Koikawa Shuzo, founded in 1725 in Amarume on the Shonai Plain of Yamagata Prefecture, has spent over 300 years producing jizake for the local community in one of Japan's premier rice-growing regions. The brewery converted to all-junmai production in 2016 and is particularly celebrated for reviving Kame-no-O, a legendary heritage sake rice variety, from seeds obtained from a local farming family in the 1980s. Beppin, which translates as beautiful lady, won Grand Gold at the 2014 Slow Food Japan warm sake competition and represents Koikawa's commitment to sake that excels both chilled and heated.
