Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.

Yamanashi Meijo was established in 1750 by Ibei Kitahara, a descendant of a brewing family from the Nagano region. Kitahara relocated to the Hakushu area of Yamanashi after finding the noted quality of the local water, which he considered essential for high quality fermentation. The company remains a family owned enterprise, currently managed by the 13th generation of the Kitahara lineage under CEO Tsushima Kitahara. The brand name, Shichiken, originated in 1835 when the brewery received a set of decorative transoms depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove as a gift from the Lord of Takato Castle. In 1925, the tenth generation head formally incorporated the business as Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd. and officially launched the Shichiken brand.

The brewery is located at the foot of Mount Kaikomagatake in the Southern Alps, where the production process relies on soft subsoil water filtered through layers of granite. While the company traditionally focused on ginjo style sake, it established a dedicated division for sparkling beverages in 2015. This new initiative utilizes the traditional method of secondary fermentation in the bottle, a technique borrowed from Champagne production, to create bubbles and complex lees character. Ryogo Kitahara, the executive director and head of brewing, oversees the technical operations. The brewery also emphasizes local agriculture by sourcing rice from the surrounding Hakushu region and managing its own paddies to ensure control over the raw materials.

The producer is best known for the Shichiken label and its formative role in the premium sparkling sake category. Its lineup includes the Alain Ducasse Sparkling Sake, a collaboration with the French chef designed to pair with Mediterranean cuisine. These sparkling expressions are frequently served in wine glasses to highlight their aromatic profiles and are positioned as alternatives to traditional sparkling wines in fine dining. The brewery has received international recognition, including a Champion Sake award at the International Wine Challenge. This award underscores its standing in the global beverage market, where it is often categorized with fine wines for its technical precision and terroir driven approach.