Hakubotan Shuzo (白牡丹酒造株式会社)
Hakubotan Shuzo is a sake brewery in Saijo, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima, making the Hakubotan sake and operating since the Enpo era. It was founded in 1675. KIKI lists one of its bottles.
What kind of brewery is Hakubotan Shuzo?
The brewery began when Shima Rokurobei Harumasa started making sake in Yokkaichi in Aki Province, and the Shima family has carried it on for generations. In the late Edo period the kyoka poet Shokusanjin stayed at the Shima house, and later the brewery formed ties with figures such as Natsume Soseki and Munakata Shiko. It became a company in 1939, later added the Yonemitsu brewing site and a commemorative plant, and now brews at three kura. The present president is counted as the fifteenth head of the Shima family.
- Water
- Well water from Mt. Ryuo subsurface flow is used in every step of brewing.
- Ingredients
- Mostly Hiroshima-grown rice with some Yamada Nishiki, all polished in-house.
- Style
- The aim is a lightly sweet, crisp style they call umakuchi.
- Other
- Kimoto brewing is done with traditional wooden tools.
Can you visit Hakubotan Shuzo?
- ToursOffered
- ShopOffered
- Tasting & food
The Tenpo-gura head office exhibition room is open to visitors, with tasting and brewery-only products on sale. Open weekdays 9:30 to 16:00 and weekends 10:30 to 16:00, closed on public holidays. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead.
Hours and booking rules change, so check before you go. Official website
Other brewery tours in Hiroshima
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: hakubotan.co.jp
Bottles from this brewery
The app finds 7 bottles from this maker by their label (1 on this site).
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 9 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 7.
- 1 gold, 1 prize芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 1 gold, 2 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 1 gold, 2 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 1 gold, 1 prize芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 2 gold, 2 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 1 gold, 3 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 4 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 3 prizes芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
- 1 gold, 1 prize芳華金紋 白牡丹PDF
Source: the prize lists of the Japan Sake Awards (National Research Institute of Brewing and Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association). Brewing year 2019 had no final judging, so no gold prizes.