The History of Hombo Shuzo

1872

Founded with the spirit of ‘serving society through industrial development’
Matsusaemon Hombo and his father, Gouemon, started a cotton manufacturing business

1885

Matsusaemon began producing rapeseed oil

1902

Started a merchandise sales business under the name Hombo Brothers Partnership

1909

The Hombo Brothers Partnership was reorganized into a company, with Asakichi Hombo assuming the role of representative

Began production of traditional shochu (current Honkaku Shochu)

1918

Began production of modern shochu (current Korui Shochu)

1921

Opened a Kagoshima branch in Tsukiji, Kagoshima City

1926

Moved the Kagoshima branch to Sumiyoshi-cho, Kagoshima City

1928

Presented two bottles of ‘Hoshi’ shochu to the Emperor and Empress
Following this, the trademark was changed to ‘Takaraboshi’

Established Hombo Partnership Company, with Tokichi Hombo as the representative partner

Started afforestation and forestry business

1936

Began production of Mirin

1941

Began production of Synthetic Sake

1942

Became a contracted producer under the Alcohol Monopoly Law

1945

The Kagoshima branch and Tsunuki Manufacturer were completely destroyed by air raids

1947

Reconstruction of Tsunuki Manufacturer was completed

1949

Began production of whisky

1952

Began production of Jizake (Akumochi-zake)

1954

Opened the Fukuoka office (now Fukuoka branch)

Began production of raw alcohol

1955

Began production of Umeshu

Began production of sweet wine

Incorporated as Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tsunuki, Kaseda City

Tokichi Hombo became the first president

Opened Kagoshima Manufacturer in Tsukimachi, Kagoshima City

Tsunekichi Hombo became the second president

1956

Moved Kagoshima Manufacturer to Kōrimoto, Kagoshima City

1957

Transferred the whisky manufacturing license from Tsunuki Manufacturer to Kagoshima Manufacturer

1958

Began production of spirits

1960

Established Yamanashi Manufacturer (now Mars Yamanashi Winery) in Yamanashi Prefecture

Began production of wine

Transferred the whisky manufacturing license to Yamanashi Manufacturer and began distillation of malt `genshu` using equipment designed by Kiichiro Iwai

Opened Kobayashi Manufacturer in Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture

Established Yakushima Manufacturer (now Yakushima Denshogura)

1961

Toyokichi Hombo became the third president

1962

Opened the Tokyo office (now Tokyo branch)

Moved the company headquarters from Tsunuki, Kaseda City, to Sumiyoshi-cho, Kagoshima City

1969

Re-acquired a new whisky manufacturing license at Kagoshima Manufacturer

1972

Suspended whisky distillation at Yamanashi Manufacturer

1973

Established Chiran Manufacturer (now Chiran Distillery) in Chiran, Kagoshima Prefecture

1974

Relocated and established a new Kagoshima Manufacturer in Nan’ei, Kagoshima City

1982

Established a traditional handmade shochu distillery (now Satsuma Gojyugura) at Kagoshima Manufacturer

1985

Established Shinshu Manufacturer (now Mars Komagatake Distillery) in Miyata Village, Nagano Prefecture, transferring the whisky license from Yamanashi Manufacturer

Ryukichi Hombo became the fourth president

1986

Opened the Osaka office (now Osaka branch)

1987

Established a biotechnology research institute within Kagoshima Manufacturer

1989

Renovated Yamanashi Manufacturer (added a new bottling manufacturer)

1991

Toyokichi Hombo became the fifth president

1992

Kiichiro Hombo became the sixth president

Opened the Kanto branch

Suspended whisky distillation at Shinshu Manufacturer

1994

Established the Konan Asia International Scholarship Foundation

1995

Co-founded Minami Shinshu Beer Co., Ltd. in Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture

2000

Established “Hosaka Hinoshiro Farm,” our estate vineyard, in Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture

2001

Began aging shochu in natural caves at the foot of Tachudake on Yakushima Island

2003

Opened “Tsunuki Kishogura” within Tsunuki Manufacturer

Osamu Hombo became the seventh president

2004

Completed a full renovation of Chiran Distillery

2005

Awarded the first gold medal for a Yamanashi Prefecture grape (Koshu and European varieties) at the Japan Wine Competition

2006

Established “Kawahira Farm,” our estate sweet potato field, adjacent to Chiran Distillery

2008

Completed a shochu lees processing plant at Chiran Distillery

Moved the company headquarters from Sumiyoshi-cho to Nanei, Kagoshima City

Established Clean Aqua Beverage Corporation, a dedicated mineral water producer, at the Kobayashi manufacturer

2011

Resumed whisky distillation at Mars Shinshu Distillery

2013

Awarded the “World’s Best” at the World Whiskies Awards (WWA)

Awarded the first-ever ‘Trophy’ for shochu at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC)

Kazuto Hombo became the eighth president

2014

Installed new whisky pot stills at Mars Shinshu Distillery

2016

Awarded the first-ever “Best Shochu” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)

Awarded the first-ever “Trophy” for shochu at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

Established the “Mars Yakushima Aging Cellar” at the Yakushima manufacturer

Began production at the newly established “Mars Tsunuki Distillery”

2017

Awarded the first-ever “Craft Producer of the Year” for Japan at the Icons of Whisky (IOW)

Established “Mars Hosaka Winery” in Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture

2019

Awarded the “Trophy” & “White Spirits Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

Awarded the “Trophy for Best White Wine” & “Riedel Award for Best White Winemaker” at the Japan Wine Challenge (JWC)

2020

Awarded the ‘Best Shochu’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)

Completed renovation of Mars Shinshu Distillery, adding a new whisky distillation building and visitor center

Awarded the “Trophy” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

2021

Awarded the “Best Shochu” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)

Awarded the “Trophy” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

Awarded the “Trophy” & “Shochu Producer of the Year Trophy” at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC)

2022

Awarded the “Trophy” & “Shochu Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

2023

Awarded the “Trophy” & “Shochu Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

2024

Renamed “Mars Shinshu Distillery” to “Mars Komagatake Distillery”

Awarded the “BEST OF THE BEST” & “BEST CATEGORY” at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC)

Awarded the “Trophy” & “Shochu Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)

2025

Awarded the “Trophy” & “Shochu Producer of the Year” at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC)