temperature. Refrigeration is appropriate for bringing out the softness of the alcohol and the aged aroma while making the most of the potential of ginjo sake. On the other hand, there is also the good thing about sake that is aged at room temperature, where the color deepens and it becomes more mature."

-About the minus 5 degree aging initiative being undertaken with "Sake World NFT."

Mizuno: "Our feeling is that sake will mature slowly up to -7 degrees. Normally it would be difficult to have a sake that can be enjoyed after 20 years, but by aging it at low temperatures it is possible. Just like the vintage culture of wine, we want to be able to enjoy sake from a turning point in life, along with the years it has aged up until that point."

-Please tell us about Muni, Kuroryu's signature aged sake.

Mizuno-san: "When I tasted the aged sake stored in the brewery, I was convinced that this would be good, and so we gave birth to this brand. Muni is a brand whose price is determined by a bidding system. The condition of the sake rice, which is determined by the weather conditions of the year, and the state of fermentation during sake brewing are all controlled, and the resulting sake is then inspected by top sommeliers and chefs on a quality evaluation committee. A minimum price is decided, and the bidding begins from there. This is held once every four years, and so far the 4 vintage has received the highest evaluation."

-The fact that the brewery has accumulated data over the years is a big advantage.

Mizuno: "To achieve this, we created an environment where the fuel could be stored at sub-zero temperatures. We were the first to purchase the thermal tank (a tank equipped with a cooling system) developed by Shinyo Giken."

-What do you think about the price of aged sake?

Mizuno: "I think sake is too cheap compared to wine. If a sake can be properly evaluated, it should be sold at a reasonable price. In the future, I would like to create a culture where people can enjoy aging sake not only in our company, but also in the distribution process and by individuals."

Towards Japan as the "home of SAKE"

-Please tell us about your future prospects.

Mizuno: "For the Kuroryu brand, we want to cherish the location and the groundwater that is sourced 75 meters below the current brewery. For that reason, we are planning to limit sake production to the current brewery. However, we are also considering starting an entirely new brewery and brand in another region that incorporates Kuroryu's techniques. Under current laws, we are limited to M&A and specialized overseas distribution, but we would like to try if we could obtain a license for a new brand.
Nowadays, sake (overseas production is labeled as Seishu or SAKE) is being produced overseas as well, and it is becoming closer to the world of wine. While wine is produced in European countries in the Old World, it is produced all over the world in the New World, including California, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. In the same way, when sake is produced and consumed in various countries, people will come to Japan if they want to drink authentic sake. I would be happy if we could create such an environment."

As the phrase "brewed with careful consideration" suggests, Kokuryu Sake Brewery has consistently maintained quality and sincerity. Thorough refrigeration management, the creation of a culture of aging, and sake brewing that harmonizes with the local climate of Fukui. These accumulated experiences will eventually lead to "Japan, the home of SAKE." Even in times of rapid change, the techniques, beliefs, and spirit of challenge that they have cultivated thus far will surely pave the way for a new future for sake.

[I also want to read]
-What is Sake World NFT?
・How to purchase sake NFTclick here.From!
・Sake World NFTLet's look for some sake!

Writer: Yuki Arai
Born in Shiga Prefecture, living in Kyoto City / Sake Master, SAKE DIPLOMA, SAKE and Wine Certification Instructor, Wine Expert
Due to his love of alcohol, after graduating from university he got a job at a liquor store in Kyoto. After that he worked in sales for a food manufacturer before becoming a freelance writer. His specialties are traditional cuisine and alcohol. He will continue to work hard to spread the appeal of Japanese sake through his articles.