Kawabu Jozo was founded in 1857 near the Ise Shrine in Taki, Mie Prefecture, and has dedicated sake to the shrine for over 160 years. The brand name Hokosugi is drawn from the sacred spear-shaped cedar tree that stands in the grounds of the Ise Shrine, connecting every bottle to one of Japan's most revered spiritual sites. The brewery draws water from the Miya River system, which flows through the same watershed as the shrine itself, and developed its own proprietary sake rice variety, Yuminariho, for use in its flagship expressions.
