Company Information

Name

Shimomura Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

CEO

Motoki Shimomura

Founded

1884

Address

957 Yasutomicho Anji, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan 671-2401

Contact

TEL:0790-66-2004　FAX:0790-66-3556

Operations

Production and sale of Japanese Sake

【Access】

• ◆About 10 minutes by car from the Yamasaki Interchange going towards Himeji. Chugoku Expressway. About 20 minutes by car from Yumesaki Smart Interchange
• ◆Take the Shinki bus bound for Yamasaki from JR Sanyo Main Line at Himeji Station for about 1 hour. Get off at Anji and walk about 5 minutes.

Message from the CEO

Hello. My name is Motoki Shimomura. Since our founding in 1884, we have followed our family motto: brewing by hand makes the best products. Currently we are brewing pure rice sake using rice and rice malt. Okuharima is not a clear drink, but it has a strong impact and is delicious to drink! We are particular about use local sake rice, and the warmed sake goes down well with meals. You might end up drinking a lot.

On the other hand, usually Japanese sake is not something we drink when we need to quench our thirst. It would not be purchased with the same feelings we have when we buy a lunch box. This is true for Japanese sake but also for alcohol in general. In our daily life the chance to drink Japanese sake is limited. Despite this, Shimomura Sake Brewing is supported by the people who drink Okuharima. Our brewery will continue making Japanese sake with dedication to continue to live up to the expectations that our customers have.

Our sake is brewed with care and we are particular about doing business with local sake specialty shops. Please stop by a nearby store that sells Okuharima, which you can find on our website by clicking "Shops that sell Okuharima."

Good sake has the power to motivate people, and that is why we will continue to make our Japanese sake.

Motoki Shimomura
Shimomura Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

How we make Okuharima

In keeping with the family motto "brewing by hand makes the best products," Okuharima has been made using the same traditional handmade sake process without machines or mass production. Okuharima is our commitment to handmade sake and it is brewed in the most natural way possible with passion and care. Sake breweries aspire to use the best ingredients and produce delicious sake, and we are no different. We are constantly looking for ways to make our products delicious. Harmony is another part of the sake brewing process and, no matter how good the raw materials or brewers are, good sake cannot exist without harmony. With Okuharima, we are united to brew our sake with utmost care and harmony.

About the Area

In the northwest area of the Banshu Plain in Hyogo Prefecture there is a rich breadbasket that connects to the Seto Inland Sea and spreads out. This is Okuharima, Banshu. The Shimomura Sake Brewing is located in Yasutomicho, which is a town that is 90% mountain and forest. The town has beautiful clean water, clean air, and most importantly an abundance of high-quality sake rice that is called Yamada Nishiki.

The cold air that descends from the Chugoku Mountains in winter is said to create the perfect climate for sake brewing. Since our establishment in 1884, our brewery has maintained the handmade sake brewing process that fully utilizes this gift of nature. This area is known as a doorway to the Shiso Forest Kingdom which is popular among visitors that wish to enjoy the natural beauty of Japan's four seasons.

Community Outreach

Shimomura Sake Brewing participates in the Trial Week program which allows local junior high school students gain work experience in the local community. We also take part in local festivals and serve amazake, a rice wine with no alcohol, in front of our store on New Year's Day. These efforts are an important connection for us in Okuharima, and we will continue to make efforts to maintain our roots in the community.