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Interviews with Exhibitors at Multicultural EXPO 2019
We will report what is going on at the front line of countermeasures for the 2020 issue through the interviews with exhibitors at Multicultural EXPO 2019 held in Asakusa in November 2019.
| Company name | Nanbu Bijin CO.LTD. |
|---|---|
| Company overview | The company was first established in 1902 (35th years of Meiji era) and has its brand since 1951 (26th years of Edo era). At that time, the director of Ninohe (Iwate Pref) tax office, Ito Masato, and our president, Kuji Hideo had a will to make a delicious Japanese sake, in the middle of amazake with low ratio of polished rice and has unfavorable taste that was mainstream nationwide. Known as the “southern country” (nanbu no kuni), Ninohe in Iwate Prefecture has a magnificent nature, a land blessed with good climate and abundant of water. For this reason, we named it “Nanbu Bijin” (means “southern beauty”). |
| Head office location | 13 Kamimachi Fukuoka, Ninode-shi, Iwate-ken 028-6101 |
| URL | https://royal-factory.co.jp/ |
| Contact person | Hirano Masaaki |
| TEL | 0195-23-3133 |
| Message / benefits to buyers and visitors | Our products are kosher and vegan-certified. Food safety is our first priority, everyone can enjoy our sake with peace of mind. We want more people to know about Japanese sake and Japanese culture. |
①Please tell us something about your company and products.
Sake rice “Gin-otome” we are using is grown only in the north part of Iwate Prefecture. For Nanbu Bijin, we cultivate it by collaborating with Kindaichi Agricultural Association from Ninode-shi Kindaichi.
By using a special technology, we cultivate it to come as close to organic and the Gin-otome from the cultivation are being used 100% for Nanbu Bijin. This cultivation method is certified as “special cultivation” by JA Zenno Iwate. We are accelerating the local sake by using local rice and maintain close contact with local community.
②Why you started to venture into the food diversities?
In 2013, Nanbu Bijin obtained kosher certification (Yudaya) that reach more people, even other than Yudaya people, to fall in love to Japanese sake and to Japan. From the point of safety, kosher foods have been a choice for foreigners, and with kosher certification, more people are able to enjoy the Japanese sake. On the top of that, we figured out the vegan.
Vegan is prohibited in consuming meat and fish, as well as egg, dairy product, and other animal-based foods. Some people may think, “Japanese sake is made only from rice and water, so vegan can enjoy it at the first place”, however, same with kosher certification, vegan certification will make more people from abroad to have it a taste in a peace of mind. We believe if other breweries in Japan will have more chances to reach out more people by obtaining the vegan certification.
③What is the best way to enjoy your products?
We recommend to enjoy it cold, together with various of foods.
The sugar-free umeshu, which has been patented, does not contain any sugar, so it tastes nice with both Japanese and Western foods.
④What are your expectations for exhibiting at the Multicultural Expo 2019?
Open up a vegan market as well as new market
⑤Where to purchase your products?
Sake stores and supermarket across Japan.
Nanbu Bijin online shop：http://www.shoproyal.jp/shop/
On Multicultural EXPO 2019
By reinterpreting HALAL EXPO JAPAN, “Multicultural EXPO 2019 – Tomorrow of Japan – ” will come back to Asakusa for the first time in two years as an EXPO in which we can think about “eating, experiencing, and living” necessary for Japan to get ready for 2020 together with people from all over the world and learn what to do about not only foreign tourists visiting Japan but also immigrant foreigners.
Host: Multicultural EXPO 2019 Executive Committee
Dates: 10:00 – 17:00 on November 13 (Wed) and 14 (Thu)
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Taito-Kan
Exhibitors: Halal-related business operators, vege and vegan-related business operators, local governments, regional revitalization organizations, and others.
※For any inquiries about taking part in the event and the EXPO itself, please visit our website.
