In 2025, Kubota celebrates 40 years since its release. First launched in 1985, with its clean mouthfeel, light character, and sharp finish, it pioneered a new direction in Japanese sake known as “tanrei karakuchi.” This iconic brand, representing Niigata—the “kingdom of sake”—is produced by Asahi Shuzo, located in Nagaoka City.

Around the same time that Kubota was born, Asahi Shuzo also began an initiative to protect the fireflies living near its brewery: the “Firefly Village Project.” Launched to safeguard pure water and clean air, the effort has continued for 40 years with the support of the local community.

Kubota, now synonymous with the crisp & dry style, and the Firefly Village Project, which has protected the environment underpinning sake brewing—two efforts that have walked together for four decades. We spoke with Executive Managing Director Yoshihiko Anzawa about their journey.

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Yoshihiko Anzawa – Executive Managing Director, Deputy General Manager of Production Headquarters & Head of Brewing, Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd.

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Joined Asahi Shuzo in 1993. After working in brewing, R&D, and sales, assumed current role in 2024. He also serves as President of Asahi Noken Co., Ltd., a subsidiary that cultivates sake rice.

The Crisp & Dry Flavor of Kubota, Shaped by Era and Terroir

Amid a landscape of dazzling green rice fields, a strikingly large concrete building stands out. This is Asahi Shuzo, whose spacious grounds include two breweries, rice-polishing and storage facilities, a bottling plant, and—since 2024—the new Koshiji Distillery, which marked the company’s entry into the spirits business.

Founded in 1830 in Asahi Village (present-day Nagaoka City) under the trade name Kubotaya, the brewery had long produced sake under the Asahiyama brand. Anzawa recalls the situation back then:

“Nowadays, the term tanrei karakuchi (crisp & dry) is common, but at the time, the opposite—hojun umakuchi (rich & savory) sake—was mainstream. Many people worked in physical labor, and they preferred strong, full-bodied flavors to refresh themselves after a hard day. Distribution was also very different from today. It was common for local liquor shops to deliver cases of XNUMXL bottles door-to-door every month in a style known as goyoukiki (house-to-house service).”

But in the 1980s, as Japan’s economy developed, the workforce shifted from manual labor to office-based work, and tastes began to change. At the same time, the rise of discount stores triggered price wars, undermining value.

“Since price and value are closely linked, selling at lower prices inevitably drags value down. Alarmed by this trend, 4th-generation president Toru Hirasawa invited Teiji Shima, the renowned director of the Niigata Prefectural Brewing Laboratory, to create a new flagship sake for Asahi Shuzo. The result, born in 1985, was Kubota.”

Through relentless trial and error by the toji (master brewer), kurabito (brewery workers), and Shima himself, Kubota was perfected. Its clean and elegant taste not only responded to shifting consumer preferences but also reflected Niigata’s natural terroir.

“Niigata’s signature sake rice, Gohyakumangoku, has excellent koji-making properties but is resistant to dissolving. Combined with Niigata’s soft water, it produces a delicate flavor, smooth throatfeel, and refreshing finish. This region is also home to the famed Koshiji Toji guild of master brewers. In that sense, Kubota truly represents the harmony of Niigata’s rice, water, and brewing craftsmanship.”

Rice fields of Gohyakumangoku, cultivated by Asahi Noken Co., Ltd., which Anzawa also heads, stretch behind the brewery.

Supported by the Best Supportersfor 40 Years

At around the same time Kubota was developed, another initiative began: the Firefly Village Project. The inspiration came from Mr. Shima himself, who played a key role in the creation of Kubota.

“It was around mid-June, when Mr. Shima took a walk on the brewery grounds and saw fireflies flying. Since fireflies are inseparably linked to clean water, he felt that sake made with such water must surely enrich daily life. From that thought came the conviction: we must protect this environment.”

Thus began a wide range of activities.
Fixed-point observation of firefly populations has continued since the early days. The brewery also partners with local farmers to reduce pesticide use, sends employees to elementary and junior high schools to teach about fireflies, and helps children maintain biotopes on school grounds.
To ensure continuity, Asahi Shuzo even established an internal office dedicated to overseeing these activities.

Classroom scenes at local schools (Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

Biotope maintenance work with children (Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

Anzawa emphasizes that these efforts could only continue for four decades thanks to community support:

“At its core, sake brewing is about taking local agricultural products, processing them, and adding value. So if the local community turns away, the industry cannot survive.

The people here sympathize with our philosophy and the story behind our sake, and they join us in these activities. They are our greatest supporters. We must also respond sincerely to their support. Like the phrase ‘walking the right path,’ if we steadily build up small efforts, the community in turn makes those efforts bloom beautifully. I believe we’ve nurtured a truly positive relationship.”

Rice and water form the essence of sake. By preserving the natural environment that sustains them and passing it on to the next generation, Asahi Shuzo’s activities have now expanded beyond the brewery. The company helped establish the “Koshiji Association for Water and Greenery,” which funds conservation projects across Niigata Prefecture.

(Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

Expanding the Lineup While Preserving “Kire”

Having grown alongside the Firefly Village Project, Kubota celebrates its 2025th anniversary in 40. Loved by countless sake fans as the symbol of tanrei karakuchi, its lineup has expanded from the original two products—Hyakujyu and Senjyu—to 2 varieties today. The turning point came with the appointment of current 17th-generation president Yasushi Hosoda.

“We shifted toward communicating the Kubota brand more widely and clearly. We wanted to create products suitable for different occasions, and also make sake enjoyable for younger generations. That’s when we began introducing a broader range of products.”

(Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

One such example is Kubota Seppou, developed in collaboration with outdoor brand Snow Peak. With the theme of “sake for the outdoors,” it introduced a new way to enjoy sake—gathering around a campfire on a camping night.

(Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

In addition, Kubota Junmai Daiginjo, which was reintroduced as a year-round product for the first time in 25 years, and the expanded lineup of Senju and Manju are examples of how the brewery has always been quick to sense and respond to what consumers seek. As they say, “There isn’t a single product that has remained exactly the same since its debut.” At the same time, they have firmly protected what must never be changed.

“The true essence of Kubota lies in its kire—that sharp, clean finish—which is why it is known as tanrei karakuchi (crisp & dry). While preserving that, we’ve refined the flavor in ways that enrich the aroma or broaden the sweetness, evolving the taste to meet consumer needs.”

What Must Never Change. What Should Change.

This stance—discerning what must remain unchanged and what should evolve—extends beyond sake brewing.

“What must never change are initiatives like the Firefly Village Project, our environmental activities. I think it’s truly wonderful if such efforts can continue across generations, involving the whole community. Another example is the relationships we’ve built with our existing customers and partners. Competing on quality, valuing our customers—the principles of being quality-first and customer-first are things that will never change.

On the other hand, when it comes to creating opportunities for new customers to discover sake—through events and experiences—I’d like us to keep experimenting flexibly with different approaches.”

To help people grow closer to sake, Asahi Shuzo holds the “Asahi Sake Academy” in Niigata and Tokyo, offering explanations about sake brewing (Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

While carefully preserving the relationships with the community and customers that have been built step by step, Asahi Shuzo never neglects adapting to the times in order to delight future customers. This sincerity may well be the secret behind creating brands that remain beloved for generations.

Brewing Sake That Enriches Life in the Land Where Fireflies Dance

At the end of the interview, I asked Mr. Anzawa what kind of presence he hopes Kubota will have as it marks its 40th anniversary.

“I’d be delighted if Kubota could be a quiet companion in daily life—there on special occasions and on ordinary days alike—enriching the time people spend enjoying meals and conversation. Sake is a lubricant for human connections, and I believe that role will never change.”

(Photo courtesy of Asahi Shuzo).

The 40 years that Kubota has traveled have been a journey of pioneering a new value in sake—tanrei karakuchi, the crisp & dry style. For Asahi Shuzo, it has also been a path of protecting the natural environment that supports sake brewing and nurturing relationships with the local community.
Passing on the homeland where fireflies dance to the next generation, and continuing to brew sake that enriches people’s lives. The twin journeys of Kubota and the Firefly Village Project will surely continue into the future.

Living in Niigata Prefecture / Master of sake sommelier, sake sommelier, shochu sommelier I worked for a government agency supporting the export of food products, including sake, and now I work as a freelance writer. I like sake, which has a pronounced sweet and sour flavor, and craft sake made with unique additional ingredients. https://www.foriio.com/k-urabe