Since time immemorial sake has been brewed only in the winter. But in the last 40 years or so a handful of the nation's breweries pioneered shiki jozo (year-round brewing), cranking out sake in large, climate-controlled factories. For various reasons, only the largest breweries can pull this off. The giants -- and Horaitsuru, the smallest sake brewery in Japan.
Horaitsuru was founded in Hiroshima in 1805, a time when space availability made sake brewery located within city precincts a possibility.
But times change, and as less and less sake is consumed, increasing numbers of breweries go under each year. Eventually, Horaitsuru was faced with a difficult decision. Sales weren't justifying continued production, but the company didn't want to throw in the towel completely. So they came up with a creative solution.