Premium sake brand Kuheiji [Nara Cellar]
Premium sake brand Kuheiji [Nara Cellar]

Kuheiji, a premium Japanese sake brand with 380 years of history, is making its official debut in South Korea as the country's high-end liquor market draws growing interest.

Nara Cellar, a Korean importer of overseas spirits, announced Monday it will officially launch seven varieties of Kuheiji, a premium sake produced by the traditional Japanese brewery Banjo Brewing.

The launch comes just five days after Nara Cellar introduced IWA 5 Assemblage 7 on Wednesday, reflecting the importer's push to build out a lineup of premium sake offerings distinguished by differentiated brewing technology and brand strength.

Kuheiji is a sake brand produced by Banjo Brewing, founded in 1647 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Drawing on nearly 380 years of brewing tradition, the brand combines modern production techniques with its heritage to craft flavors that set it apart from conventional sake.

Its most distinctive feature is the application of the wine industry concepts of "terroir" and "vintage" to sake production. Terroir refers to the natural environment — soil, climate and geography — where the ingredients are grown, while vintage denotes the harvest year of the raw materials. Even when the same variety of rice is used, the brand pursues different flavor profiles depending on growing conditions and harvest timing.

This brewing philosophy is led by Kuno Kuheiji, the 15th-generation head of the family. Banjo Brewing oversees the entire process from rice cultivation to brewing, maintaining close control over the characteristics and quality of each production region. Since 2016, the brewery has also produced wine in Burgundy, France, under the name Domaine Kuheiji, further developing its expertise across both sake and wine.

The seven products launching in South Korea include the flagship Kamoshibito Kuheiji Eau du Désir 2025, a signature sake made from Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Kurodashō, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

The sake is characterized by aromas of ripe fruit, white flowers, herbs and citrus, with a smooth texture and refreshing acidity. Nara Cellar plans to target consumers seeking premium sake with its balanced profile of subtle sweetness, umami and minerality.

To mark the launch, Nara Cellar will hold a series of events from Wednesday through Saturday, including pairing dinners and a master class. Shirai Kazunori, export director and production manager at Banjo Brewing, will visit South Korea to introduce the brand's brewing philosophy and the characteristics of each product.

On Wednesday, a special pairing dinner featuring cuisine by Chef Yonemura alongside Kuheiji sake will be held at Homulang. On Friday, a special dinner combining an omakase menu with sake will take place at Tanba, followed by a master class for industry professionals the same day. A seminar for general consumers is scheduled for Saturday.

All seven Kuheiji varieties will be available at Nara Cellar's own retail outlets — Nara Cellar Reserve and Winepicks — as well as at Shinsegae department stores and select luxury hotels in South Korea. Nara Cellar plans to leverage the distribution network it has built through premium wine retail to expand its presence in the high-end sake market.

"Following IWA 5, we are now introducing Kuheiji — two premium sake brands that each incorporate the brewing philosophy of Champagne and wine in their own distinct ways — as we continue to strengthen our differentiated sake portfolio," a Nara Cellar official said. "We will keep introducing premium sake with original brewing philosophies and distinctive character to broaden the choices available to Korean consumers."


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