Brewery Profile
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Greetings to Lovers of Fine Sake
Our Optimum Environment for Sake Brewing
Gojo City in Nara Prefecture is a quarter with celebrated connections to the “Tenchugumi Incident” of 1863 – precursor to the subsequent Meiji Restoration phase of Japanese history. Situated at the southwest part of the Yamato Basin, the city offers spectacular views in the distance of Mt. Kongo to the north and the Kii Mountain Range (added to the World Heritage Site List in 2004) to the south. With the Yoshino River also flowing robustly through the center of town, this is a city noted for the breathtaking scenic beauty of its majestic setting.
Gojoshuzo Co., Ltd. was established here in Gojo in 1924. It is said that the enterprise was one of the numerous businesses launched by our founder Fujihiro Nakamoto in the wake of the discovery of mineral veins in the Yoshino Mountain Range. Enclosed by mountains on all sides, the area was found to be highly suited to the brewing of sake. With the arrival of winter, chilly northerly winds gust down from Mt. Kongo, with local wells coming to overflow with riverbed water soft in nature and ideal for the production of sake.
Nestled in these magnificent surroundings, sake came to be brewed in methods remaining true to the approach perfected by the traditional Tajima School, with the resulting beverages savored by local residents under the brand name of “Goshin.”
Our Quality-First Approach
Sake shipped in its newly produced form is known as shiboritate (freshly squeezed), and is a limited edition, seasonal product. Recent advances in production equipment have made it possible for almost any sake manufacturer to turn out unfiltered, unprocessed sake all year round. Shiboritate comprises an extremely limited volume of the total output of any brewery. At Gojoshuzo, we naturally pay close attention to the manufacturing process. Yet, we also direct a significant measure of attention to providing optimum aging, which takes place in a range from super chilled to room temperature, as best suits the particular sake. The fruits of these efforts result in “sake with the flavor of a crisp autumn day”—a metaphor widely used to describe fine-quality brews.
From Local to Nationwide and International Patronage
Goshin is a favorite of local sake connoisseurs in the area where it is made; so much so that it may be hard to find a drinking establishment in Gojo City that does not serve Goshin. Now, led by the global popularity of Japanese cuisine, we have begun to export sake overseas.
At Gojoshuzo we have incorporated increasingly modern equipment into our operations while faithfully maintaining the time-honored techniques of handcrafted brewing. In addition to “Goshin Gold Label,” the most popular brand among local patrons, we are also putting effort into producing junmaishu (sake made only from rice, without brewing alcohol) and ginjoshu (sake made from rice milled to 60% or less of the original grain), as well as a variety of liqueurs.
Recent advances in global distribution have allowed us to reach more customers and apply our philosophy of making people happy and serving as a beacon of sake culture for the future. By preserving the traditional sake-producing techniques of a small brewery and improving upon them, we aim to enhance the culinary life of customers around the world and in that way be of service to society.
Company Profile
| Name |
Gojoshuzo Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| President |
Eiji Nakamoto |
| Address | 1-1-31 Imai, Gojo City, Nara Prefecture 637-0004, Japan |
| Telephone |
+81 (0)747-22-2079 |
| Fax |
+81 (0)747-25-3646 |
| Established |
1924 |
| Brand Name |
“Goshin” |
Eiji Nakamoto
Born in 1964.
Graduate of Doshisha University Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Analytical Chemistry Major. Worked at Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. in manufacturing, technical development, TPM, and quality assurance.
Became the fourth president of Gojoshuzo Co., Ltd. in 2015. Completed the 48th Sake Manufacturing Technology Certification Course at the National Research Institute of Brewing.
Teahouse “Kochuan”
The “Kochuan” teahouse, erected within the vast 6,000m2 site, is formed from a large sake cask of cedar tree wood from the Yoshino area of Nara.
Its construction is said to date from the Taisho era of Japanese history (1912-26). The house is fully equipped with a small entrance requiring tea ceremony participants to bend to enter, washing area and other traditional appointments. An open hearth is also incorporated into the interior.
Particularly inspiring is the carpentry expertise of fitting a sliding door into the side of the round cask that tapers toward the bottom.