Kirinoto

Tsunan Jozo was founded in 1996 by a coalition of local sake rice farmers, the town of Tsunan, and the regional agricultural cooperative, placing community ownership at the heart of its mission. Situated in one of Japan's deepest snowfall zones in Niigata Prefecture, the brewery uses snowmelt from the Naeba mountain range as brewing water, a naturally cold environment that shapes its clean, smooth style. The Kirinoto label, named after a local mountain, won a Silver Prize at the International Wine Challenge, while the brewery's newer brands pursue smart brewing methods that blend artisanal tradition with biotechnology.