Tochigi's Sohomare Sake Brewery Names Michihiro Kono as New President
At Sohomare Sake Brewery, a long-established Tochigi brewery, former managing director Michihiro Kono has become president, with outgoing president Jun Kono now chairman.
Sohomare Sake Brewery, a sake producer in Tochigi Prefecture, announced a change of management on 17 August 2026. Michihiro Kono, formerly managing director, has become representative director and president, while Jun Kono has stepped down as president to become chairman of the board. It is not a headline-grabbing announcement, but in the sake world, a brewery’s helm passing to the next generation is a milestone that bears on the future of its sake.
From managing director to president, with the former president as chairman
In a Japanese company, the “representative director and president” is the chief executive. The “managing director” (senmu torishimariyaku) is a senior executive who supports the president, and the “chairman of the board” generally remains on the board and continues to support management. In this case, someone who gained experience working close to the president has taken the top post, while the former president stays on as chairman. Both the outgoing and incoming presidents share the surname Kono. Many sake breweries in Japan are run by families, and handovers like this are common. The brewery says it will continue to make sake that people can enjoy for a long time, under the new management as before.
A Tochigi brewery and its window to the world
Tochigi Prefecture lies inland in the Kanto region, north of Tokyo. Sohomare Sake Brewery’s official website also has English and French pages, which shows that it has overseas readers in mind. Its news section listed calls for participants in brewery tours and rice-harvesting events. There was also an announcement for an event connected with Yamada Nishiki rice from Kato, Hyogo Prefecture. Yamada Nishiki is a leading sake rice that is widely used in brewing. Notices like these offer a glimpse of everyday life at a brewery that values every step from growing rice to making sake.
Enjoying Sohomare in Europe
A change of president does not mean the taste of the sake changes overnight. Even so, a generational handover can set a brewery’s direction moving, little by little. If you see the name “Sohomare” at a sake specialist shop or restaurant, check the classification on the label. You will find categories such as junmai (sake made only from rice and rice koji) and ginjo (sake brewed from rice polished down considerably and fermented slowly at a low temperature). Then try it chilled and at room temperature; the differences in aroma and mouthfeel become easier to pick out. If you remember the taste of the bottle you can buy now, you will have the pleasure of comparing it, in a few years, with sake brewed under the new management. You can also follow the brewery’s news on its official Instagram account (@sohomare).
Sources
Sohomare Sake Brewery, “Notice of New President’s Appointment” https://sohomare.co.jp/news/20260817_2064.html
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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