Konohanano Brewery: Crafting the Essence of Tradition with a Modern Twist in Tokyo’s Doburoku Revival

Konohanano Brewery, founded in 2020 in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, is a notable player in Japan’s craft sake scene, particularly for its production of doburoku, a traditional unfiltered, cloudy sake with rich flavor and texture.

Named after "Konohanasakuyahime," a sake-brewing goddess, the brewery’s brand represents a blend of tradition and modern craft brewing.

Their signature offering, Hanagumori, is a distinctive doburoku with a rich rice essence and mild acidity, alongside variations infused with hops or fruit to appeal to both traditionalists and new sake enthusiasts.

The brewery is guided by a collaborative, rotating brewmaster model to support innovation and growth.

Recently, Yuduki Kimura, a young brewmaster with a background in sake yeast research, has led the brewery, bringing her passion for microbiology and dedication to sustainable, waste-free brewing.

She emphasizes using every ingredient fully, creating sake with a complex, satisfying texture. Kimura’s colleague, Giulia Maglio, an SSA-certified sake educator from Italy, joined as a contract brewer, bringing diverse brewing experiences across Japan.

Together, they infuse Konohanano with both expertise and cross-cultural perspectives, making it a unique stop in Tokyo’s vibrant sake landscape​.