Kondō Brewery
Kondō Shuzō is a small sake brewery located near the Kokuryō River in Niihama. Their sake is sold under the Hanahime Sakura brand. The brewery dates from 1878 in the Meiji Period. It uses groundwater pumped up from 110 m below. The quality of the water is thanks to the thousands of trees planted by Sumitomo to restore the local mountains after they closed their mines.
The brewery experienced a hiatus between Kondō Yoshirō of the current generation and his father. Yoshirō experienced many struggles in reviving sake production at the brewery, but today, Hanahime Sakura is a frequent prize winner. Mrs. Kondō is the master brewer who is responsible for managing all aspects of production. Hanahime Sakura is characterised by its flamboyant bouquet, combined with a certain richness imparted by the choice of rice used. The colourful labels reflect the gorgeousness of the brand.