Happy New Year!
Looking back on the past year of 2024, I believe it was a year of continuing to relentlessly pursue even more exquisite and delicious sake.
In our quest to bring improvements in even more exquisite and delicious sake to everyone, we have focused on nurturing people. This dedication is reflected in having the largest production team in Japan. These skilled artisans relentlessly gather detailed data to ensure the finest sake. However, we strive for a craft that goes beyond simply relying on data like machines. By carefully observing what lies behind the data with their own eyes and fully engaging their five senses in the creation of tomorrow’s mash and koji, our team embodies a commitment to sake brewing that never succumbs to an overreliance on technology
Furthermore, while we exclusively use Yamada Nishiki, regarded as the finest sake rice despite its high cost, we refuse to be swayed by superficial myths such as, 'It's good because it comes from the special A-rated ○○ region.' Instead, we seek forms of Yamada Nishiki that completely break conventional norms, ensuring they are truly suitable for sake brewing. In this pursuit, we have not shied away from tensions with agricultural cooperatives or the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. Moreover, we are unafraid of criticism, such as being accused of 'driving up the price of sake rice,' if it means fostering farmers who share our vision and ideals.
And with the constant question in mind, "What type of facility truly produces the most delicious sake?", we have continued our pursuit of breweries capable of making even better sake. We built the First Brewery, then the Second Brewery, and despite being criticized in weekly magazines with headlines like "Making sake in a giant building" and "What’s wrong with Dassai?", we constructed the Main Brewery. We went on to establish a brewery in Hyde Park, New York, built the largest and most precise sake rice milling facility in Japan, and constructed a storage facility with refrigerated capacity exceeding 10,000 koku*. Now, we are working on the construction of the Third Brewery.
(*Note: "koku" is a traditional Japanese unit of measurement for rice or sake, equivalent to approximately 180 liters per unit.). Now, we are embarking on the creation of our third brewery.
The third brewery, scheduled for completion in 2028, represents a departure from the centralized production system of the past. It embodies a completely new concept of a production organization, where each staff member takes full responsibility for brewing. They independently assess the ever-changing conditions of koji and fermentation, make their own decisions, implement, and evaluate the outcomes crafting sake with a focus on individual autonomy and initiative.
All of these efforts stem from our desire to deliver even better sake, allowing our customers to savor extraordinary moments in their lives.
With the near future in mind, where humans may eventually live on the moon, we have launched the 'Moon Brewing Project,' with the goal of allowing those living there to experience the joy of life through the exquisite taste of DASSAI. As part of this initiative, we plan to brew sake in the space station this year. Although the amount brewed will be just 100ml, we intend to make it available for sale.
Everything we do is driven by the desire for our customers to enjoy a joyful life with delicious sake. It is all born from our unwavering commitment to crafting the best DASSAI possible. We look forward to continuing this journey with you in the coming year. Thank you for your continued support.