URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd

What URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd does

URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd (\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e\u4f50\u6d66) is a privately held Japanese sake brewery founded in 1724 in Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture, currently led by 13th-generation proprietor Koichi Sau. The company operates two production facilities — Honsha Brewery in Shiogama (headquarters and direct retail store "Urakasumi Sake Gallery") and Yamamoto Brewery in Higashimatsushima — and is differentiated by originating the Kyokai No.12 yeast strain isolated from its own ginjo moromi in the Showa 40s, now used in its dedicated No.12 product series.

The product portfolio spans premium junmai daiginjo and daiginjo, ginjo and junmai ginjo, standard junmai and honjozo, seasonal limited releases (spring, summer, autumn), Miyagi-exclusive SKUs, sparkling sake, liqueurs (yuzu, plum, chamomile), honkaku shochu made from sake lees, and food products including amazake and ume confiture. Production relies on Nambu-style traditional brewing methods including kimoto and yamahai fermentation and wooden-barrel kioke-zumi techniques, executed by seven certified Nanbu Toji master brewers. Pricing runs from entry-level junmai around 1,000 JPY to premium daiginjo at 3,520 JPY.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining direct-to-consumer channels (on-premise store and e-commerce at e-urakasumi.com), domestic wholesale via the Japanese Liquor Wholesale Association, department store distribution through Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, and Fujisaki, and event-driven sales at brewery festivals (Kura Matsuri) and department store tasting events. The company holds enterprise placement with ANA (international business class in-flight sake). Customer segments are Japanese sake connoisseurs, Miyagi/Tohoku regional consumers, and an expanding international base with documented exports and award recognition across France, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Italy, Spain, the USA, Canada, and South America.

Name

URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd

Legal name

株式会社佐浦

Website

https://urakasumi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1724

Operating status

Operating

Short description

URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd is a 300-year-old family-owned Japanese sake brewery in Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture, operating two production facilities and producing a full range of junmai, ginjo, daiginjo, sparkling, shochu, liqueur, and food products for domestic and international premium consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Sake & Traditional Spirits

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Sake & Traditional Rice Wine Production (AFAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands (CRADAIAF)

Keywords

• Japanese sake brewing
• Traditional sake production
• Junmai daiginjo spirits
• Miyagi regional beverages
• Kimoto yamahai brewing

Headquarters

HQ city

Shiogama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sake and alcoholic beverage product sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling Japanese sake, shochu, liqueurs, and related alcoholic beverages through direct retail, wholesale distribution, department stores, and e-commerce channels. Products include junmai daiginjo, ginjo, junmai, honjozo, sparkling sake, yuzu liqueur, plum liqueur, chamomile liqueur, and honkaku shochu.
2. Non-alcoholic food products: Sales of amazake (sweet sake) and ume confiture (plum jam) using sake-based ingredients, sold as food products alongside alcoholic beverages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd is a historic Japanese sake brewery (founded 1724) that manufactures and sells a full range of premium Japanese sake using traditional Nambu-style toji techniques, including junmai daiginjo, ginjo, junmai, honjozo, and sparkling sake. The company also produces liqueurs (yuzu, plum, chamomile), honkaku shochu made from sake lees, and complementary food products such as amazake and plum confiture, with the proprietary Kyokai No. 12 yeast as a signature ingredient.

Product overview

URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd is a traditional Japanese sake brewery established over 300 years ago in Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. The company produces a diverse portfolio of sake products centered around two flagship lines: 浦霞禅 (signature junmai ginjo since 1973) and 浦霞No.12 series (using the company's original Kyokai No.12 yeast from the Showa era). The product lineup spans premium junmai daiginjo and daiginjo sakes, standard junmai and honjozo sakes, seasonal limited releases (spring, summer, autumn), regional Miyagi-exclusive products, sparkling sake, liqueurs (yuzu, plum, herb), honkaku shochu made from sake lees, and complementary food products like amazake and plum confiture. The company operates two breweries (Honsha and Yamamoto) and maintains a direct sales store (酒ギャラリー).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 浦霞禅: Signature junmai ginjo sake launched in 1973, the company's representative product and long-selling brand.
• 浦霞No.12

Products and services

• Urakasumi Zen (浦霞禅) Junmai Ginjo Signature pure rice ginjo sake representing Urakasumi's identity since 1973. Features a mild fruity aroma and fresh, well-balanced umami taste. The company's most iconic and long-selling product line.
• Urakasumi No.12 Series (浦霞No.12シリーズ)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 一ノ蔵 (Ichinojo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2024Annual collaboration product 'うららとくらら' combining sake from both breweries. The concept challenges sake conventions to appeal to younger consumers. Both breweries blend their respective stocks in a one-to-one ratio to create a unique junmai ginjo. The final product is determined through a joint tasting committee meeting held at Urakasumi's Honsha brewery.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dewazakura Sake Brewery: Yamagata-based sake brewery known for its Okarakuta junmai daiginjo and innovative product lineup. Comparable as a multi-award-winning sake producer with similar SKU breadth and a focus on appealing to younger consumers.
• Ichinojo (Yoshida Brewery): Yamagata-based premium sake brewery and URAKASUMI's existing strategic co-development partner (Urato Kurakura). Directly comparable as a regional Tohoku/prefecture sake producer with traditional brewing methods and similar mid-premium positioning.
• Asahi Shuzo (Dassai): Yamaguchi-based premium sake brewery behind the globally recognized Dassai junmai daiginjo brand. Directly comparable as a premium sake specialist with strong international distribution, multiple international awards, and overlapping SKU categories (junmai daiginjo, sparkling, ginjo).
• Nanbu Bijin (Nanbu Bijin Sake Brewery): Iwate-based Tohoku-region premium sake brewery. Comparable as a regional Tohoku sake producer with similar terroir-driven branding, traditional kimoto brewing methods, and a focus on seafood food-pairing messaging.
• Kubota (Asahi Shuzo): Niigata-based premium sake lineup (Kubota series) from Asahi Shuzo. Comparable to URAKASUMI as a heritage Japanese sake brand with traditional brewing roots, broad distribution across department stores and specialty retailers, and similar gifting/premium positioning.
• Hakkaisan Sake Brewery: Niigata-based premium sake brewery with national and international distribution. Comparable as a multi-tier premium sake brand spanning entry to ultra-premium, with active international marketing through competitions and trade events.
• Juyondai (Yamamoto Genbei Shoten): Yamagata-based ultra-premium sake brewery whose Juyondai brand commands exceptional scarcity pricing. Comparable as a multiple-award-winning, premium Japanese sake brand with strong connoisseur following and limited-edition SKU strategy.
• Kokuryu Sake Brewery: Fukui-based premium sake brewery famous for its Daiginjo 'Mange Kyu' brand. Comparable as an award-winning, traditionally crafted junmai daiginjo producer with similar emphasis on craftsmanship, heritage, and kimoto-style brewing methods.

Broad incumbents

• Gekkeikan Sake Company: Kyoto-based sake producer founded in 1637, one of Japan's largest sake companies. Comparable as a multi-century sake producer with extensive domestic and international distribution, broad product portfolio, and sustained presence in global sake competitions.
• Hakutsuru Sake Brewery: Hyogo-based large-scale sake producer and one of Japan's oldest sake brands. Comparable as a long-established sake manufacturer with national retail distribution, broader mass-market SKU portfolio, and significant brand recognition in international markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/urakasumi_sake
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXCtYVDg2ziqJEUFgTUycUw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/urakasumi
• Instagraminstagram.com/urakasumi_sake

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about URAKASUMI Saura Co., Ltd