NIIZAWA JOZOTEN - MIYAGI PREFECTURE

The Niizawa Jozoten brewery is the embodiment of artisanal and technological excellence in the world of sake. Founded in 1873 in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, the brewery continues a 140-year tradition of sake brewing. After the destruction of its historic warehouse in the 2011 earthquake, the company bounced back by relocating production to Kawasaki, a site with a pure water source, while maintaining its headquarters in Osaki. Production resumed the following year. Renowned for improving the quality of its “Atago no Matsu” brand and launching “Hakurakusei” sake in 2002, which quickly became a national benchmark, the company continues to pursue a constant quest for excellence. A pioneer in the adoption of ultra-precise polishing techniques, it uses a diamond-roller rice milling machine capable of achieving an exceptional polishing rate of 0.85%, as well as a flat milling machine targeting undesirable elements of the grain while preserving the umami. This quest for perfection doesn't stop at technology: the brewery cultivates a culture of continuous improvement, with daily tasting training, collaborations with restaurants for blind tests, and rigorous evaluation of its own products. The majority of its sake is pasteurized only once to preserve its freshness, and all products, from the most upmarket to the most accessible, are kept at -5°C to maintain their optimum quality until they are consumed.