Fujimoto Shuzo was founded in 1763 in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture, near the historic border with Mie and the legacy landscape of the Iga ninja. The brewery's flagship brand Shinkai takes its name from a divine origin story: after receiving a sacred omen, founders sank a well that revealed water of exceptional quality, and the resulting sake was so fine the name was changed to Shinkai, meaning opened by the gods. Combining that storied water source with local Omi rice varieties, the brewery continues to experiment with traditional techniques including water-based moto and double-brew fermentation.
