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Kuncho

Hita City, Oita Prefecture

Brewery Story

Kuncho Shuzo is a historic sake brewery located in Hita City in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. The brand name Kuncho reflects the founders’ hope that people would appreciate the sake’s flavour and aroma, and that the brewery would prosper for many generations to come.

Although the modern brewery was formally established in the twentieth century, the site’s brewing history stretches back much further. The brewery stands in Mameda-machi, the historic centre of Hita, which flourished during the Edo period as a tenryō town directly controlled by the shogunate. Merchants, travellers and officials passed through the town, creating a lively commercial centre whose preserved streets still attract visitors today.

The brewery buildings themselves reflect this long history. The oldest structure dates back to 1702, and all five kura on the site have been preserved and continue to be used for production. Kuncho’s modern identity was established in 1940 when Tomiyasu Yutaka founded the brewery, inheriting the legacy of earlier brewing families and continuing a tradition rooted deeply in the history of Hita.

Brewing Philosophy and Production

Kuncho Shuzo’s brewing philosophy centres on the relationship between people, town, nature and craft. The basin climate of Hita brings cold winters that create ideal conditions for slow fermentation, allowing brewers to carefully control flavour development throughout the brewing season.

The brewery places strong emphasis on working with local ingredients. Kuncho collaborates with local contract farmers and primarily uses Hinohikari rice from Oita Prefecture, embracing the challenge of brewing sake from a rice variety not traditionally used for sake production. Alongside this, established sake rice varieties such as Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku are used for certain expressions, with each rice selected to suit the intended style of sake. Water is equally important. Hita is known as “Water Town Hita” due to its abundant natural springs. Kuncho draws groundwater from a 130 metre deep well on the brewery grounds, sourced from the Hikosan mountain range. Naturally filtered through rock layers, this mineral-rich water provides a clean and balanced base for fermentation.

Style and Signature Expressions

Kuncho sake are known for their balanced, food-friendly character and a style that reflects both the natural environment of Hita and the brewery’s careful craftsmanship. Production is led by master brewer Yoshikazu Kondo, a veteran with decades of brewing experience, working alongside the Tomiyasu family. The current president Hiroshi Tomiyasu and the next generation of brewers participate directly in the brewing process, reflecting a modern approach in which brewery owners actively preserve and pass down technical knowledge.

This collaborative approach allows Kuncho to maintain traditional brewing techniques while exploring distinctive expressions of sake. Guided by the philosophy “to preserve tradition, we create new things,” the brewery continues to produce sake that honours its long history while adapting to contemporary tastes.

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