The Kumamoto Prefecture Sake Institute, known for its popular brand 'Koro,' was founded in 1909 at the request of brewers who were starting sake breweries within the prefecture, in order to improve the quality of local sake. 'Kumamoto Yeast,' which was successfully isolated by the founding chief engineer Kinichi Nojiro, is now distributed throughout Japan by the Brewing Society of Japan to be used in brewing Ginjo-Shu.