Hakodatejouzou

Hakodate Jozo, located in Nanae Town, Hokkaido, is a notable brewery established in 2021, marking the return of sake brewing to the Donan (Southern Hokkaido) area after an 84-year hiatus.
With a mission to revive the local sake traditions that once flourished in Hakodate and carry them into the future, the brewery operates under the concept of 'Donan Terroir,' making the most of regional characteristics.
The Toji (Master Brewer) is Hiroki Higashiya, a master craftsman with over 30 years of experience in Hokkaido sake brewing and multiple gold medals at the Annual Japan Sake Awards.
The brewery uses medium-soft underflow water from Mt. Yokotsu, ideal for brewing, and 100% locally grown rice—Ginpu, Suisei, and Kitashizuku—cultivated by contract farmers in the Ono Plain, the birthplace of rice cultivation in Hokkaido.
Hakodate Jozo is also committed to 100% in-house rice milling, ensuring meticulous quality control that highlights the unique traits of each rice variety.
Through 'four-season brewing' (shiki-jozo), they offer fresh sake year-round. Their sake is characterized by a 'tanrei-umakuchi' profile—smooth and clean on the palate, yet with a distinct richness and depth.
Its flagship brand, 'Gohhou,' represents a convergence of local rice, water, and human passion, truly a 'treasure of the hometown.'