Sugihara Brewery, one of Japan's smallest sake breweries, produced just 3,000 bottles annually in 2003 when Keiki Sugihara, the 5th generation brewer, returned from service in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. Eager to preserve Japanese sake culture, he convinced his predecessor to repair the dilapidated brewery instead of closing it. Without formal training, he experimented independently and in 2009, co-developed the "Ibi No Homare" rice variant with local farmers, launching the "Ibi" brand. Despite its rising popularity, the brewery's production remains limited, at just 6,000 bottles annually in 2020.

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