Set amidst the serene beauty of the town of Kuriyama, Hokkaido, the Kobayashi Sake Brewery cherishes 140-year-long traditions as they continue to cultivate the art of sake brewing. The brand name comes from the word “kita”, meaning “north” and symbolizing the vast lands of Hokkaido, and “nishiki”, meaning “brocade” and poetically referring to taking pride in success. Together, “Kitanonishiki” captures the determination of the brand’s founder, Kobayashi Yonesaburo, to find success in the vast land of Hokkaido.

Their historic sake brewery, a registered tangible cultural property dating to the Meiji era, is the stage of their efforts throughout the years and decades to answer the question “What makes a local sake truly unique to Hokkaido?”. They take pride in quality over quantity, and their motto “Made by Hokkaido hands, with Hokkaido rice and water” guides their passion and determination to create sake that truly embraces its locality. Originally brewed utilizing Miyama Nishiki sake brewing rice, it is now brewed using Ginpu. The sake is bottle tempered for a minimum of 3 years in order to allow the levels of umami to fully develop.