Suwa Gokura 2023

We're brewing a sake that makes you peaceful and calm by drinking.To brew sake, we use the subsoil water from the Kirigamine plateau, and carefully refined brewing-suitable-rice such as Miyama-Nishiki, Bizen Omachi and Yamada-Nishiki. The sake becomes neither dry nor sweet, harmonious taste of "Sweet, dry, sour, bitter and astrigent". You don't get tired of drinking because of its good balance. It is good for both an aperitif and a drink during meal.Not to get drunk, but to enjoy its taste.Brewed with harmony, the sake makes you comfortable.

We branched out from the head family who were manufacturer of miso and soy sauce, and started sake brewery in the place of affluent good water.At the beginning, our brand was named "Oufuu Masamune". Afterwards, as a memory of Taisho Emperor's accession to the throne, we changed the brand name to "Maihime".In that year, Maihime was presented to Imperial Household. We have memorial plate of that honor.

We established in Suwa in 1789.A central pillar of more than 200 years ago is still remaining.We also brew beer that is made of Kirigamine's infiltrated water and hot spring since 1999.

We have been continuing studying sake to make people smile and connect people.More than 250 years, we always aim genuine sake, brewing simple and cheerful sake.

In 1756, a founder Miyasaka Izaburo recieved a license and begun brewing sake.There were two other sake breweries in Kamisuwa at that time.Forefathers also had done many other things than sake brewing, such as releasing shrimps to Suwako, compiling a book about heritage of Suwa, and taking a role of Shinto priest.A former Touji (master brewer) Kitahara Taichi built the foundation of our current brewery. He brought Honkin's first gold award of national sake competition.In the competition, most of awarded sake were made of Yamada-Nishiki. So it was meaningful that our sake which made of Miyama-Nishiki from Nagano won the award.Now "Taichi", a sake named after him, became synonym for Honkin as flagship.Honkin is named 本 ("hon" means genuine) and 金 ("kin" means gold) in Japanese. We sustain our efforts toward our concept "To brew genuine golden (No.1) sake".

"Yokobue" , a major brand of Suwa's sake is made of Suwa's characteristic water, rice, hot spring and nature. We handmade it and bring out the essential flavor of sake.We effort to face sake to bring it to you by handmade only.

Established in 1662. The brand is named after "The mirror of Masumi", a holy treasure of Suwa Taisha.We continuously make sake focusing on handmade.The sake that we want to send you, is what we brewers can drink with relish, what can be offered to family, what can be send to your friends with confidence.

Forefather of Miyasaka Brewery was a retainerof feudal lord of Suwa. After the Age of Civil Wars, he threw up the Samurai and started sake brewery.The name of "Masumi" has been used since late Edo Period.Upholding "quality first", we kept brewing sake. In 1946, when Masumi dominated high ranking in National Sake Competition, an excellent yeast was discovered from Moromi (fermenting mash) during fermentation. It was named "Association Yeast No.7", and expand to all of Japan in no time. Even now, Yeast No.7 is being used for good sake brewing nationally.