Company Profile

 

Company

Company Profile

In Takehara, Hiroshima, since 1863.

Illustration of the Fujii Shuzo brewery

Company Details

Company Fujii Shuzo Co., Ltd.
Brands Ryusei · The Night Emperor
President Yoshihiro Fujii
Address 3-4-14 Honmachi, Takehara,
Hiroshima 725-0022, Japan
Founded 1863 (Bunkyu 3)
Business Sake brewing and sales
Email info@fujiishuzou.com

History

  1. Founded by Zenshichi Fujii in Takehara, Hiroshima, in the third year of the Bunkyu era.

  2. Ryusei was awarded first place at Japan’s first National Sake Competition, in the 40th year of the Meiji era.

  3. Resumed junmai sake production and relaunched the Ryusei brand.

  4. Introduced The Night Emperor.

  5. Ended honjozo production and became an exclusively junmai brewery.

  6. Won the trophy in the Junmai Ginjo / Daiginjo category at the International Wine Challenge (IWC).

  7. Resumed brewing with the kimoto method.

  8. Began isolating and culturing the brewery’s own yeast, then reintroducing it into the brewery—a practice we call horyu.

  9. Received the results of genomic analysis of yeast strains isolated from the brewery.

  10. 2024BY

    Switched all sake production to the kimoto method.

  11. 2025BY

    Ended the use of Kyokai yeast.

BY denotes the sake brewing year.

From the Archives

Fujii Shuzo’s founder and the second- and third-generation heads of the brewery
Three Generations of the Fujii Family Among the men pictured, the founder sits at the front right, with the second-generation head beside him. The third-generation head stands between them in the back row. Select the image to enlarge.
Rankings from Japan’s first National Sake Competition, with Ryusei listed first
Rankings from the First National Sake Competition Ryusei is the first name listed. Select the image to enlarge.