Hanaizumi Shuzo

Hanaizumi Shuzo, founded in 1920, is a unique community brewery born from the passionate resolve of local residents in the innermost Minami-Aizu: "If we don't have sake to drink, let's make it ourselves."
In winters where mountain passes were closed by heavy snow, it was the sake they brewed themselves that connected the villagers' bonds. Their most distinctive feature is the "Mochigome Yondan" (sticky rice 4-stage brewing) practiced for all brands. By adding steamed sticky rice (Himenomochi) after the standard 3-stage process, they achieve a unique quality where "gentle umami and profound richness" resonate within a clean crispness. Using spring water from Takashizu—where Himesayuri lilies bloom—and with all workers still being residents of the local Nango area, they maintain a thorough commitment to the community.
Their flagship series "Roman" possesses a dignified taste entrusting their romance for brewing, now exciting fans nationwide. The soul of a harsh snow country and the warmth brewed by sticky rice; they continue to brew Minami-Aizu's terroir itself into every drop.