Nanbu Bijin was established in 1902 in Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture, by the Kuji family, who applied generations of soy sauce brewing expertise to sake production before formally adopting the name Nanbu Bijin in 1952, a name meaning beauty of the Nanbu region that reflects the brewery's pursuit of clean, elegant sake. Under fifth president Kosuke Kuji, who took the helm in 2013, the brewery has balanced artisan hand-craft with modern technology, earning recognition including Champion Sake at the International Wine Challenge in 2017 and the MLIT Minister's Award at the 65th Nippon Omiyage Awards in 2024.
