Kikunosato Brewing Company

The Nasu region, which includes Otawara City in Tochigi Prefecture, has been a thriving rice producer since ancient times, and since the Meiji era, it has also been known for dairy farming and strawberry farming, due to the influence of industrial development. The rich nature, where the first-class river Nakagawa flows, is the perfect place for sake brewing, and the company was founded in 1866 (Keio 2) when the first generation, who were farmers, aspired to make sake and arrived in Nasu in search of the best water. Gakiku no Sato Sake Brewery. At the time of its founding, the shop name was Hachiryusha, and it was a small brewery serving local customers, but production was suspended due to the Enterprise Reorganization Order promulgated during the war. After that, the trade name was changed to Kiku no Sato Sake Brewery, and after reopening, the production volume steadily increased due to contracts with major breweries, but after 1985, when the contracts expired, the production volume decreased. In 2002 (Heisei 14), the production volume decreased to around 100 koku, making it the brewery with the lowest production volume in Tochigi Prefecture. The 8th generation of Nakazo, who inherited the difficult situation, launched a new brand “Ona” in order to rebuild the company. The name was chosen to reflect the scenery around the brewery and the desire to make it a large warehouse that resembles the “great land of Nasu.” Things didn’t get off to a smooth start due to lack of funds, but a turning point came in 2009. After being featured in the magazine “Danchu” and becoming more well-known, the brewery gradually began to improve its facilities and quality, which led to it receiving its first gold award at the National Sake Awards the following year.