How DASSAI Is Creating Modern Global Sake Culture from Japan to New York and Outer Space

Mr. Sakurai, in the previous conversation with the chairman, we reflected on DASSAI’s journey so far. With you, I’d like to focus on the future. In 2023, DASSAI BLUE was launched—a state-of-the-art brewery located in Hyde Park, New York, just two hours from Manhattan. It’s a 55,000-square-foot facility capable of producing 140,000 cases annually, blending the aesthetics of Japan with the Hudson Valley. Using both Japan’s Yamada Nishiki rice and Arkansas-grown Yamada Nishiki rice, it brings premium sake closer to American consumers and enthusiasts. Why did you choose New York, and what does this brewery represent for the future of sake and DASSAI globally?

Our decision to establish a brewery in New York goes beyond simply circumventing tariffs or cutting logistics costs. It reflects our desire to redefine sake culture in a city where diverse cultures converge, to foster deeper connections, and to contribute to the evolution of a new culinary experience.

We’ve been exporting sake for over 20 years. In that time, we’ve seen certain persistent misconceptions. In the U.S., sake is often associated with being served hot only, and in Europe, it’s mistaken for a high-alcohol spirit like whisky, vodka, or gin. As a result, many see it as something exotic—only consumed in Japanese restaurants, disconnected from daily life.

We want to change that. Sake pairs beautifully not only with Japanese cuisine, but also with seafood, French, and Italian dishes. There is still so much untapped potential for joy and discovery in these pairings. However, to promote this on a global scale, we can't simply remain in Japan and broadcast our culture outward. Doing so risks reducing it to a one-sided cultural monologue—or even a form of cultural confrontation.

Instead, we aim to understand local cultures and collaborate to create something new. That’s why we chose New York—a place where diverse cultures intersect and flourish.

That’s a compelling vision. Turning to challenges—what were some of the hurdles you faced in bringing traditional Japanese craftsmanship to the U.S.? Whether regulatory, logistical, or in team-building, what lessons have you learned in the past two years?

We’re not trying to recreate the same sake as in Japan, nor are we aiming for a compromised second line. Our goal is to create the very best sake possible—right here in New York.
From that perspective, our biggest challenge was people.

Crafting sake involves deeply rooted, often unspoken understandings and the intuitive judgments of seasoned brewers—what you might call a uniquely Japanese sensibility.
Transferring that sensibility into a completely different environment like New York was never going to be straightforward.

At first, we feared American staff might not fully grasp the philosophy or commitment behind Japanese craftsmanship. But that was our own misconception. With the right communication and a shared hands-on experience, we’ve found that many local team members not only understand it but take great pride in it. It’s been deeply rewarding to see our American staff engage with sake-making sincerely and passionately.

Technically, there have also been major adjustments. For example, New York’s water is harder and more mineral-rich than the soft water we use in Yamaguchi. That impacts fermentation, often speeding it up.

We had to reconsider and adapt various aspects of our brewing methods to suit this new environment.

Experimenting, tweaking, refining—all while preserving the slow fermentation style that defines DASSAI. It’s a work in progress, and both our Japanese and American team members are working tirelessly to perfect it.

Do you envision opening additional breweries overseas—in places like Paris or elsewhere?

Currently, we have no intention of opening additional breweries outside New York.
Sake brewing is a highly delicate process, especially when aiming for excellence. Expanding to other locations could compromise our focus and, ultimately, the pursuit of the highest quality. Our expansion into New York was a deliberate challenge—we took on the risks precisely because we wanted to break new ground and open up a new market.

Instead, we’re exploring other forms of international collaboration. For instance, we’ve partnered with renowned French chef Yannick Alléno to open a restaurant in France celebrating sake and seasonal vegetables. This kind of culinary partnership offers another meaningful way to introduce sake into global food culture—without necessarily building new breweries.

On to a truly ambitious project: DASSAI MOON. You’re sending sake to the International Space Station’s Kibo module as part of the “Space Brewery” initiative. What do you hope this symbolic project will represent for sake, for Japanese innovation, and for your brand globally?

DASSAI MOON is a project that goes beyond the boundaries of Earth to explore the potential of sake culture in the unknown realm of space.
It’s our way of re-examining the role of sake in contributing to human happiness—from an entirely new perspective.

 It’s forward-looking. If humanity begins to inhabit the Moon, we want to be there to bring joy and flavor to people’s lives. That’s what DASSAI is fundamentally about—delivering happiness through taste.

From a technical standpoint, the project will utilize a centrifugal gravity generator and stirring equipment installed on the ISS to observe whether fermentation can actually occur in a low-gravity environment—and if so, how the process unfolds.

We will monitor and control the fermentation remotely from Earth using real-time sensor data developed specifically for this project, enabling detailed observation of fermentation behavior and flavor compound formation under microgravity conditions.

It seems DASSAI MOON is both a technological and symbolic leap forward. Could this project help strengthen Japan’s soft power globally?

Absolutely. To our knowledge, we are the first in the world to actually produce alcohol—through fermentation—in space. While there have been experiments with aging wine or transporting yeast, no one has created alcohol via fermentation in a microgravity environment. Regardless of the outcome, the knowledge gained will be invaluable to the alcohol industry and to humanity’s understanding of fermentation.

DASSAI MOON is about pushing boundaries. It signals that Japanese tradition and innovation are not mutually exclusive. They can work together to contribute meaningfully to global—and even extraterrestrial—culture.

A final question. Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for DASSAI—not just as a sake brand, but as a cultural ambassador for Japan?

Our goal is to become a truly global brand—one that brings joy and celebration to people around the world through the experience of sake.

To achieve this, we believe it's not enough to simply export Japanese culture as the background of our products.
We aspire to be a brand that not only shares the aesthetics and values of Japan, but also embraces and harmonizes with local cultures—creating new value together through meaningful cultural collaboration.

To do so, we must cherish and preserve the natural environment, aesthetics, and craftsmanship of Japan—while also staying close to the celebrated moments and everyday joys of people around the world.

For us, being part of those moments is not only essential—it is a source of true joy.