Brand Design: Koshi no Kanbai (Part II) - Nippon Design Center USA Inc

In any line of work, client relations are essential. I have been lucky to forge many meaningful relationships that span for years, if not decades. Koshi no Kanbai is a particularly enduring relationship that first began in 2014 with the design of their sake, Sai.

Koshi no Kanbai is a brand of sake made by Ishimoto Brewery in Niigata, Japan, since 1880. Known for its crisp, dry style known as tanrei karakuchi, the brewery gained particular notoriety for its unyielding high standards. Their relentless pursuit of perfection is a craft that has been passed down through generations.

My involvement with the brewery initially began on the back of designing their then new sake addition, Sai. Over the course of the decade, I worked on redesigning their other sake bottles with each taking around a year to complete. To date, I worked on around 20 bottles including the Ichirin Itteki daiginjō, Amane junmai ginjō, and even their umeshu plum wine and shōchū bottle and package design. This naturally led to the redesign of their website in 2023, which launched in 2024, for a more holistic product experience.

In recent years, something very exciting has been bubbling. Koshi no Kanbai, keen on giving back to the community as it is about making sake, is embarking on a grand project to create a flagship community space in the ancient agricultural heartland.

This space, yet to be named, is a large double-winged, mixed-use facility on the brewery grounds. Rooted in the belief that sake brings purity and blessings, as well as bringing people together, it is a place of enjoyment for the community.

My involvement with the brewery initially began on the back of designing their then new sake addition, Sai. Over the course of the decade, I worked on redesigning their other sake bottles with each taking around a year to complete. To date, I worked on around 20 bottles including the Ichirin Itteki daiginjō, Amane junmai ginjō, and even their umeshu plum wine and shōchū bottle and package design. This naturally led to the redesign of their website in 2023, which launched in 2024, for a more holistic product experience.

In recent years, something very exciting has been bubbling. Koshi no Kanbai, keen on giving back to the community as it is about making sake, is embarking on a grand project to create a flagship community space in the ancient agricultural heartland.

This space, yet to be named, is a large double-winged, mixed-use facility on the brewery grounds. Rooted in the belief that sake brings purity and blessings, as well as bringing people together, it is a place of enjoyment for the community.

The place is more than a retreat for sake lovers; it is a hub for locals. Shops selling local products from fresh flowers to seasonal vegetables and fresh fish for pairing with great sake make it a destination for locals and tourists alike. For the non-foodies, specialty items, such as handmade cosmetics made with enzyme-rich kōji essential to crafting sake, will stock the shelves. The addition of community and education spaces make the place a site for gatherings and a key part of everyday life.

The visionary behind the place is Koshi no Kanbai’s Chairman, Tatsunori Ishimoto. Forever dedicated, thoughtful and kind, he sees sake as a marker of life’s memorable moments. Currently, I’m working with my studio team and Koshi no Kanbai to situate the narrative, proposition and function.