HISTORY
Taiyo Sake Brewery was formed through the merger of 14 different Murakami breweries.
Though each of the 14 original breweries has its own long and unique history, with one brewery having been established in 1635, we will limit ourselves here to our history since the time of the merger in 1943.
| 1943 (S18) | After legal consultation, the 14 original breweries under the jurisdiction of the Murakami Tax office begin preparations to merge and establish a new corporation. |
|---|---|
| 1945 (S20) | The "Kaetsumeijo" corporation is established, with Koshi-no Tama as the product brand name. Capital stock is 380,000 yen and Ryonojo Murayama becomes the first president. The first year's sake production is 237 kiloliters. |
| 1950 (S25) | The name of company is changed to Taiyo Sake Brewery, and the product brand name to Taiyozakari. |
| 1953 (S28) | Place at the first Kanto-Shinetsu Sake Awards. |
| 1954 (S29) | Place at the second National Sake Competition. |
| 1957 (S32) | Construction of bottling plant. |
| 1961 (S36) | Taro Hoshino, former chief of the Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute, provides guidance as a technical consultant. |
| 1963 (S38) | A distributorship agreement with the Kirin Beer Corporation is formed. |
| 1964 (S39) | 11,044.6 liters of sake is lost in the magnitude 7.5 Niigata Earthquake. |
| 1965 (S40) | Construction of rice polishing mill. |
| 1966 (S41) | Prototype of industrial wastewater treatment facility is tested. |
| 1967 (S42) | Hirabayashi Plant is severely damaged in the Uetsu Flood. Begin producing junmai sake. |
| 1968 (S43) | Construction of new factory "Horingura," equipped with long term brewing facilities. |
| 1969 (S44) | Construction of warehouse for storing finished products. |
| 1970 (S45) | Win first gold prize at the National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) Annual Japan Sake Awards. Launch of Akaisake ("Red Sake"), made from benikoji (Monascus purpureus). Stop using salicylic acid (a preservative). Begin production of honjozo type sake. Capital stock increases to 40 million yen. The company's office is moved from Aramachi to its current location. |
| 1971 (S46) | Brewery workers begin a system of commuting to work. |
| 1972 (S47) | Daiginjo Taiyozakari is launched. A 1.8 liter bottle is priced at 5000 yen. |
| 1973 (S48) | Shigeo Masuda becomes the second president. Place for the first time at the 12th National Sake and Seasoning Fair (Tokyo University of Agriculture). |
| 1975 (S50) | Introduce Honjozo Taiyozakari. Pass the First Sake Brewing Technician Certificate examination. |
| 1978 (S53) | Construction of industrial wastewater treatment facility. |
| 1980 (S55) | Using AJN bacteria, Koshi-no Kaze is produced. |
| 1983 (S58) | Kyuichi Sato becomes the third president. |
| 1985 (S60) | Ginjo type high grade sake Koshi-no Tamashii is introduced. Stop the use of distilled alcohol additive in all products. |
| 1986 (S61) | Hikoei Murayama becomes the fourth president. |
| 1987 (S62) | Regional revitalization limited run sake Suzugataki is introduced. |
| 1988 (S63) | Regional revitalization limited run sake Nihonkoku is introduced. |
| 1989 (H1) | Remodeling of business office and bottling facility. |
| 1991 (H3) | Acknowledged by the Minister of Health and Welfare as a Superior Establishment Of Food Hygiene. |
| 1992 (H4) | Publicly acknowledged by the Director General of the Environment Agency for efforts to raise public awareness of environmental conservation. |
| 1993 (H5) | Regionally limited Shiun Taiyozakari is released. Junmai Daiginjo Sekkako is released. Dairoku Hirata becomes the fifth president. |
| 1994 (H6) | Honjozo type Koshi-no Senami is released. |
| 1995 (H7) | 50th anniversary of the founding of the company. |
| 1996 (H8) | To improve sake quality, the polishing ratio of all products is set at 60% or lower. |
| 1997 (H9) | Limited distribution sake Hokusho is released. |
| 1998 (H10) | Begin large-scale improvement project of brewing facilities. |
| 1999 (H11) | Yusuke Kinose becomes the sixth president. Spring limited run Horingura-no Hatsushibori is released. Spring limited run Gin-no Yuuge is released. Autumn limited run Horingura-no Hiyaoroshi and Horingura-no Inakazake are released. Tokubetsu Junmai Jun Echigo is released. |
| 2000 (H12) | Receive an award from the Prefectural Governor for effective utilization of electricity. Begin private experimental cultivation of sake rice. Homepage is launched. Receive gold prize at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. |
| 2001 (H13) | Karakuchi tokubetsu honjozo sake Koshi-no Shoro is released. Junmai ginjo Namachozoshu Hoshi-no Sasayaki sold in limited release. Masuda Shigehiko becomes the seventh president. Daiginjo sake Sekkako sold in limited release to commemorate the birth of Shingusama, Princess Aiko. Second consecutive year to win gold award at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. |
| 2002 (H14) | Junmai ginjo "Horingura-no Hiyaoroshi" released. Third consecutive year to win gold award at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. |
| 2003 (H15) | Change Taiyo Zakari logo. "New logo commemorative sake" limited release. Improvement of bottling facility to boost product quality. "Festival town Murakami set" goes on sale. Horingura-no Muroka Genshu is released. |
| 2004 (H16) | 100th anniversary of the opening of Senami Onsen commemorative sake released in limited edition. Fourth consecutive year of placing in the top ten of award recipients Niigata Prefecture Brewers' Association. |
| 2005 (H17) | Brewery is opened to participate in the "Machiya Doll Fesitval, Machiya Folding Screen Festival." Junmai Ginjo Koshi-no Tamashi released Second establishment of business and announcement of corporate vision. |
| 2006 (H18) | Gold prize, National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. |
| 2007 (H19) | Double prize at Kanto-Shinetsu Taxation Bureau Sake Awards: Niigata representative, first place, normal temperature examination category. Award of excellence, warm sake examination category. |
| 2008 (H20) | Gold prize, National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. Junmai Daiginjo Taiyozakari released. Liqueur with Japanese sake base Kurabito-no Umeshu released. Liqueur with Japanese sake base Kurabito-no Ichigoshu released. Second consecutive year of double prize, Kanto-Shinetsu Taxation Bureau Sake Awards. The bottling facility as a "clean room" is established in order to improve product quality. Taiyo Sake Brewery toji (master brewer), Mr. Tazawa, is recognized as "Meister" by the National Federation of Certified Skilled Craftspeople. |
| 2009 (H21) | Award of excellence in warmed sake examination category, Kanto-Shinetsu Taxation Bureau Sake Awards. |
| 2010 (H22) | Double prize at Kanto-Shinetsu Taxation Bureau Sake Awards: Niigata representative (first place), Ginjo sake category. Award of excellence, Junmai sake category. |
| 2011 (H23) | Permanent exhibition hall "Nagomigura" opened. Liqueur with Japanese sake base Kurabito-no Yuzushu released. Grand prize, "The Fine Sake Awards." |
| 2012 (H24) | Grand prize, Slow Food Japan "Kanzake Contest." |
| 2013 (H25) | Tokubetsu junmai Taiyozakari released. Gold prize, Slow Food Japan "Kanzake Contest." Satoshi Murayama becomes the 8th president. Toji (master brewer) Tazawa is recognized as a "Niigata Master Craftsman" by Niigata Prefecture. |
| 2017 (H29) | Gold prize, National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. |