Memory of the Land

1863 Beginnings in Takehara

Fujii Shuzo was founded in 1863 in Takehara, Hiroshima, Japan.

We have brewed Ryusei here ever since.

The Place Takehara

A quiet town between the Seto Inland Sea and the mountains.

Winters are not severe, and the cold gradually eases as spring approaches.
These changes in temperature and humidity shape the environment within the kura.

The activity of microorganisms changes with that environment.

1907 A Point of Return

In 1907, Ryusei ranked first among the first-class prize winners at the inaugural National Sake Appraisal.

Neither sokujo nor yamahai, two methods of preparing a fermentation starter, had yet been developed.

What kind of sake was being made in this kura?
How did the land, microorganisms, and people interact?

1907 remains a point of reference for the way we brew today.

The Blank A Break in Continuity

After the Second World War, the world of sake changed significantly.

As efficiency and consistency became priorities, Fujii Shuzo also changed the way it brewed.
Wooden vats disappeared, and machines replaced some of the work once done by hand.

These were choices made in response to the times.

In the process, kimoto brewing and the practice of brewing alongside the kura’s microorganisms were interrupted.

Yet the kura remained.
Its beams, earthen walls, and the microorganisms that remained there would later offer clues to reconnecting with that way of brewing.

2008–2021 Reconnecting

In 2008, we resumed kimoto brewing.

Since 2021, we have been isolating and culturing yeast found within the kura, then reintroducing it into the brewery.

2024–2025 How We Brew Today

In 2024, we began brewing all our sake using the kimoto method.
Since 2025, we have brewed without Kyokai yeast.

Our attention now extends beyond yeast.
We look at the whole community of microbial life within the kura.