Kataoka Shuzojo

Kataoka Shuzojo was founded in 1898 (Meiji 31) and is a sake brewery with a warehouse in Hoshuyama, Toho Village, located at the eastern end of Fukuoka Prefecture.
Located in the mountainous area along the Koishiwara River, which is the source of the Chikugo River, the greatest feature is sake brewing specializing in the blessings of water, using Iwaya Spring Water, which was selected as the only "100 Best Waters of Japan" in Fukuoka Prefecture, as brewing water.
The brewing water, Iwaya Spring Water, is famous water that springs out as soft water with excellent mineral balance after rain falling on the mountains of Koishiwara is filtered deep underground over many years. This water is used not only for sake brewing but also as domestic water for local residents, and the entire village benefits from the abundant spring water. The clear and soft water quality of Iwaya Spring Water forms the basis of Kataoka Shuzojo's sake quality and is the foundation of the mellow and elegant taste.
The flagship brands are "Hoshuyama" and "Fukuine". "Hoshuyama" is derived from the place name, and "Fukuine" is based on the legend of Kobo Daishi (Kukai). According to the legend, when Kobo Daishi visited Hoshuyama, he was treated warmly by the villagers, and later when the village was hit by famine, rice sprung out from a well called "Fukui" and saved the village, hence the name "Fukuine". This legend is an important element telling the history and culture of the region.
Although it suffered tremendous damage in the Northern Kyushu Torrential Rain in July 2017, centered on the 4th generation brewery owner Takuyuki Kataoka, friends formed a group called "Tōhō Ikkon" and worked on reconstruction support and sake brewing revival. Under the philosophy of "wanting to invite people who supported the disaster back to Toho Village" and "wanting to revive sake rice cultivation in the region", "Tōhō Ikkon" started sake rice cultivation in the village from 2021 and revived the local sake rice culture that had been interrupted for about 50 years.
They used to do in-house brewing, but due to depopulation and sluggish consumption, they stopped in-house brewing about 50 years ago and shifted to contract manufacturing. However, taking the 2017 disaster as an opportunity, with a strong desire to realize community-based sake brewing again, they revived sake rice cultivation together with the friends of Tōhō Ikkon, aiming for new development as "Revival Sake" using the village's treasure Iwaya Spring Water and locally produced sake rice.
Kataoka Shuzojo's sake uses Iwaya Spring Water of the 100 Best Waters of Japan and rice grown by the nature of Koishiwara, and is loved mainly by locals as a brand brewed in the quiet environment of the mountainous area, where the history of the region and the blessings of nature are condensed.