The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Ippongi
No.138 · Brewery Profile
Ippongi一本義 · Ippongi Kubo Honten 一本義久保本店
Ippongi Kubo Honten began as a forestry and raw-silk business before entering sake brewing in 1902, and it very nearly launched under a different name: its intended label, Sawanoi, was already registered by a Tokyo brewery, so the company adopted Ippongi instead — a name once associated with sake favored by the local Ogasawara lords. It is now Fukui’s largest sake producer by volume and the last brewery still operating in the mountain city of Katsuyama, with a dry, food-friendly junmai line built on local Gohyakumangoku rice.
Who makes Ippongi?
Ippongi Kubo Honten began as a forestry and raw-silk business before entering sake brewing in 1902. Its intended label, Sawanoi, was already registered by a Tokyo brewery, so the company adopted Ippongi instead — a name once associated with sake favored by the local Ogasawara lords. It is now Fukui’s largest sake producer by volume and the last brewery still operating in the mountain city of Katsuyama.
What does Ippongi taste like?
Tagged Dry & Crisp and Rich & Umami, built on local Gohyakumangoku rice. The core Ippongi Karakuchi Junmai Genshu is an undiluted, dry-style genshu rating 4/5 on both body and acidity with SMV +12; the Ippongi Junmai Daiginjo, its premium expression, is lighter and more aromatic at 4/5 on the aromatic axis.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with the Ippongi Karakuchi Junmai Genshu, described as the brewery’s core release and its dry, undiluted signature style.
How does Ippongi compare to other Fukui breweries?
Fukui also lists Kokuryu, tagged Elegant & Refined, Born, tagged Elegant & Refined and Aromatic & Fruity, and Hanagaki, tagged Rich & Umami and Elegant & Refined. Ippongi is the prefecture’s only entry pairing Dry & Crisp with Rich & Umami, standing apart from the more uniformly refined character of its peers.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the brand called Ippongi instead of Sawanoi?
The company’s intended label, Sawanoi, was already registered by a Tokyo brewery, so it adopted Ippongi instead.
What was Ippongi Kubo Honten’s original business?
Forestry and raw-silk trading, before it entered sake brewing in 1902.
Is Ippongi Kubo Honten still operating in Katsuyama?
Yes — it is the last brewery still operating in the mountain city of Katsuyama.
The bottles
Ippongi Karakuchi Junmai Genshu一本義 辛口純米原酒
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Undiluted, dry-style junmai genshu — the brewery’s core release.”
Ippongi Junmai Daiginjo一本義 純米大吟醸
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Ippongi’s premium daiginjo expression.”
Reading the bars: an editorial flavor reading (0–5) of each bottle — Dry→Rich, Light→Full, Subtle→Aromatic, Low→High acidity — not laboratory values. The colored badge is the SSI four-type classification (薫酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: ippongi.co.jp · jp.sake-times.com · dearfukui.jp