Who will enjoy this brewery
- People who, while sightseeing in Kanazawa (金沢), want to join a kikizake (唎き酒, sake tasting) course that requires booking, and compare many kinds of sake (if you book in advance, you can be guided by an English-speaking guide)
- People visiting Kanazawa between November and March who want to see the inside of a brewery while sake is being brewed
- People who want to choose and buy “Kagatobi (加賀鳶)”, named after firefighters of Edo, in the brewery’s home town
About Fukumitsuya
Fukumitsuya (福光屋) is a sake brewery in Ishibiki, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. It was founded in 1625. Its brands include “Kagatobi” and “Fukumasamune (福正宗)”, which has long been drunk locally in Kanazawa. Since August 2025, 福光太一郎, the 14th generation, has served as president.
Fukumitsuya accepts brewery tours that require booking (checked on October 19, 2026). The tasting courses run all year, and the course that goes inside the brewery runs only from November to March.
“Hyakunen-sui”, the water that springs from under Ishibiki
In the Edo period, Kanazawa was the castle town of the Kaga Domain (加賀藩). Ishibiki, where Fukumitsuya’s brewery stands, is a place where the mark of a brewery is drawn even on old maps from the Edo period. The brewery has not moved from here since it was founded. The shop name (屋号) comes from Fukumitsu (福光町) in Etchu (越中, today’s Toyama Prefecture), the home town of the family that bought this brewery in the second half of the 18th century.
The brewery did not move because of the water here. The water used for brewing springs from 150 m underground, directly below the brewery. The brewery calls this water “Hyakunen-sui (百年水, hundred-year water)”, as water from rain that fell at the foot of Hakusan (白山) and took a hundred years to arrive. On the tour courses, you walk to the place where this brewing water is.
Rice grown with farmers, and a brewery of junmai sake only
The sake rice (rice suited to making sake) is grown for the brewery by farmers under contract. This began in 1960. Farmers from 中区坂本 in Taka (多可町), Hyogo Prefecture, traveled around Japan looking for a brewery that would value their “Yamada Nishiki (山田錦)” properly, and the brewery they reached was Fukumitsuya. The brewery made a contract to buy all of the Yamada Nishiki from more than ten farmers. Later, the contracts spread to farmers across 中区, and some of the rice fields received organic JAS certification in 2008. “Kinmon Nishiki (金紋錦)” from Kijimadaira (木島平村), Nagano Prefecture, is also among the contract-grown rice.
Starting with its sake brewing in the 2001 brewing year, Fukumitsuya switched all of its sake to junmai brewing. This is a way of making sake only from rice, rice koji and water, without adding brewer’s alcohol. The taste the brewery aims for is 「旨くて、軽い」 (“full of flavor, and light”): sake to enjoy with food, whose umami spreads when you take it in your mouth and fades away lightly after you drink it.
“Kagatobi”, named after the firefighters of Edo
Kagatobi is a brand launched in 1992. The name comes from a band of firefighters kept by the Kaga Domain’s residence in Edo (today’s Tokyo): the Kagatobi firefighters. Known for their skill and also for being quick to pick a fight, they were popular figures in the town of Edo. In the early Meiji era, a kabuki play about the Kagatobi firefighters was also created.
The brewery gives this brand the theme of “iki (粋, a refined, unfussy style)”, and what it values most is “kire (キレ, a clean finish)”: the taste fades away cleanly after you swallow. It aims for a “karakuchi (辛口, dry)” sake with restrained sweetness that still keeps the umami of the rice. In sake, “karakuchi” does not mean salty or spicy.
Here are three Kagatobi products of different types (checked on October 19, 2026).
- Gokkan Junmai Dry (極寒純米 辛口) — A “junmai-shu”: made only from rice, rice koji and water. It is fermented slowly at a low temperature in the coldest part of winter. The brewery treats it as the basic Kagatobi sake, and it can be drunk chilled or warmed as kan (燗)
- Yamahai Junmai Extra Dry (山廃純米 超辛口) — A junmai-shu made by the “yamahai” method. Yamahai is a way of making sake that stops the traditional work of grinding steamed rice, rice koji and water together, and uses the power of the rice koji to dissolve the rice. It has a clear acidity and deep richness, and the aftertaste finishes sharply. The brewery recommends pairing it with yakitori or aged cheese
- Ai Junmai Daiginjo (純米大吟醸 藍) — A “junmai daiginjo”: made only from rice, rice koji and water, with more than half of the outer part of the rice polished away. The rice is only contract-grown Yamada Nishiki, and it has an aroma that brings to mind apples and pears
Ingredients and brewing methods differ from product to product. Please check the label for the type. Some products, such as Kagatobi yamahai junmai ginjo 金沢限定 (sold only in the Kanazawa area), are sold only around Kanazawa. Fukumasamune is Fukumitsuya’s house brand, made as an everyday sake for meals that brings out food and conversation.
Visiting the brewery
Brewery tours and kikizake that require booking
Fukumitsuya runs brewery tour and kikizake courses that require booking. If you book in advance, every course can be guided by an English-speaking guide (checked on October 19, 2026). Bookings are made on the booking site, and open one month before the day you want. Information in English is on the brewery’s English page.
| Course (checked on October 19, 2026) | What it includes | Price (tax included) | Days and times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium sake-tasting course (唎き酒 プレミアムコース) | A video, the brewing water, and kikizake with explanations. Up to 10 people, about 45 minutes | 3,300 yen per person | April–October: daily at 11:00 and 15:00. November–March: daily at 11:00; 15:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays |
| Brewery-interior course (蔵内コース) | A video, the brewing water, the inside of the brewery, and kikizake. 6–10 people, about 1 hour 30 minutes | 3,300 yen per person | November–March: Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays (except public holidays) at 15:00 |
| Grand premium sake-tasting course (唎き酒 グランプレミアムコース) | Kikizake including 30-year-aged sake. Private, up to 6 people, about 45 minutes | 11,000 yen per person | Decided by asking about the day and time you want |
- The venue is “SAKE SHOP Fukumitsuya Kanazawa”, attached to the brewery. It is not “福光屋 ひがし” in the Higashi Chaya District
- Only people aged 20 or older can join the brewery-interior course. People under 20 cannot join the other courses on their own either
- On the brewery-interior course, you climb stairs up to the 3rd floor. There is no elevator. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you cannot go inside the brewery. Please keep perfume light
- Even after booking has closed, you may be able to join on the day if there are places left. Please ask by phone (076-223-1117)
- Cancel on the booking site by the day before. Cancelling on the day costs the full fee
- Suitcases can be left in the tour room (there is no luggage storage)
- People who came by car, motorbike or bicycle cannot take part in the tasting. In Japan, drunk driving is prohibited by law
SAKE SHOP Fukumitsuya Kanazawa
This is the brewery’s own shop, attached to the brewery. It carries all of Fukumitsuya’s junmai sake brands, sake vessels and local small dishes to go with sake, and it also has a BAR corner where you can drink sake. Opening hours are 10:00–18:00 (last order at the BAR corner 17:30), and the phone number is 076-223-1117 (checked on October 19, 2026). Closing days are not listed on the official website, so please check with the shop before visiting.
“福光屋 ひがし” in the Higashi Chaya District is also open 10:00–18:00, and at its bar you can enjoy sake with small dishes, and the brewery’s sweets.
Getting there
SAKE SHOP Fukumitsuya Kanazawa (〒920-8638 石川県金沢市石引二丁目8番3号)
- By bus: From Kanazawa Station, take a Hokuriku Railroad (北陸鉄道) route bus and get off at “Kodatsuno (小立野)”. If you came from the Kanazawa Station side, walk in the direction the bus was going, and the shop is just across the first traffic light. The Hokuriku Railroad buses one-day pass can be used. Please check bus stops and times, including the return bus, on Hokuriku Railroad’s route bus search
- From Kenroku-en: About 15 minutes on foot from the Kodatsuno entrance of Kenroku-en (兼六園)
- There is no parking for large buses
To reach 福光屋 ひがし, get off at “Hashiba-cho (橋場町)” on a Hokuriku Railroad bus, the Kanazawa Loop Bus (城下まち金沢周遊バス) or a JR Bus, and walk about 3 minutes to the Higashi Chaya District.
Travel times are estimates given by the brewery (checked on October 19, 2026).
Opening days and tour arrangements may change. Please check the brewery’s official information before visiting.
Where to buy Fukumitsuya’s sake
The brewery has two of its own shops in Kanazawa and two in Tokyo (checked on October 19, 2026). The brewery’s shops that used to be in Ginza and Marunouchi in Tokyo have already closed.
| Area | Shop | Address | Shop website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanazawa | SAKE SHOP 福光屋 金沢店 | 石川県金沢市石引二丁目8番3号 Open in Google Maps | Official |
| Kanazawa | 福光屋 ひがし | 石川県金沢市東山1丁目14番9号 Open in Google Maps | Official |
| Tokyo | 福光屋 玉川店 | 東京都世田谷区玉川3-17-1 玉川高島屋S・C 南館地下1階 (about 2 minutes on foot from 二子玉川 Station) Open in Google Maps | Official |
| Tokyo | 福光屋 東京ミッドタウン店 | 東京都港区赤坂9-7-4 東京ミッドタウン ガレリア地下1階 (directly connected to Exit 8 of 六本木 Station) Open in Google Maps | Official |
The brewery’s official online shop accepts orders from abroad, but delivery is limited to addresses in Japan.
The brewery does not publish a list of stockists other than its own shops (checked on October 19, 2026). Kagatobi is also sold in 16 countries and regions outside Japan, including the United States, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and France (checked on October 19, 2026).
Before you buy
- Products marked “金沢限定” (Kanazawa only), and seasonal products such as namazake (unpasteurized sake), are sold only at certain shops and at certain times of year. Please keep products marked “keep refrigerated (要冷蔵)” cold while you carry them.
- If you are taking sake home abroad: Bottles over 100 ml cannot go in your carry-on bag before security screening. Put them in your checked baggage, or buy them at a duty-free shop after security screening. Please check in advance what applies if you have a connecting flight, and the import limits of the country you are arriving in. → Travel tips
Other breweries in Ishikawa Prefecture are gathered on our Ishikawa Prefecture page.
Brewery facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Brewery | 株式会社福光屋 (Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery) |
| Founded | 1625 (the 2nd year of the Kan’ei era) |
| Representative | 福光太一郎 (14th head of the family) |
| Address | 〒920-8638 石川県金沢市石引二丁目8番3号 Open in Google Maps |
| Phone | 076-223-1161 (main line). Tours and the Kanazawa shop: 076-223-1117 |
| Main brands | Kagatobi (加賀鳶), Fukumasamune (福正宗) |
| Rice used | Contract-grown Yamada Nishiki, Kinmon Nishiki, フクノハナ and Gohyakumangoku (五百万石) |
| Brewing water | “Hyakunen-sui”, which springs from 150 m directly below the brewery |
| Official website | https://www.fukumitsuya.co.jp/ |
| Brewery tours | Accepted (booking required, paid). The course that goes inside the brewery runs only from November to March |
| List of stockists | Not published for shops other than the brewery’s own (checked on October 19, 2026) |
| English support | An English official website is available. Tour and kikizake courses can be guided by an English-speaking guide if booked in advance |