Aizu Otokoyama Kai Junmaishu Yumenokaori
Never forgetting the original spirit: Gratitude infused into every bottle of sake.
In Aizumisato Town, a sake brewery stands, having overcome the threat of closure.
Around 2017, its representative, Yasushi Kobayashi, heard that the previous generation intended to shut its doors. "It was my mother's ancestral home, a place I dearly loved," Kobayashi recounts. "The idea of it disappearing was something I just couldn't digest. I thought that perhaps, as a newcomer, I could bring a new kind of challenge." He subsequently left the company where he had worked for over two decades and plunged headfirst into the world of sake.
The task of reopening was, by all accounts, fraught with difficulty. Yet, by relying on the help of those around him, he persevered, solving one problem after another. Having surmounted these hardships, the brewery won an award at The Annual Japan Sake Awards in its very first year of restart. "I feel this award was given to us, supported by so many people. It solidified my resolve to never, ever forget my gratitude."
The sake of Aizu Otokoyama Shuzoten is defined by two brands: the "Kai" series, which embodies the meaning of "a return to the origin," never forgetting one's roots, and the meticulously crafted "INOMATA65."
The latter is a sake that expresses deep gratitude to Mr. Inomata, who took on the role of Toji (master brewer), and it has earned high praise even from prominent figures. This approach to brewing profoundly communicates the brewery's guiding principle: "Never forget gratitude."
Expectations for their future endeavors are only growing.
Otokoyama Shuzouten