Kamaya (株式会社釜屋)
Kamaya is a sake brewery in Kazo, Saitama, that makes the Rikishi sake line and others. It was founded in 1748 by Kamaya Shinpachi, a merchant from Omi.
- Makes
- Sake
- Japan Sake Awards
- 7 golds
Where to buy
What kind of brewery is it?
In 1748 Kamaya Shinpachi, a merchant from Omi, began brewing on the present site in a post town on the Nakasendo. In 1785 the second head, Komori Kyuzaemon, named the brand Rikishi. In 1886 the brewery built a large zelkova-wood storehouse to help famine refugees, and it is still used for storage today. The company Kabushiki Kaisha Kamaya was established in 1949. Komori Junichi became the thirteenth head in 2014. In 2019 the brewery released Kazo no Mai, a junmai daiginjo made with Yamada Nishiki grown in Kazo, and in 2024 it released Shinsei Rikishi, made by the three-low method.
What makes it distinct
- Water
- Brewing water is Tone River subsoil water pumped from 100 m underground, a medium-hard water rich in minerals.
- Ingredients
- Sake rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku is used along with table rice. Polishing is 68% for regular sake and 38% for daiginjo.
- Style
- Shinsei Rikishi is a junmai made by the three-low method (low temperature, low polishing, low amino acids), using Saitama table rice polished to about 90%.
- Master brewer
- The toji leads brewing here.
Visiting
- Tours
- Shop
The brewery shop is open 9:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00; check the calendar for closed days. Tours can be booked through an application form from one person, with a fee of 500 yen (excluding tax) per person.
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: rikishi.co.jp
Japan Sake Awards
A prize-winner in 9 of the 9 contests from brewing year 2017 to 2025, with a gold prize in 7.
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Prize (nyusho)力士PDF
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Prize (nyusho)力士PDF
- Gold prize力士PDF
- Gold prize力士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.