Skip to main content

Meet the Brewery

Umeda Brewing Com​​pany

The last sake brewery in Hiroshima’s Aki ward, Umeda Brewing Company is a small, family-run operation founded in 1916. By skipping standard charcoal fining, this three-person team crafts gold-medal “muroka” sake with a vibrant, fruit-forward aroma.

Hiroshima prefecture

Honshuichi “Muroka Junmai”

Honshuichi - Muroka Junmai

$42.00

A Traditional Craft Brewery With Big, International Ambitions

A small, family-run business founded in 1916, Umeda Brewing Company is the only sake brewery left in the Aki ward of Hiroshima. The workers are dedicated to preserving sake-making traditions such as “kanzukuri” (winter brewing). At the same time, they continue to look outward, aiming to become one of Japan’s most prominent breweries that can attract drinkers around the world. 

With international markets in mind, they introduced a “muroka” (unfined sake) series about 20 years ago. Skipping the standard charcoal fining process allows the sake to retain a fresh, unbridled flavor they believed would better engage foreign palates. Today, the brewery is known for sake that boasts a gorgeous and fruity aroma, winning numerous awards and earning high praise at international competitions like Kura Master and the International Wine Challenge.

Fourth-generation owner of Umeda Brewing Company, Shuji Umeda (right), receives an award from International Wine Challenge for daiginjo sake, 2013.

Unanimous praise for an honest brew

When our Japan-based team members first tasted the sake from Umeda Brewing Company, the praise was unanimous. We were astonished by how the sake defied our expectations; hearing terms like “muroka” and “honjozo,” one might expect a certain heaviness or a strong alcohol bite, but there was absolutely none of that here. 

The brewers tackle every step of the process with deep care. Their straightforward, unpretentious approach translates to an honest, refined flavor that’s intuitively delicious and easy to understand — even for those who are completely new to sake.

Preserving winter traditions

Founded in 1916, this family-run operation is actually considered one of the newer establishments among the approximately 40 breweries currently active in Hiroshima prefecture. At one time, there were five sake breweries in the local Funakoshi area, but today, Umeda Brewing Company is the only one remaining. 

It is a truly small-scale facility, producing only about 300 koku — 14,296 gallons — annually, with the actual brewing handled by just three people. (For reference, that’s the equivalent of just 461 barrels of beer in the U.S.!) Honoring traditional kanzukuri methods, their “toji” (brewmaster) travels from Kagawa prefecture to live and work on-site from late October through mid-April. To craft their sake, they draw pristine subsoil water from Mount Iwataki, pumping it from nearly 200 feet underground.

A traditional look with a fruit-forward profile

Their flagship brand, Honshuichi, combines the words for Japan's largest island (Honshu) and the number one (“ichi”), representing their earnest ambition to become the number one sake brewery in Japan. The bold, traditional calligraphy on the label was beautifully penned by the current owner's grandmother, who was a skilled calligrapher. Contrastingly, the liquid inside is distinctly modern, forgoing the conventional charcoal fining process in order to preserve a vibrant, fruity aroma and a rich flavor profile — a style that’s increasingly popular with today’s drinkers and international markets.

Why this matters

We selected Umeda Brewing Company because they offer a wonderful balance: deeply rooted local craftsmanship paired with an approachable, fruit-forward flavor that invites a wide variety of food pairings. Because of its prominent floral and fruity fragrance, overseas drinkers often compare this sake to white wine. The brewery recommends enjoying it chilled or poured over ice to fully appreciate its fresh character. While it naturally pairs well with fresh seafood, its robust profile can also complement rich meat dishes or even a spicy kimchi hot pot. Their sake’s universality at the dinner table reflects how the brewery’s mission truly aligns with our own: offering traditional Japanese sake to be enjoyed globally.

Products from this brewery

Shop all products