Hinomaru Jozo was established in 1689 in Masuda-machi, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, named by the local feudal lord Satake whose family crest was the sun disc on a fan, and in 1870 that same sun disc and name became the symbol of Japan's national flag. The brewery was forced to suspend operations by a wartime consolidation order in 1943 but revived its 300-year tradition in 1948, and today Masuda-machi's historic storehouses are designated National Tangible Cultural Properties. The flagship brand Mansaku no Hana now leads the range in critical recognition, while the original Hinomaru name continues in production as a link to the brewery's founding.
