Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2013

Religious Jews around the world may now drink kosher nihonshu, courtesy of Iwate Prefecture’s Kuji Brewery. Proud owners of the first license of its kind in Japan, they offer a range of rice wine and plum wine certified 100 percent kosher by Rabbi Binyomin Y. Edery of Chabad Tokyo Japan. Kuji Brewery was founded in 1912 and is the home of Japan’s oldest sake vending machine—a wooden contraption that once sold free-running wine at half-a-yen per cup. The brewers have also pioneered “clean” sake brewing (no added sugars) since 1951 and master brewer Hajime Yamaguchi was selected as one of 100 Great Craftsmen by the Ministry of Labor. The Nanbu Bijin special junmaishu (sake made without any added sugar or alcohol) is available in the 1,800ml ishobin bottle for ¥2,415 and the 720ml yongobin bottle for ¥1,365. Kuji also offers kosher umeshu in the same sizes (¥2,980/1,700).

Buy online at http://cassiopeia.shop-pro.jp or see www.nanbubijin.co.jp for a list of vendors.