Houken, meaning treasured sword, is produced by Houken Shuzo, founded in 1872 in the small coastal town of Nigata within Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The brewery is fed by a natural spring called Houken Meisui that rises within the cellars, yielding roughly 20 tons of Hiroshima soft water per day, used alongside the local Hattan Nishiki rice variety. Under fifth-generation toji Tetsuya Doi, Houken has built a reputation for a clean, dry, food-friendly style, winning the top prize in the junmai category at the Sake Competition and accumulating an extensive record of medals at the National New Sake Tasting Competition.
