About Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture is in the southern western part of Tohoku, along the Sea of Japan. Its name means "mountain shape," reflecting its mountainous terrain with the Mogami River running through it. The region is surrounded by three sacred mountains called Dewa Sanzan, specifically Haguro-san, Gas-san, and Yudono-san
Yamagata is famous for its delicious foods like cherries, imoni, and tama konnyaku. The region is divided into four major areas, each with unique products, including sake with distinct flavors. Surrounded by mountains, Yamagata has high-quality water. Sake brewing in Yamagata dates back to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Haneda Sake Brewery, founded in 1592 in Tsuruoka City, is the oldest in the prefecture. There are 54 sake breweries, some dating back to before the Edo period. Local brewers, often from Yamagata, create flavors unique to the region. With numerous sake breweries in Japan, the Prefectural Industrial Technology Center is developing a new ginjo sake. Yamagata Sanga is the unified brand of Yamagata Prefecture, with its Junmai Daiginjo made using Dewa Sansan rice. This title is reserved for sake that passes rigorous screening. Yamagata produces various sakes like "Juyondai" with a rich flavor and "Kudoki Jozu," which emphasizes taste and label aesthetics. Dewazakura is one of the delicious sakes, known for its enhanced crispness when chilled.
About Tatenokawa
Established in 1832, Tatenokawa Brewery is located in Sakata City, Yamagata prefecture, the only city in Japan with the character for "sake".
Brewing solely Junmai DaiginjoSake, we polish the rice in-house and source specially cultivated sake rice with fewer than 50% of the pesticides/chemical fertilizers of conventional cultivation.Committed to promoting local agriculture, we contract with local rice farmers and strive to expand rice consumption through our sake.
With high-quality soft water from Chokai, Gassan, Yudono mountains and superior sake rice from the Shonai Rice Farm, we craft sake that captures sweetness of the rice.
A world-leading sake brand committed to balancing sustainability with innovation.
