Kunpeki Shuzou

Kunpeki Shuzou Co., Ltd. is a Japanese sake brewery headquartered in Konan, Aichi Prefecture. Founded in September 1915 in what was then Oribe, Hotei-cho, Niwa District, the company was originally known as Yamaichi Shuzo Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Kunpeki Shuzou around 1998, when the founding family member Murase Kimiyasu became the brewery's toji (master brewer). The brewery uses soft groundwater drawn from 100 meters below ground, part of the Kiso River aquifer, and sources sake rice including Aichi-grown Yumeinko, Yamadanishiki from Okayama Prefecture, and Omachi from Okayama Prefecture. It primarily uses yeast No. 10, and also produces sake with a yeast strain isolated from cherry blossoms along the Gojo River. The brewery's flagship brand is Kunpeki, which was renamed from the earlier brand Daijo in 1976 at the suggestion of the religious figure Nagahashi Yasuhiko. The product range includes junmai daiginjo, daiginjo, junmai ginjo, special junmai, junmai, and honjozo sake, with notable items such as Junmai Daiginjo Shisei, Junmai Ginjo Sakura Yeast Gojo River Cherry, and Junmai Ginjo Yumeinko. The brewery has won gold awards at the National New Sake Appraisal (Zenkoku Shinshu Kanpyokai) in 2009, 2018, and 2024, the last being its first gold for a junmai daiginjo. Kunpeki Shuzou is a small, privately held company. As of 2009 it had 11 employees and capital of 12 million yen, and produced between 36,000 and 45,000 liters of sake annually. It sells its sake directly from the brewery and through department stores and retail events, and it hosts tasting events and concerts at the brewery. The company also maintains a presence through a radio segment on an FM station in Sapporo and a LINE official account for event announcements.

Kunpeki Shuzou was founded in September 1915 in Oribe, Hotei-cho, Niwa District (present-day Konan, Aichi Prefecture). In the Taisho era, three local figures—Murase Jitsusaburō, Makino Yujirō of Makino Shoten, and silk manufacturer Murase Kenjirō—were known as the "three profitable generals" of Hotei-cho. Murase Jitsusaburō served as a Hotei-cho council member from July 1924 to July 1928. From 1926 onward, the brewery regularly won first prize at sake brewing appraisal competitions, and in 1928 received an honorary award. Around that time, annual production was 1,200 koku, shipped to Nagoya and Gifu. By 1934, its brands were "Fukujin Masamune" and "Daijo," both described as high-grade sake with light color and strong aroma and flavor. During World War II, the Konan air raid of July 12–13, 1945 caused 32 deaths in the present-day Konan city area. A bomb landed about 200 meters south of Yamaichi Shuzo in a mulberry field, but the brewing storehouse from the founding era survived. In 1952, Yamaichi Shuzo Co., Ltd. was established. As of 1968, the manager was Murase Jitsusaburō. In 1976, the brand was changed from "Daijo" to "Kunpeki," named by the religious figure Nagahashi Yasuhiko. As of 1980, the representative was Murase Sadao. As of 1985, the toji was Echigo toji Takakura Ichirō, using Gohyakumangoku from Toyama for koji rice and Gohyakumangoku from Niigata and Hidahomare from Gifu for kake rice. The brewery won prizes at the Nagoya Regional Taxation Bureau New Sake Appraisal in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1992. Until 1996, it employed toji from distant regions; in 1998, Murase Kimiyasu of the founding family became toji (kuramoto toji), and around that time the company name was changed to Kunpeki Shuzou Co., Ltd. In 2006, the Oguchi Town Chamber of Commerce planned a sake called "Hyakunen Oguchi" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the town system, using Aichi no Kaori rice grown in Oguchi; Kunpeki Shuzou, which had experience brewing with Aichi no Kaori, handled the brewing. From 2005, the brewery entered the National New Sake Appraisal, winning prizes in 2005 and 2006. In May 2009, it won its first gold award at the National New Sake Appraisal for the 2008 brewing year. In October 2009, in collaboration with the Aichi Industrial Science and Technology Center, it succeeded in developing sake using a sake yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) isolated from cherry blossoms along the Gojo River—the first such isolation from a flower in Aichi Prefecture. The brewery also uses Yumeinko, a sake rice developed by the Aichi Agricultural Research Center. In March 2015, the Yumeinko Production Association was established at JA Aichi North, and Yumeinko is cultivated in Konan and Iwakura. In June 2018, it won its second gold award at the National New Sake Appraisal in nine years for the 2017 brewing year. In June 2024, it won its third gold award in six years for the 2023 brewing year, the first time for a junmai daiginjo.

• 2024

  Won third gold award at National New Sake Appraisal, first for junmai daiginjo.

• 2018

  Won second gold award at National New Sake Appraisal.

• 2015

  Yumeinko Production Association established at JA Aichi North.

• 2009

  Won first gold award at National New Sake Appraisal; developed cherry blossom yeast sake.

• 2006

  Brewed Hyakunen Oguchi for Oguchi Town's 100th anniversary.

• 2005

  Began entering the National New Sake Appraisal; won prize.

• 1998

  Murase Kimiyasu became toji; company renamed Kunpeki Shuzou Co., Ltd.

• 1976

  Brand changed from Daijo to Kunpeki.

• 1952

  Yamaichi Shuzo Co., Ltd. established.

• 1945

  Konan air raid; brewing storehouse survived.

• 1934

  Brands were Fukujin Masamune and Daijo.

• 1928

  Received an honorary award; annual production was 1,200 koku.

• 1926

  Began regularly winning first prize at sake brewing appraisal competitions.

• 1915

  Founded in September in Oribe, Hotei-cho, Niwa District (present-day Konan, Aichi).

Small-scale, family-run craft sake brewery emphasizing soft Kiso River water, local Aichi sake rice, and traditional brewing techniques.

• Junmai Daiginjo Shisei

  Yamadanishiki rice, 40% polishing ratio.

• Junmai Daiginjo Toji Konjin no Sake

  Yamadanishiki rice, 40% polishing ratio.

• Junmai Daiginjo Yamadanishiki Muroka Genshu

  Unfiltered unpasteurized sake.

• Daiginjo Tobindori Shizukuzake

  Drip sake collected in tobin bottles.

• Daiginjo Yamadanishiki

  Yamadanishiki rice, 40% polishing ratio.

• Junmai Ginjo Sakura Yeast Gojo River Cherry

  Yumeinko rice, yeast isolated from cherry blossoms along the Gojo River.

• Junmai Ginjo Yamadanishiki

  Yamadanishiki rice, 55% polishing ratio.

• Junmai Ginjo Muroka Genshu Yumeinko

  Yumeinko rice, unfiltered unpasteurized.

• Junmai Ginjo Genshu Hyoon Jukuseishu

  Genshu aged at ice temperature.

• Tokubetsu Junmai

  60% polishing ratio.

• Junmai Hahasoha no Uruwashii Inaho Asahi

  Uses rice grown in Konan City.

• Tezukuri Junmai

  100% Aichi Prefecture rice.

• Tezukuri Honjozo

  Handcrafted honjozo.

• Honjozo Shusen

  Honjozo sake.

• Honjozo Hiya Genshu

  Unpasteurized honjozo.

1. 1勲碧酒造公式ウェブサイトkunpeki.co.jp
2. 2Wikidata: Kunpeki Shuzouwikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia: 勲碧酒造ja.wikipedia.org