100th Anniversary
100th Anniversary
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Rice, Koji and
Fermentation.
And, of course,
water.

Rice and Koji and Fermentation. And Water.

A climate characterized by lheavy snowfall. Abundant sources of clean, soft water.
The serious and dedicated character of workers raised in snow country.
Hakkaisan Brewery, situated in a region that seems uniquely blessed with all of the elements necessary to brew good sake,
has reached its 100th anniversary.
Throughout our company’s long history, sake brewing has always been our central focus.

When it comes to sake, Hakkaisan Brewery has a greater passion than any other producer,
which is why we’ve expanded our endeavors beyond sake into other fields as well.

Based on lessons learned in our hometown of Uonuma through its natural blessings and culture, we identify the defining
elements of each region in the world where we do business and strive to foster new value there.
A century’s worth of techniques and knowledge in rice and koji cultivation right here in Uonuma, as well as the local supplies of pure, soft water, have given birth to delightful new flavors and brought people joy.
We are on a mission—a mission that knows no pause or delay.

Here from our home in Uonuma, Hakkaisan Brewery delivers moving experiences like none other.
Now, we embark on our next 100 years of history with unshakable determination.

Message
from the President

Message

In 2022,
Hakkaisan Brewery celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Moving forward, we will preserve our techniques and determination utilized to brew high-quality sake over the years, while embarking on new endeavors based on our belief in the potential of Japan’s unparalleled fermentation culture.

Hakkaisan Brewery was founded in 1922 by Koichi Nagumo in Minamiuonuma City, on the grounds of a former castle looking up at sacred Mount Hakkaisan.
Here, we began our sake brewing business.
Until the mid-1950s or so, we were a small-scale brewery in terms of production volumes.

One Hundred Years of History

History
History
History

After the passing of Koichi in 1953, Kazuo Nagumo took over day-to-day company operations at the age of twenty-five.
This young company president was assisted by his wife Ai,
Yoshigoro Tomidokoro who handled finances, Takao Maruyama who helped out with brewery work in general,
and Haruo Takahama who took on the job of toji (head brewer) in 1958.
Together, this team of five, who were all still in their twenties, laid the foundations for today’s Hakkaisan Brewery.
With a singular and unwavering focus, they pursued high-quality sake featuring well-balanced, smooth-and-refreshing
flavor that was intended to be enjoyed during meals.

100th Anniversary Topics

100th Anniversary Topics

Newest Feature Articles

New Topics
01.
ブルックリンクラ
01.
Establishing Sake as a Global Beverage

With the goal of making Japanese sake a global standard beverage beloved by people of all nations, Hakkaisan Brewery has established a long-term partnership with America’s Brooklyn Kura, which shares ideas, goals and approaches to doing business that are similar to our own. This fall, its members in New York will begin sake brewing operations using locally sourced ingredients.

02.
First-ever Designation of Koji as a Functional Food Product
02.
Starting in March 2024, our "Amazake made from Koji" is sold with a new packaging design.

Amazake (also spelled amasake) is a traditional, sweet-tasting, fermented-rice health drink made using sake brewing techniques. We have successfully registered Amazake made from Koji as a functional food product that is permitted to be labeled as such. As a producer of amazake made using koji-kin mold (an important ingredient in the sake brewing process as well), we intend to continue our research into health-related functions and safety in food products.

03.
Uonuma Rice-Grain Whisky Scheduled for Release in 2024
03.
Further Energizing Our Whisky Business

Hakkaisan Brewery is making one-of-a-kind rice-grain whisky using high-quality water from Minamiuonuma, proven distillation techniques, and oak barrels for the aging process. This represents a new frontier for our brewery, founded on our deep-reaching experience in honkaku-grade shochu distilling using ingredients such as rice and sake lees.