Established in 1777 Devoted to Sake Brewing Komaizumi

Morita Shoube Co., Ltd.

250 Years of Sake Brewing and the History of Shichinohe For time immemorial

Shichinohe Town has been known as a horse breeding area within the Nanbu (eastern Aomori and northern Iwate) region of Japan. It is well-known for the warhorse Ikezuki, which fought in the vanguard at the Battle of Ujigawa (1184), and other famous horses, and even in the present day, a number of famous race horses have been bred here. Furthermore, many small ema plaques have been discovered at the Kodako Fudou and Mirumachi Kannon Temples, structures built in the Muromachi period (14th to 16th centuries). These plaques have beautiful pictures of horses on them, and discoveries such as these have shown just how long this close relationship between people and horses has lasted over the years.

The history of commerce in Shichinohe also goes back a long way. The buying power of people living in Shichinohe was high during the early Edo period (17th to 18th centuries), so Omi (Shiga Prefecture) Shonin and other merchants flocked to this area and commerce flourished during this time. In 1777, Morita Shoube Co., Ltd. was also founded by an Omi Shonin merchant with roots in present day Noda Village, Shiga Prefecture. The company originally started out as a wholesaler dealing in kimono cloth, lamps, and other goods. Komaizumi was named for the legend of pure water springing out of a village of horses. We have put our hearts into producing only the finest sake for generations, and we will continue to do so for many more years to come.