This brewery was established in 1712 at Murata town in Miyagi Prefecture. It is one of the prefecture’s oldest traditional breweries and continues sake production using local rice varieties and small batch artisan techniques, at its original site. Located at the foot of Mt. Zao, Murata flourished in the Edo era as a distribution centre for safflower which was used for fabric dyes. With changing times there was a shift in local industry, but the old storage houses (known as Kura) remain, and Murata is now a historically preserved district which has gained the reputation of being a fermentation centre for not only sake but also miso, natto and koji. The brewery sustained severe damage during the Great Eastern Earthquake but was determined to rebuild and keep brewing, gaining strength and motivation from its 300 year history.
Onuma’s representative brand is Kenkonichi which incorporates the Japanese words Ken Kon 乾坤 and has a meaning that can be translated as “a drop that nourishes heaven and earth”. The sake is very popular in the local region and due to its small volume of production export distribution is limited. The young brew team at Onuma Sake Brewery is focused on working with local farmers to produce flavours in their sake that can only be expressed in Miyagi. They are also committed to making sake with sustainable objectives to create a circular economy.
