About Taiun Sake Brewing
Taiun Sake Brewing was founded in 2021 in Hikawa-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, after obtaining a license to brew sake for export.
Its main brand, “Taichu 65”, is sake brewed from “Taichung 65”, a Horai rice developed in Taiwan during the Japanese era. The founder began growing the rice in 2017 and designed and brewed it at a different brewery each year. After five years, he took the first step of founding his own brewery in 2021.
Just as “Taichu 65” is seen as a sake born of both Taiwan and Japan, the brewery aims to connect the two and foster exchange. Its name takes one character each from “Taiwan” and “Izumo”: Taiun.
Chen Wei-Jen
Born in Tainan, Taiwan. He discovered Japanese local sake while studying at Shimane University in 2008 and has been fascinated by it ever since. In 2012 he joined Asahi Shuzo in Yamaguchi Prefecture, working in brewing and overseas sales. To improve his brewing skills, he became a full-time kurabito (brewery worker) at Rihaku Shuzo in Shimane Prefecture in 2015. He was certified as a sake brewing technician in 2016, completed training at the National Research Institute of Brewing in 2017, and in 2018 brewed the first “Taichu 65” at Kisuki Shuzo.
Matsue Tourism Ambassador; Shimane Prefecture PR Ambassador
Career (year joined)
2012 Asahi Shuzo, Yamaguchi
2015 Rihaku Shuzo, Shimane
2017 Kisuki Shuzo, Shimane
2018 Itakura Shuzo, Shimane
2019 Munemasa Shuzo, Saga
2020 Hatsumomiji, Yamaguchi
2021 Founded Taiun Sake Brewing
Sake qualifications
First-class Sake Brewing Technician
Certified Sake Evaluator
In 1929, Iso Eikichi and Suenaga Megumu crossed “Kameji” from Shimane with “Shinriki” from Hyogo,
breeding “Taichung 65”, the first Horai rice to be widely grown in Taiwan.
It became the rice on Taiwanese dinner tables, and many later Horai varieties carry its lineage.
In 2016, while preparing an exhibition on Iso Eikichi in Shimane, Chen Wei-Jen discovered the rice’s origins.
After a year of searching, he found seeds in Okinawa, and in 2017 planted the world’s northernmost “Taichung 65” in a borrowed field of about 700 m² in Matsue.
In spring 2018, he brewed the first bottle of “Taichu 65” at Kisuki Shuzo.
Rice from Shimane went to Taiwan, and a century later came home to Shimane to become sake.
Company
台雲酒造合同会 社
TAIUN Sake Brewing LLC.
President
Chen Wei-Jen, Representative Partner
Address
1170 Nakasu, Hikawa-cho, Izumo, Shimane 699-0552, Japan
Business
Sake brewing for export; Taiwan–Japan exchange
Founded
July 2021
Capital
5 million yen
2019
London Sake Challenge (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Silver
2020
Nanbu Toji Sake Competition (Japan)
Junmai: Excellence Award
Concours Mondial des Vins FEMINALISE (France)
Sake Junmai Ginjo: Silver
KURA MASTER (France)
Junmai: Platinum
London Sake Challenge (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Gold ×2, Bronze ×1
IWC SAKE (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Silver, Bronze, Commended
U.S. National Sake Appraisal (USA)
Junmai Ginjo: Runner-up, Yamahai Special Award
2021
Concours Mondial des Vins FEMINALISE (France)
Sake Junmai Ginjo: Gold ×1, Silver ×1
IWC SAKE (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Silver
KURA MASTER (France)
Junmai: Gold
CINVE (Spain)
Sake Junmai Ginjo: Gold ×2
Bordeaux Sake Challenge (France)
Junmai Ginjo: Gold ×2, Bronze ×2
Junmai: Gold ×1
2022
Concours Mondial des Vins FEMINALISE (France)
Sake Junmai Ginjo: Gold
IWC SAKE (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Gold, Bronze
Junmai: Commended
KURA MASTER (France)
Junmai: Gold ×2
Milano Sake Challenge (Italy)
Junmai Ginjo: Silver
National Kanzake (Warm Sake) Contest (Japan)
Premium: Gold
Oriental Sake Awards (Hong Kong)
Junmai Ginjo / Junmai Daiginjo (Rich): Gold & Category Champion
Sake of The Year
U.S. National Sake Appraisal (USA)
Junmai Ginjo: Gold
Australia–Japan Sake Awards (Australia)
Junmai Ginjo: Platinum
Junmai: Gold
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau Sake Competition (Japan)
Junmai: Excellence Award
2023
Mostly not entering competitions this year
Oriental Sake Awards (Hong Kong)
Junmai Ginjo / Junmai Daiginjo (Rich): Silver, Bronze ×2
Junmai Ginjo / Junmai Daiginjo (Light): Bronze
2024
IWC SAKE (UK)
Junmai Ginjo: Silver ×2, Commended
KURA MASTER (France)
Junmai: Gold ×1
Oriental Sake Awards (Hong Kong)
Junmai Ginjo / Junmai Daiginjo (Rich): Gold, Silver, Bronze ×2
Junmai (Light): Bronze
Best Of Shimane
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau Sake Competition
Ginjo: Excellence Award
2025
IWC SAKE (UK)
Junmai Daiginjo: Gold
Junmai Ginjo: Silver ×2, Bronze ×1, Commended ×2
KURA MASTER (France)
Junmai: Gold ×1
Tasting Trendies® Sake Awards (Hong Kong)
1st Runner-up
Junmai Daiginjo: Gold, Silver
Junmai Ginjo: Gold
Kimoto / Yamahai: Silver ×2
Super Premium: Gold
Oriental Sake Awards (Hong Kong)
Junmai Ginjo / Junmai Daiginjo (Rich): Gold
Special category: Bronze
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau Sake Competition
Ginjo: Excellence Award
Junmai: Excellence Award
2026
Mostly not entering competitions this year
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau Sake Competition
Junmai: Excellence Award