Kitaya
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Country of Origin: Japan
Location: Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu
People: Kotaro Kinoshita, President | Nishio Kouhiro, Master Brewer (Toji)
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Kitaya was founded around 190 years ago during the Bunsei Era (1818 - 1830) in Yame City. Located in the south of Kyushu’s breadbasket on the Tsukushi plains, the city is rich in nature and scenic beauty. Because Komeya (“rice shop”) was the original name of the family business, it is thought to have been a rice dealer before establishing the brewery. It is now in its 7th generation of stewardship.
The three Japanese characters within the word “Kitaya” read “Joy,” “Many,” and “Homes.” The characters, to this day, represent Kitaya’s corporate philosophy of “Spreading Joy, One Sake at a Time.” Also, because founder Saikichi Kinoshita was passionate about brewing, he employed himself as the chief brewer. The family rule that the owner should brew the sake has been passed down through the generations.
In order to further improve the quality, Kitaya built a new production facility in 1997 equipped with the newest bottling technology. This was all in an effort to produce the best top shelf dai-ginjyo and junmai ranked sake.
Media Links
Umami Mart: A Visit to Kitaya Brewery in Kyushu
Sake Samurai: Kitaya Win Brings Joy to Fukuoka, Kyushu
Social Media
Kotaro Kinoshita Facebook