BREWERY NEWSLETTER – Saito Shuzo Vol.01 –

Introducing Japan’s Sake Breweries

About Saito Shuzo (Fushimi, Kyoto)

Saito Shuzo is a long-standing sake brewing company located in Kyoto, a city blooming with Japanese history and traditional culture.

Fushimi, a district in Kyoto city, is rich in high quality water. Cool, clear natural groundwater flows beneath Momoyama Hills before rising to the ground as cold springs near the bases of local mountains. Nature’s gift of pure water is one of the main reasons why Fushimi, Kyoto can brew sake that is fit to represent Japan.

In this city of abundance, Saito Shuzo not only acts as a protector of traditions but also a steward of the environment and local customs. The brewery works tirelessly to make good sake that amplifies the deliciousness of the local cuisine.

Brewery Newsletter from Saito shuzo

“Eikun” and Saito Shuzo Brewing Company

The main ingredient of our sake is a species of sake rice called Iwai. This rice, which can only be grown in Kyoto, is not for eating and can only be used for brewing by local breweries. As one of Kyoto’s largest breweries, Saito Eikun purchases and uses around 40% of all the Iwai rice produced.

Because of our insistence on quality, we make all of our Ginjo, Junmai, and Honjozo grade sake using locally grown Kyoto rice. Our sake is known for having a “melt-in-the-mouth texture” and a “flavour that compliments the taste of the water and rice from Fushimi and Kyoto”.

Saito Shuzo’s Characteristics and Specialties

How can sake have a “melt-in-the-mouth” texture? To put it simply, it is silky smooth without any unpleasant sharpness. Because it is so gentle, it is possible to enjoy many glasses without getting tired of them.

We take great pride in our sake’s raw ingredients– the water of Fushimi and Kyoto-grown rice– because it is the backbone of our brand. When brewing sake, we focus on drawing out the original, natural flavours of our ingredients to the fullest.

The origins of the water and rice used to brew sake can dramatically impact the sake’s taste. Just like how fashion goes in and out of style, certain types of sake flavours trend in Japan from time to time. Some brewers, in an attempt to chase trends, might deliberately change their sake’s taste in ways that clash with their ingredients’ natural flavours. That is not our philosophy, because it is impossible for man-made imitations to trump real natural flavour.

At Saito Shuzo, we firmly believe that maximizing our raw ingredients’ positive traits is how we can brew the best sake.

Histor of Saito Shuzo

In 1650, our founder, Izutsuya Ihei, opened a kimono shop in Fushimi, and his descendants continued this shop as a family business in the same location.

Time passed, and Japan began to evolve from a country of samurai warriors and lords into a modern nation. As the Meiji period approached, many textiles businesses suffered as demand for their goods fell. In the midst of these economic challenges, the eighth generation Izutsuya Ihei unfortunately passed away at a young age. The ninth generation, Saito Soutaro, decided to change the family business to help it survive in the new era.

Behind the Name “EIKUN”

In 1895, Saito Soutaro, who was 18 years old at the time, entered the sake brewing industry by creating the Saito Shuzo brewing company. He brewed sake using the trademarks “Ohtaka” and “Yanagi Masamune”. Even though he saved his family business during a time of flux, Saito Soutaro passed away at the young age of 32. His successor, the 10th generation Saito Teiichiro, was only 9 years old when he became head of the company.

In 1915, Saito Shuzo changed its sake trademark to “Eikun”, in commemoration of Emperor Taisho’s ascension to the imperial throne. The name is a reference to Saito Soutaro’s life. The Japanese character “Ei”, meaning heroic, honors his incredible feat of successfully changing industries. “Kun” means merit, and this character is taken from Saito Soutaro’s posthumous Buddhist name, Kunseisouyo Zenjyomon. The trademark “Eikun” is still used in the present day.

Today, the head of Saito Shuzo is the twelfth generation Saito Toru. From this generation, our company started using Iwai rice and focusing new efforts into brewing Junmai Daiginjo grade sake. In addition, we competed and won awards in many sake competitions, such as Japan’s National Research Institute of Brewing Competition and the overseas International Wine Challenge.