Nanbu Bijin

Nanbu Bijin Brewery (formerly known as Kuji Shuzo) is located in northern Japan's Ninohe City, an area long referred to as "Nanbu no Kuni." It is an area blessed with lush and beautiful natural reserves, fine water, two national parks , and a lake. The brewery was established in 1902, but at first was only a sake retailer. In 1915 they acquired the necessary licenses and began to brew sake. Its facilities lie on what was once known as the Okumura Kaido, old National Route Number 4. The all-glass front of the main building gives the proper impression of a shop, while the kura (brewery building) behind it is a gorgeous, all-wood, traditional structure. Its ancient, thick pillars and their shining dark color convey the long history of the place.

In 1951, the brewery decided to stop making the sweet sake so common back then, a style with plenty of off-flavors. Instead, it decided to brew "clean and beautiful" sake. Hence, they created the Nanbu Bijin brand name to personify its sake. Nanbu stands for the region, and Bijin (meaning beautiful woman) for the delicate, light, and clean nature of the sake. Their sake is brewed with medium-hard water that is purified naturally as it courses through the mountain rock on its way to the sea. They use Hito-mebore, Toyonishiki and Sasanishiki sake rice, and of course, the sake is brewed by a Nanbu-area toji.