Katoukichibee Shouten
Originally operating as a money exchange business that was deeply involved in the affairs of the community, the village headman and founder reoriented it toward sake brewing in 1860. They have carried the Kichibee name for 11 generations, and registered it as a trademark in 1866. In Sanskrit, “born” is translated roughly as “purity” or “striking truth,” and represents the brewery’s strong belief in second chances and karmic rewards for hard work. In the beginning of the Showa period (1926-1989), the emperor used “Born” sake for Japan’s ceremonies, festivals and guests as Japan’s representative brand.
