Sake brewery Katoukichibee Shouten, known for its Born brand, continues to blend centuries-old tradition with modern technology as it enters its 11th generation of family management. Located in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, along the Sea of Japan, the brewery has maintained a reputation for producing high-quality sake since its founding in 1860.
October 1 marks Nihonshu no Hi (Sake Day) in Japan, designated by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association to encourage a deeper appreciation of sake. This date also signals the start of a new brewing season, coinciding with the availability of freshly harvested rice, the primary ingredient in sake production.
Katoukichibee Shouten’s Born brand, represented by a single kanji character symbolizing purity, truth, creation, and future vision, exemplifies the evolving role of sake both domestically and globally. The brewery exports its sake to 120 countries as of August 2026, reflecting the growing international demand for the beverage. Sake exports reached 45.9 billion yen ($514 million) in 2025, with figures continuing to rise into 2026.
The brewery specializes in junmai sake, made strictly from rice, koji mold, and water, without added alcohol or additives. It carefully sources three varieties of sake rice — Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture, along with Gohyakumangoku and Sakahomare grown locally in Fukui. The current head of the brewery has developed custom rice-polishing machines that enhance the precision of production, enabling a premium sake polish rate down to 20% of the original grain size, well below the industry average.
Using only the starchy white core of the rice grain, Katoukichibee achieves an average polishing ratio of 34.5%, among the highest in Japan. This meticulous process, combined with brewing using in-house yeast and mineral-rich groundwater sourced from deep beneath the Hakusan mountain range, contributes to the distinctively clean and refined flavor profile of its products. The sake undergoes maturation at ice-cold temperatures for a minimum of one year, with some varieties aged for over a decade to develop complex aromas and depth.
Born sake has received extensive domestic and international recognition. It has been featured at official state guest banquets and was served during Emperor Showa’s enthronement ceremony in 1928. In recent years, it has won more than 1,600 awards worldwide, including the Grand Prix at the 1998 International Sake Festival in Toronto and multiple trophies at the 2026 International Wine Challenge.
The Born lineup includes about 40 varieties, ranging from long-aged vintages like Born: Chogin Vintage, matured over a decade in sub-zero conditions, to Born: Wing of Japan, an official sake served on Japanese government aircraft and at diplomatic receptions. Other notable products include Born: Premium Sparkling, honored for its effervescent quality, and Born: Dreams Come True, aged approximately five years and associated with celebrations and wishes fulfilled.
Sabae’s Yoshie-cho neighborhood, home to the brewery, preserves much of its 17th-century castle-town character. The Born Machiya Gallery, housed in a renovated 200-year-old townhouse with structures registered as Tangible Cultural Properties, offers visitors insight into the brewery’s history and sake-making traditions. The area’s accessibility has improved with the 2024 extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, reducing travel time from Tokyo to Fukui to about three hours, followed by a short train and taxi ride to the brewery.
Katoukichibee Shouten exemplifies the intersection of heritage and innovation, sustaining its place as a significant player in Japan’s sake industry while broadening its reach on the international stage.