Naoto Mizuno, CEO of Kokuryu Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
[Interview Contents]
Kokuryu Sake Brewery celebrated its 220th anniversary in 2024. While reading the trends of the times, the family precept, which is "make good sake", has been passed down unchanged in this sake brewery. The 6th president, Yoshitaro Mizuno, was one of the first to start brewing ginjo sake, and the 7th, Masato Mizuno, inherited the 6th's passion for high-quality sake brewing and established the high-end sake brand "Kokuryu". Now, Naoto Mizuno, the 8th president, is pushing the brand to even greater level and redefining the value of sake as bridges among local people, industries, and culture.
Naoto Mizuno, the 8th president
Looking into the history of Kokuryu Sake Brewery, we can see a series of challenges they have faced over time. To overcome these difficulties, the brewery’s president of the time has demonstrated his tireless passion and foresight in running the brewery.
In the early Showa period, led by the 6th generation, Kokuryu Sake Brewery had become one of the first to start producing ginjo sake. Sake breweries producing ginjo sake were rare at the time, when cheap sake extremely diluted with alcohol still dominated the market.
"I was not able to see my grandfather (the 6th generation) actually brewing sake. However, I heard from my father (the 7th generation) that he had been passionate about making high-quality sake. My father, who took over the brewery after my grandfather, also seemed to have a strong commitment to making high-quality sake."
Kokuryu Sake Brewery is a brewery that has a strong commitment to the rice; the main ingredient of sake. They mainly use the sake rice called "Gohyakumangoku" from Fukui Prefecture, where the brewery is located, and "Yamadanishiki" from Hyogo Prefecture, as well as "Sakahomare*," originally developed in Fukui Prefecture.
They also use "Ginpu" from Hokkaido, where the master brewer is from. Using these variety of sake rice, they brew elegant sake that goes well with the delicate flavors of the seafood caught in Hokuriku region. The brewery's stance of selling high-quality sake without compromise stood out from the business practices of the time, where discounts offered by breweries were taken for granted.
* Sakahomare has been improved in recent years for daiginjo sake.
The 7th generation, who inherited the will of the 6th, took advantage of the difficulties in the local market and expanded the sales channels nationwide. Taking advantage of the strengths of ginjo sake and daiginjo sake suitable for gifts, they expanded the sales channels mainly to high-end department stores. In this way, "Kokuryu" gained nationwide recognition and built the foundation of the current brand.
After graduating from Tokyo University of Agriculture, Naoto Mizuno, the 8th generation of the brewery president, worked at another company related to fermentation before joining his family business. The year 1990, when he joined Kokuryu Sake Brewery, was when ginjo sake was becoming more and more popular nationwide. Extremely diluted sake had almost disappeared, and liquor stores selling high-quality jizake -local sake- were beginning to emerge. Mizuno identified the trends, reorganized sales channels, and focused on liquor stores that specialized in jizake handling their products with care.
Mizuno says, "no matter how good the sake you make, its value will be lost before it reaches the customer if it is not delivered and sold in the proper environment." With this strong belief, he started his sales activities by persuading liquor stores to introduce refrigerators.
"Sake is a very delicate drink. Even if it is pasteurized, the original flavor will be lost unless maintained under ideal temperature. Therefore, it is essential to improve the distribution environment to maintain the quality of sake. Liquor stores are professionals who deliver sake to customers, and we see them as partners who work with the breweries, to enhance the value of sake."
Furthermore, Mizuno started the employee-centered brewing, instead of brewing by seasonal workers, to refine the quality of their sake. He was extremely particular about the processing of ingredients, and ordered a custom-made steamer from Fujiwara Techno-Art. When selecting machinery, he visited other breweries to hear what they had to say. However, he said, "in the end, you don't know until you try it. The climate on the Pacific side is different from that on the Sea of Japan side, and the philosophy behind each brewery’s sake brewing is also different. It is not the machine but humans who take control. You must be the master of your own machine, in the end."
Now that the environment for making high-quality sake and delivering the product to customers properly was in place, Mizuno took Kokuryu Sake Brewery to the next stage with the theme of "Living with Kuzuryu River" to convey the blessing of the nature that nurtured their sake and the culture of the region.
One of the new challenges taken on by the 8th generation, Naoto Mizuno, is the ESHIKOTO project. "ESHIKOTO" is an experiential complex built in harmony with the region’s nature and culture. From the terrace of the building that is the core of the facility, you can see the leisurely flow of Kuzuryu River and the mountain Eiheiji Temple is located. "ESHIKOTO" is an old word that means "good things." Read backwards, it becomes "TOKOSHIE (= eternal)." The name contains the desire to convey the "good things" of the region eternally.
In 2020, when the ESHIKOTO distillery facility was completed, Fukui Prefecture, like other prefectures, was facing a shortage of hand sanitizers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ishidaya Inc., which operates ESHIKOTO as the parent company of Kokuryu Sake Brewery, decided to produce alcohol used for hand sanitizers at ESHIKOTO's distillery facilities and donated it to local schools and medical institutions.
"With our ESHIKOTO project, we wanted to put importance on coexisting with the local community. Donating hand sanitizers became a great start that symbolizes our contribution to the community."
ESHIKOTO is not only a place where you can purchase sake, but also a restaurant that uses local ingredients and an exhibition and sales space for traditional arts and crafts. Mizuno's experience of visiting wineries and distilleries all over the world made him keenly aware of the importance of "a place where you can enjoy the local nature, climate, and culture, along with the drinks," and he dreamed of "making this a reality in his hometown".
Garyu-Tou (Not open to the public)
ESHIKOTO is the embodiment of that dream. It is also equipped with a cellar for aging sparkling sake that has undergone secondary fermentation in bottle. It is a laboratory-like place where experimental sake brewing can be attempted. Also, it is a place where direct feedback can be obtained from their customers.
The Garyu-tou, where the cellar is located, not only allows you to see sparkling sake undergoing secondary fermentation but also functions as a multi-purpose event space.
"I hope this place will become a place where people can gather, interact, and make new discoveries. For example, we could hold experiential events such as dining out, where artists, designers, and traditional craftsmen from all over the world can come together on the theme of say, 'tableware.' We want to promote new ways of enjoying sake in a multifaceted way, not just around the framework of sake itself."
At the restaurant in ESHIKOTO, you can enjoy Kokuryu Sake Brewery's sake, which uses underground water from Kuzuryu River. Traditional craft items are used for tableware and sake vessels, and the walls are decorated with artworks.
"Sake brewing has relied on forestry, agriculture, and so many other industries. It’s been made possible by the tools provided by forestry and the raw materials provided by agriculture. The finished sake is served at festivals and ceremonial occasions at shrines and temples, and the sake vessels are made using traditional craft techniques such as Echizen pottery and Echizen lacquerware. They are all connected. At ESHIKOTO, we want our customers to experience not only sake, but also the charm of the region where it is produced, so that they can appreciate the deeper value."
Sake breweries have played a role in connecting various industries and cultures, from primary industries to arts and crafts. In that sense, it may have been inevitable that Kokuryu Sake Brewery launched the ESHIKOTO project.
Mizuno, as the 8th generation of the brewery’s president, has further elevated the brand “Kokuryu,” whose foundations were built by the 6th and the 7th. He is now focusing on cultivating a fan base of the younger generation, whose connection with sake is becoming weaker.
"What we should aim for today is not just to sell sake, but to foster a culture through sake. We want to spread the value of sake throughout generations," says Mizuno.
Kokuryu Sake Brewery is actively working on collaborations to convey the appeal of sake in various ways. At the milestone of its 220th anniversary, collaborations in various fields were taken place. They collaborated with different industries such as food manufacturers, confectionery manufacturers, designers, and even manga artists, and woven elements of sake into each product. By doing so, they were able to create an opportunity to interest people who are not familiar with sake.
On the other hand, they have been making more efforts conveying the classical charm of sake. To rediscover the charm of warm sake, Kokuryu Sake Brewery released “Kuzuryu Daiginjo” in 2004, the 200th anniversary of its founding. They deliberately aged the daiginjo specifically for warm sake and used velvet material for the label. They created a product that has a warm and luxurious atmosphere, yet full of surprises. They even developed a modern version of sake warming equipment that was said to have been used by samurai in the past.
"Sake is a rare drink in the world that can be enjoyed at any temperature, from cold to hot. We focused on warm sake as a way to convey the diversity of sake as a culture."
The basis of Kokuryu Sake Brewery's branding strategy is to create a culture of enjoying sake. The source of this is nothing other than the desire to protect and convey the culture of sake which has long been a part of Japanese people’ lives, whether as a part of their daily lives or for special occasions.
"In the past, sake was a part of life, but that is no longer the case these days. That is why we need to suggest various ways to enjoy sake. I believe that is the role of a sake brewery with an eye to the future."
While domestic alcohol consumption is declining and young people are increasingly turning away from alcohol in general, sake is beginning to be recognized in overseas markets and demand outside of Japan is gradually expanding. Under such circumstances, Kokuryu Sake Brewery's strategy provides important insights into the direction of the sake industry.
As mentioned before, quality control is one of the most important elements that Kokuryu Sake Brewery has consistently kept in mind. The idea remains the same not only in domestic but also in overseas markets. As sake exports increase, Mizuno strongly appeals to importers and distributors about the importance of quality control. This is because prioritizing quality not only in the manufacturing process but also in the distribution process is the essence that has nurtured the brand “Kokuryu.”
"I also ask overseas importers, 'do you have a refrigerator suitable for storing sake?' Since wine cellars usually cannot provide the ideal temperature for sake, I ask them to prepare an environment specifically for sake."
Japan's traditional sake brewing has been registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, and sake is attracting more attention around the world. Mizuno predicts that this will mean that drinking sake and visiting sake breweries will become more of a part of the joy of visitors to Japan. While he would love to welcome visitors from outside of Japan, Mizuno also hopes that visitors experience and capture the deep understanding of cultural aspects and etiquette unique to Japan.
"Sake is not just something to drink, it's part of the holistic experience. I think that communicating Japanese culture helps truly spreading sake."
In November 2024, an auberge called Kanshukuen opened next to ESHIKOTO, combining a restaurant and bar, with half-open-air baths in all rooms. Mizuno's vision of a "travel destination where you can stay while experiencing sake and the local nature" is about to become a reality in Fukui.
"We hope that ESHIKOTO will become a place that can promote not only our brewery, but also other sake breweries, wineries or whiskey distillery in the region of Hokuriku. The appeal of tourism is visiting various places and meeting people. If you are going to come to the Hokuriku region, we would like you to visit not only Fukui, but also Ishikawa prefecture and Toyama prefecture. Each prefecture has attractive breweries, wineries, and other destinations. We would be happy if ESHIKOTO becomes a hub for such attractive tourism."
Kokuryu Sake Brewery has continued to evolve while connecting its 220-year history under the family motto of "making good sake." The 6th generation took on the challenge of ginjo sake, while the 7th generation paved the way for high-quality sake to be delivered nationwide. Now, 8th generation, Naoto Mizuno, has adopted a new theme of "living with Kuzuryu River" and has found a way forward to coexist with the local community.
While perfecting "good sake," Kokuryu Sake Brewery is showing a new side of itself as a center of culture that goes beyond sake brewing. Exciting developments are on the horizon.
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