Kawachu Shuzo, founded in 1765 in Nagaoka, Niigata, has been steered by the same family across nine generations, and its Soutenbou brand sets itself apart within Niigata's famous light-dry tradition by incorporating the locally bred Takane Nishiki rice to build a more substantial umami backbone. The resulting style is described as tanrei umaikuchi, a dry yet savory profile that has earned the brewery gold medals for seventeen consecutive years in the Kanto-Shinetsu regional competition.
