Daiginjo Sasamasamune
Synergy between the brewery-owner brothers and traditional brewing.
"If we hold fast to 'quality first' and honestly brew superior sake, people will naturally seek it out." This was the founding philosophy of Zenjibē Yoshinaga Iwata. Today, Sasamasamune Shuzo is a brewery that continues to pursue the art of sake brewing, driven by that very same belief.
In the aftermath of the earthquake and the nuclear accident, Sasamasamune Shuzo saw its sales plummet. But the current representative, Yujiro Iwata, refused to despair. Instead, he returned to the founder's original philosophy and made the bold decision to completely overhaul their quality and production methods. Facing a mountain of challenges, they united their efforts and, in 2015, succeeded in brewing their new 'Sasamasamune' series.
In its very first year, the sake won the 'Fukushima Trophy' in the Junmai category at the IWC (International Wine Challenge) 2015. This victory, born from a period of intense trial and error, brought a powerful ray of hope back to the brewery.
In 2017, they won a Gold Medal at the IWC for their Junmai Ginjo. Yet, they struggled to win gold at The Annual Japan Sake Awards—the event that many Fukushima breweries consider their true 'starting line.'
It was then that Yujiro's older brother, Koutaro Iwata, now the senior managing director, returned to the brewery. The two brothers began a three-legged race, re-examining and polishing every step of the brewing process. They changed their rice from Yamadanishiki to Fukushima's own 'Yumenokaori.' After overcoming countless hardships, they finally—for the first time in seven years—achieved their long-sought Gold Prize at The Annual Japan Sake Awards.
The philosophy of "crafting the genuine article" has transcended time. Holding dear the joy their sake brings to so many customers, they dedicate themselves to their craft, day after day.
Sasamasamune Shuzo