Akita Shuzo, maker of Suirakuten, comes under Tokyo's Kyoritsu Holdings
Akita Shuzo, the brewery behind Akitabare and Suirakuten, has transferred all its shares to Tokyo-based Kyoritsu Holdings and will keep brewing under new management.
Akita Prefecture lies in the north of Japan’s main island, Honshu. In its capital, Akita City, the sake brewery Akita Shuzo has transferred all of its shares to Tokyo-based Kyoritsu Holdings and become a subsidiary of that company. The local newspaper Akita Sakigake Shimpo reported the news on 29 September 2026. The brewery is not closing; it will continue operating under its new parent company.
Management changes, but the brewery carries on
According to the report, the new president of Akita Shuzo is Sho Takai (39), who had been a department head in the executive office at Kyoritsu Holdings. The price of the transfer and the future policy on brands, production volume and exports are not made clear in the articles that have been published. What is clear is that management has passed to a Tokyo-based corporate group, and that the brewery’s name and its sake-making remain.
Akitabare and Suirakuten
Akita Shuzo is known for two brands: Akitabare and Suirakuten. Suirakuten also includes a daiginjo made with Akita Sake Komachi, a sake rice developed in Akita Prefecture. Daiginjo is a grade of sake brewed with rice that has been polished until 50% or less of its original weight remains. It tends to have a showy aroma and a light feel on the palate.
In an industry of small breweries
In Japan’s sake industry, companies with capital of 300 million yen or less, or with 300 or fewer employees, count as small and medium-sized enterprises, and only a handful of large companies exceed that threshold. Even so, the relatively large breweries shipping 3,000 kilolitres or more a year account for 64.2% of national shipments (SAKE Street). That means the remainder is shared among a great many small breweries. Accepting outside capital in order to keep a brand alive is one of the ways such breweries survive.
If you are looking for this brewery’s sake in Europe, the spellings “Akita Shuzo”, “Akitabare” and “Suirakuten” on labels and product lists are your clues. If you try the daiginjo, serve it well chilled in a wine glass to bring out the aroma. How the change in management will affect the flavour, the range and shipments overseas remains to be seen.
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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