Kitanishi Brewery is a long-established sake brewery founded in 1894, located just 40 minutes from central Tokyo. The brewery has long produced “Bunraku,” a brand known for its food-friendly sake crafted for everyday meals. Building on this tradition, they refined “Bunraku” and introduced “AGEO,” a fruity sake made entirely with water, rice, and yeast sourced from Saitama Prefecture—a truly local creation. One of their signature brands is “SARA” (彩來), which highlights fresh malic acid for a bright, crisp acidity. It was developed over five years by the current president and fifth-generation brewmaster, Ryuichiro Kitanishi. Inspired by his desire to make sake more approachable for people unfamiliar with it—and in response to the decline in dining out during the pandemic—SARA offers a juicy, fruit-forward flavor profile. As a counterpoint to SARA, a younger team at the brewery created “Bunraku Reborn,” a refreshing sake inspired by lemon, featuring citric acid for a sharp, invigorating taste. Today, Kitanishi Shuzo offers four core brands, each with its own unique expression of modern sake.