表紙
TOKO Sustainability Report2023
Kojima Sohonten Co., Ltd.

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Contents

Contents

p. 2

1. Company History
2. Strategic map

3. Product Introduction2

1

1. Company History3

1Company History

Message from the President
Kojima Sohonten has been consistently brewing sake since its founding in

its current location in 1597. We are a small brewery producing a luxury item
like sake, so the road has not always been a smooth one, but thanks to the
support of many people and the efforts of our predecessors, we have been inbusiness for 400 years.
We believe that this long history is not only a great asset to our company, butalso an important mirror to which we can look to reexamine ourselves, toretrace the steps of our predecessors, and ask ourselves what we should be

President
Kenichiro Kojima

striving for in this modern age.
This mindset forms the basis of our company creed, which reflects ourcommitment to cultural heritage, care for the environment, andcoexistence with the local community. Rooted in these principles,
Kojima Sohonten aims to brew sake sustainably and in harmony withnature.

41Company History

Kojima Sohonten Company Creed
Care for Environment
一. A commitment to creating first-

一.

Embodying co-prosperity withthe community, harmony withclass products that help culturally

society, and coexistence withand spiritually enrich people’snature, based on the principles

lives in Japan and around theof sincerity, gratitude, andworld.

humility.

一. Proper corporate management that
integrates employee happiness, businessdevelopment, and the fulfillment ofsocial responsibility through thepersonal growth of all employees.

Cultural Heritage

Coexist with
Local Community5

1Company History

Sake Brewing Museum
Built using traditional methods, notreproducible in the modern age, thebuilding alone has cultural value. Over1,500 traditional brewing tools and vessels
give visitors a sense of an ancient sakebrewing culture.
The museum receives over 20,000 visitors a
The company took over a nearby brewery built

year, and in 2003 the current Emperor andin 1919 which had ceased business and rebuilt

Empress of Japan paid a visit. The museum

it as one of the largest sake brewing museums

also hosts local events.

in Tohoku.

61Company History

Kojima Sohonten’s Company History

1597

1952

1984

Founded by
Yazaemon Kojima

The company isincorporated

2012

Opening of Sake
Brewing Museum

2015

Development ofToko Ginjo Umeshu

Launch of signature
product: Toko
Junmai Ginjo Genshu

First generation

Previously run as a sole

Yazaemon Kojima sets

proprietorship, Kojima

up a liquor store called
Kojima Sakaya.

Liquor Store isincorporated as Kojima
Sohonten and thebusiness expands.

Following the closure of a
relative’s brewery theprevious year, the company
reopens it as a sake museum
showcasing sake brewing
culture. The museum is later
visited by the current

The company develops

an umeshu (liqueur)

Currently thewith a sake lees shochu

company’s best seller.

base and wins the triple

The launch instantly

crown in Major Nationalraises the company’s

Competitions.

Junmai production

ratio.

Emperor and Empress ofJapan.
7

1

Honoring Heritage

Kojima Sohonten’s Company History Continued

2020

2020

2021

2022

2023

Switch to Junmaionly Production

Challenges Brewingin Kioke

Launch of Bizen
Kamejikomi

Switch to Renewable
EnergyAiming to brew sake with

Rice cultivation using
automatic weeding
robot

The company revives

The company launches a

All electricity ismore regional and cultural

The company grows abrewing in the wooden

new sake brewed in atest batch of rice withoutswitched to renewablecharacteristics, the brewery

kioke casks it had

kame earthenware pot

pesticides and chemicals

energy generated in the

discontinues the use of

brewed in up until 60

which originated aroundimported brewer’s alcohol

surrounding area. The

years ago.

the time of the brewery’s

using an automatic
weeding robot. A sakegoal is to create amade with the rice issustainable sake breweryplanned for release inby utilizing local

2023.

resources, including

and switches to Junmai-only

founding. The new sakebrewing using only domestic

is named after therice, grown mainly infounding era: Azuchi

Yamagata Prefecture.

Momoyama.

energy.

81Company History

Kojima Sohonten’s Company History

1400

1600

1800

2000

＜Earthenware Pots / Kame＞＜Kioke＞＜Enamel Tanks＞
into
1952 Incorporation
Kojima Sohonten

founding by
1597 Company’s
Yazaemon Kojima

1984
Opening of Sake
Museum9

1Company History

Kojima Sohonten’s Company History

2010

2015

2020

2025

＜Enamel Tanks＞

2012

2015

Development of Toko Launch of Toko
Ginjo Umeshu
Junmai Ginjo Genshu

Launch of Azuchi
Momoyama

Switch to renewableenergy

2021

2023

2020

2022

Rice with automatic
Switch to Junmai-only
production & Kioke challenge weeding robot

10

2

2. Strategic map

11

2

2. Strategic mapi.

Economicalii. Greeniii. Ethical122Strategic map

Economical

13

2Strategic map-Economical

Seek happy and stable lives
for employees throughcontinuous growth

Introduction of equipment thatwill allow for greener brewing
while continuing to grow.

Consumer-focused quality-oriented productdevelopment

142Strategic map - Economic Value
Amidst the Corona pandemic, while overall sakesales are down year-on-year, Kojima Sohonten
continued to grow in 2021 and 2022, achieving
1.3 times that of 2013 in the latter year.

Kojima Sohonten Sales Results（compared to 2013）[-]2
売上実績（2013年比）
Sales (compared to 2013)

1.5

1

0.5

0
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017 2018
Period (Year)

2019

2020

2021

2022

Fig. Kojima Sohonten Sales Results（Including Exports）（compared to 2013）[-]*Ratio of sales (including exports) in each year when sales in 2013 is set to 1

15

2Strategic map-Economical

Export Countries
With an export network already spanning approx. 20 countries, Toko is working to transcendborders and culture to share the deliciousness of carefully-crafted sake to people around theworld.

China, Korea, Taiwan, Macau Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia,
Germany, Denmark, Spain, Russia, Israel, America, Canada, Brazil.

Export Countries

20

16

2

Strategic map - Economic Value

Kojima Sohonten Alcoholic Beverage
Export Sales（vs. 2013） [-]80
Export Sales Results (vs 2013)
輸出売上実績（2013年比）

70

Sake exports haveincreased 4.5 times in
10 years

50
40

156

30
105

115

10.7

10
1.0

241

222
187

234
29.9

33.8

140
13.3

14.0

500

400

Export Net Sales (100million yen)
日本酒の輸出高
[億]

60

20

475
402
64.8 67.9

16.0

300

200
100

4.5

0

0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Period (Year)億
Domestic sake exports (100 million yen)

Kojima Sohonten's export
performance in 2022 was 68 times
that of 2013

Fig. Kojima Sohonten Export Results (vs. 2013) and Domestic Sake
Exports[-]*Ratio of actual export sales in 2013 to actual sales in each year when actual export sales in 2013

are set as 117

2Strategic map-Economical

Milestones
World Sakagura Ranking 2020 tied 37th

Kojimaya Untitled 1 received platinum in
Dewasansan rice tranch2021 gold Toko Junmai Daiginjo Yuki Megami
2020 gold Toko Junmai Daiginjo Yuki Megami, Toko Junmai Ginjo Genshu
2019 gold Toko Karakuchi Junmai Daiginjo
2018 gold Toko Junmai Daiginjo Fukuroshibori, Toko Junmai Ginjo Dewasansan

Toko Junmai Ginjo Dewasansan, Toko Junmai Ginjo Dewa no Sato, Toko Junmai

182Strategic map – Green

Green

19

2

Strategic map - Green―Confronting climate change ―• Effect of climate change
Sake breweries are grappling with the effects
of climate change. Poor and lower harvest
yields of sake rice caused by hightemperatures is one such example. In recent

years, rising average summer temperatures aremaking it difficult to achieve the intended
sake quality.

Kojima Sohonten is continuing to take action to protect the surrounding nature.
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2Strategic map - Green

Switch to Junmai-only brewing
40
％

100%
Switch toJunmaiachieved

純米酒
アルコール添加

2009

2020

Fig. Ratio (%) of total brewing that is Junmai
In 2020, Kojima Sohonten switched its entire production to a Junmaionly lineup, sake made without the addition of brewer’s alcohol.

By using only locally produced ingredients instead of brewed alcohol
made outside of Japan, the company has reduced its food mileage andcontributed to the reduction of energy and CO2 emissions generated
during transportation.

*Food mileage: thedistance food travels from
where it is grown or
manufactured to where it
is ultimately consumed.
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2Strategic map - Green

Purification of waste water

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) [mg/L]

From rice washing

Fig. Kojima Sohonten’s wastewater processing method
Kojima Sohonten is working toAbove standard value
maintain the local water quality

150
100
50

Giving back tocommunity

ph adjustment

Stored in tank

200

Aeration tank

Water storage tank

Below standard value
Uniform effluent standard value(daily average)
160 mg/L (120 mg/L)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) [mg/L]

0
2019/1/9
2019/4/19 2019/7/28
Date of measurement (days)

2019/11/5

by purifying wastewater from rice
Approx. 3% ofeffluent standard

washing and cleaning down toapprox. 3% of the effluent
standard before returning to therivers.

Fig. Biochemical oxygen demand of wastewater produced by Kojima Sohonten (BOD) [mg/L]
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2Strategic map - Green
Biogas power station（Okitama）

tonnesCO2 emissions (tonnes CO2)

Switching all electricity to renewable energy
700
600

Fuel oil500

230 tonnes
CO2

400
300
200

Electricity

451tonnes
CO2

From Spring 2023
Total
shift
to
renewable energy
energy sources

100
0
小嶋総本店CO2排出量

Breakdown of Kojima Sohonten’s energy usage andannual CO2 emissions (tonnes)

Modern sake brewing uses a lot of electricity such as to control the fermentation temperature and power the
refrigerated storage, which while improving the quality of sake have also increased production CO2 emissions. Amid
the effect of climate change on the rice quality, Kojima Sohonten will reduce its carbon footprint with a view to
becoming a sustainable sake brewery. From 2023, the company will switch all electricity used in the production
process to natural energy produced in Yamagata Prefecture’s Okitama region.

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2Strategic map - Green

Organic Sake Rice Cultivation
In 2022, the company started a pesticide-free cultivation experimentusing an Aigamo robot on fields that up until the previous year were
cultivated the conventional way using agrichemicals. The
experiment is part of a wider goal to grow regional varieties of sakerice while protecting the biodiversity of the rice fields. The firstyear was a success and the company plans to develop products
using organic rice and continue to explore organic farming methods「農薬を使わずに田んぼの生物多様性を守りながtogether with contract farmers.
ら、地域性のある酒米を栽培したい」と考え

Spring/Autumn 2022, Rice cultivation using the
Aigamo Robot*Aigamo Robot
Automatic weeding robot
designed by Organic Rice Design
Co.,Ltd.
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2Strategic map - Green

Waste-free Sake Brewing
Rather than discarding them, we
utilize all raw material-derived
by-products such as rice bran andlees. Rice bran is used as a foodingredient and as fertilizer for「農薬を使わずに田んぼの生物多様性を守りながら、地域性のあ
nearby orchards, while the sake
る酒米を栽培したい」と考え

lees are used to make fruity andaromatic shochu which becomesDistilling sake lees (left) to make the base shochu of thecompany’s Toko ginjo umeshu product (right).

the base for the company’s ginjo
umeshu.

⇦ The sake lees that remain afterpressing are also provided to nearby
有機米デザインorchards as fertilizer.
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2Strategic map – Green

Ethical26

2Strategic map - EthicalAs a local, long-established company in a
traditional industry, Kojima Sohonten is
engaged in significant initiatives to preserve
culture that is dying out and contribute to the
local community.

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2Strategic map - Ethical

Breakdown of land owned by Kojima Sohonten

80,000Forests owned
Kojima Sohonten(production facility)
Sake Brewery Museum

Land area [ｍ2]60,00040,00078 %53,78516 %

11,1396%4348

20,0000

Owned premises

Fig. Breakdown of land owned by Kojima Sohonten [%]28

2Strategic map - EthicalConnection with Uesugi Shrine /Succession of Snow Lantern Festival
Kojima Sohonten has been an official liquor store of the Uesugi family of the Yonezawa
Domain. Since the Meiji era, the former site of Yonezawa Castle has been loved by citizens
as Uesugi Shrine, and Toko is still used as the sacred sake for ceremonies there.
Kojima Sohonten works with Uesugi Shrine, a spiritual symbol of Yonezawa, to pass on
local history and culture, serving taruzake and amazake to visitors during Hatsumode and at
festivals. 。

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Coexisting with local community
3
Yonezawa Sake Rice Research Group

小嶋総本店のモットーは「田んぼから始まる酒造り」。米作りに適した土地柄を最大限に活かすために「米沢酒米研究会」を立ち上げ、契約農家とともに米作りに取り組んできました。酒の仕込みは冬に行われるため、夏は米作り、冬は酒造りというサイクルで、深く原料と向き合っているのです。
Kojima Sohonten established a sake rice research group in 2012 with local contract
farmers to study rice cultivation together. Since the cultivation techniques for sakerice differ in some respects from those for table rice, they are working with farmers
who initially had no experience in sake rice cultivation to learn cultivation techniques
and improve quality from the rice paddies.
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Coexisting with local community
3
Creating stable employment in the agricultural off-season

For rice farmers in areas with heavy snowfall, the winter months when snow
accumulates are non-productive off seasons. Kojima Sohonten hires these farmers as
temporary brewers to help provide stable employment all year around, while alsoenabling the full-time brewing staff to experience a complete production cycle fromthe rice paddies to sake brewing.
31

2Strategic map - EthicalFertile Soil of Yonezawa
Located in the southernmost part of Yamagata
Prefecture, Yonezawa is a basin surrounded by
2,000-meter mountains: Mt.Ou to the east, Mt.
Azuma to the south, and Mt. Iide to the west.

The water flowing out of the nutrient-rich soil
and the difference in temperature between its
four seasons, some of the most distinct in theworld, have helped rice cultivation to flourish
and produce delicious rice. The forests andundeveloped woodland also form a rich
ecosystem.

Japanese Macaque (SnowMonkey)Japonica Lutea

White, wild two-tailed macaques
inhabit the Azuma Mountains, but are
a rare sight.

A species of the Lycaenid butterfly familyfound in rice paddies, only in a small partof Iwate, Yamagata, and Niigata
prefectures.

Serow
Widely found mainly inmountainous areas. Designated as
the prefecture’s animal. 32

2Strategic map - EthicalFig. Yonezawa’s Four Seasons33

3

3. Product Lineup
34

3 Product Lineup

Toko Azuchi Momoyama
ABV

15 %

SMV

+1

Raw
Ingredients

Kame no O、Tsuya Hime
brewing rice

Rice Polishing
Ratio

90％
（Kame noO: 50%、
Tsuyahime:
90%)

This collaboration with Mr.Matsui, a bizenyaki potter in Okayama
Prefecture, marks a return to sake brewing in earthenware pots called

kame, which is one of the methods that was used at the time of thebrewery’s founding, 400 years ago in the eponymous Azuchi
Momoyama period. The mineral feel of brewing in kame is wellbalanced with the acidity and umami produced by the diverse arrayof microbes that inhabit the kimoto starter.

35

3 Product Lineup
Yonezawahan Uesugika goyo sakaya no Kenjoshu

Junmai Ginjo Kiokejikomi
ABV

16 %

SMV

?

Raw
Ingredients

Kame no O
brewing rice

Rice Polishing
Ratio

55 ％

Sake brewed in a new modern version of the wooden vats thatwere used as brewing vessels in the Edo period (1603-1868)
when Kojima Sohonten offered sake to the Uesugi family.

Enjoy the light, complex flavor with a subtle hint of freshcedar.

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3 Product Lineup

Fukurotsuri

Toko Junmai Daiginjo Fukurotsuri

Toko Junmai Daiginjo Fukurotsuri Juuhachi

ABV

16%

SMV

-2

Raw Ingredients

YamadaNishikibrewing
rice

Rice Polishing
Ratio

35％

*NEW: winter, 2022

International Sake
Challenge 2016 Gold
WinnerToko Junmai Daiginjo Fukurotsuri
Yuki Megami

ABV

15%

SMV

-2

Raw
Ingredients

Yamagata-grownbrewing rice, Yuki
Megami

Rice Polishing
Ratio

18％

ABV

16%

SMV

-2

Raw
Ingredients

Yamagatagrownbrewing
rice, Yuki
Megami

精米歩合

35％Fine Sake Awards
2018 Gold Winner

A method of pressing designed to capture each luxurious drop
Fukurotsuri is a method of pressing where brewers hang the sake up in special bags and let thesake drip out naturally. It is one of the most labor-intensive methods, but sake pressed this way
has more elegant, subtle flavor profiles. Kojima Sohonten’s product lineup includes 3 fukurotsuri,each with a spring water-like clarity.

37

3

Product lineup

Toko Junmai Ginjo Genshu
Fine Sake Awards 2022 Gold WinnerFine Sake Awards 2020 Gold WinnerFine Sake Awards Gold Winner 3 Consecutive Years2018 SAKE-China Appraisals Platinum Winner

ABV

16 %

SMV

-4

Raw
Ingredients

Yamagata
Prefecturegrownbrewing rice

Rice Polishing
Ratio

55 ％

Fruity with solid backbone of umami
Highly acclaimed in contests around the world, this is Kojima
Sohonten’s best seller offering incredible cost performance.
Excellent balanced sake with a soft texture, medium body andprofile of ripened fruits and a dry, clean finish. An everyday
sake with class. Although it is a genshu (undiluted sake), the
16% abv ensures that it does not tire the palate out.

38

3

Product Lineup

Junmai Daiginjo
Toko Junmai Daiginjo

Toko Junmai Daiginjo Yuki

Toko Hidarikiki Junmai

Toko Junmai Daiginjo

Yamada Nishiki

Megami

Daiginjo

Karakuchi

ABV

16%

ABV

16%

ABV

15%

ABV

15%

SMV

-1

SMV

-2

SMV

-1

SMV

5

Raw ingredients

YamadaNishikibrewingrice

Raw ingredients

Yamagata-grown Yuki
Megami brewing rice

Raw ingredients

Raw
ingredients

Dewakirari
brewing rice

Rice Polishing
Ratio

45％

Yamagatagrown
Dewasansan
brewing rice

Rice polishing
ratio

50％

Rice Polishing Ratio

45％

Smooth, mouth fillingwith intrinsic Yamada
Nishiki profile.

Rice polishingratio

Feminine elegance withclarity.
Fine Sake Awards 2020・2021 Gold
Winner50％

A dry sake overflowing withcrystal-clear clarity.

Light and florid,
sophisticated profile.
Fine Sake Awards 39
2019 Gold
Winner3

Product Lineup

Junmai Ginjo Toko
Toko Junmai Ginjo

Toko Junmai Ginjo Dewa no

Toko Chokarakuchi (ultra-

Dewasansan

Satodry) Junmai Ginjo

Toko Junmai

ABV

15%

ABV

17%

ABV

16%

ABV

15%

SMV

1

SMV

-4

SMV

8

SMV

1

Raw
ingredients

Yamagata Dewasansan Raw
brewing rice
ingredients

Yamagata Dewanosato
brewing riceRaw
ingredients

Yamagata-grown
Rice

Raw
ingredients

Yamagatagrown rice

Rice polishing
ratio

55％

60％

Rice polishing
ratio

60％

Rice polishing
ratio

60％

Rice polishingratioSoft and delicate. A feminine sake
Certified as Yamagata Selection, anthat goes well with Japanese dining. initiative to promote Yamagata's"treasures" to the world.
Fine Sake Awards 2018 Gold
WinnerFine Sake Awards 2018 Gold
WinnerUltra dry sake with a mild
aroma and excellent
sharpness.
Fine Sake Awards 2022 and2023 Gold Winner

Mild and relaxed flavor
profile. A standard
Junmai-shu without any
eccentricity.
40