In Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, where rich soils meet clear mountain water in southern Kyushu, Kitaya Co., Ltd. has been brewing sake and shōchū since around 1820. Founded during the Bunsei era, the brewery has passed through seven generations, each guided by a philosophy captured in the company name: ‘Joy, Many Homes’. The mission is simpler still: spreading joy, one sake at a time.
At Kitaya, ownership and brewing remain intertwined. The founder’s rule, ‘The Owner should brew the Sake’, has been passed down through generations alongside cups of the finished product. The current master brewers and distillers don’t just craft spirits; they inherit a legacy shaped by Yame’s landscape and nearly two centuries of accumulated knowledge.
For the team, the greatest reward is hearing someone say their brew is delicious. That single word of feedback is the heartbeat of everything they do. From selecting rice to turning the mash, every decision aims to bring delight to each drinker’s moment.
Whilst Kitaya specialises in sake, they also craft authentic shōchū and spirits, quietly expanding what Japanese brewing can be. The innovation isn’t loud or trendy, it’s thoughtful: state-of-the-art koji cultivation paired with precise polishing and drip filtration, long-held artisanal techniques married to modern methods. It’s this interplay between honouring tradition and pursuing refinement that sets them apart.
When you pick up a bottle bearing the Kitaya name, you’re holding Yame’s rice fields, clear mountain water and seven generations who believed the simplest question, ‘Is it delicious?’, was also the most important.
