Genba Honten

The Second Chapter Begins for "Abukuma," the Brand That Drew Widespread Attention.

Genba Honten, long known to the world as the home of 'Oushu Tsuru' sake, was facing a turning point. It all began when Yujiro Genba, the current Representative Director, returned home from Tokyo. Though he had been a successful businessman on the global stage, he had absolutely no knowledge of sake brewing. Realizing he couldn't catch up by only studying under the head brewer, he dove into his studies, learning both theory and technique at the National Research Institute of Brewing and the FUKUSHIMA SAKE ACADEMY.

"I worked desperately to close the gap with those who had specialized in brewing," he recalls. "But in practice, I often found myself lost." It was in those moments that his contemporaries—fellow brewers of his generation from across the prefecture—extended a helping hand. He sought guidance from these passionate artisans who were already hands-on in their own breweries. They engaged in heated discussions, and through that collaborative fire, he began to refine and transform the flavor of the brewery's existing 'Abukuma' brand.

The results were dramatic. The very first daiginjo he ever brewed stunningly won a Gold Prize at The Annual Japan Sake Awards. Two years later, after becoming the head brewer (toji) himself, he went on to win Gold Prizes for five consecutive years, steadily building an incredible track record for the brewery.

"Perhaps it was something I could only achieve because I was ignorant," Mr. Genba says humbly, yet with a burning passion. "Winning the Gold Prize was just a matter of happening to throw the ball into the established framework. The real work starts now." The evolution of 'Abukuma' has only just begun.