Izumibashi Shuzo

Izumibashi Sake Brewery, located in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a cultivation-and-brewing brewery built on the belief that “sake brewing begins with rice cultivation.” Under sixth-generation owner Yuichi Hashiba, approximately 90% of the brewery’s sake rice is grown locally, and all rice is polished in-house. Working closely with local growers, Izumibashi tailors its brewing to the characteristics of individual rice fields and their harvests. All of its sake is Junmai, and the brewery emphasizes labor-intensive traditional methods, including koji making with small koji trays, kimoto fermentation, and traditional fune pressing. It also promotes reduced-pesticide farming and the restoration of abandoned rice fields, pursuing sake brewing deeply rooted in local agriculture while helping preserve the region’s natural environment.