In 1820, the founder, Kita Gizaemon, began brewing sake in Yokaichi, a town on the Koto Plain in Omi Province where the fertile Omi rice is harvested. At the time, the store was called Tenmaya, and they purchased rice from nearby farmers and brewed sake. Since then, the sake brewing business has been passed down from generation to generation. The brand name "Kirakucho" was chosen with the hope that customers would enjoy drinking sake with joy and longevity.