Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing: 360 Years of Sake Tradition

With the growing popularity of washoku, it’s natural that traditional beverages like sake have also gained international recognition. Sake is now a staple on bar shelves, not only in Japanese restaurants but worldwide. This rising awareness has driven steady export growth to the U.S., China, and Europe. What do you think is behind sake’s increasing global popularity and appreciation?

One key reason is the global rise in popularity of Japanese cuisine. With an increasing number of Japanese restaurants abroad, more people have the opportunity to try sake alongside their meals. As they experience how well it complements Japanese dishes, sake’s popularity continues to grow.

Another factor is sake’s versatility. It can be enjoyed in various ways—chilled, at room temperature, or heated—allowing it to pair well with different dishes. Additionally, the wide range of sake varieties, such as Junmai, Daiginjo, and Honjozo, caters to diverse taste preferences and enhances different types of Japanese cuisine.

Sake also shares similarities with wine, with an alcohol content ranging from 13% to 16%, making it well-suited for pairing with food. Its delicate yet complex flavor profile leaves a lasting impression on those new to drinking sake, further contributing to its global appeal.

It’s natural that sake pairs well with Japanese cuisine, but do you think it also complements other international cuisines? Beyond restaurants and dining experiences, in what other settings do you see sake as a suitable choice?

Enjoying sake in a bar or pub after a meal is one option. For example, in Brazil, a cocktail called sakerinha (a sake-based caipirinha) is quite popular, demonstrating how sake can be used in cocktails.

Japan's population crisis is impacting all industries, including yours. For instance, in 2000, there were 2,000 breweries, but by last year, that number had declined to 1,168. Sake production also dropped by 10.8% last year, despite strong domestic demand for premium sake, with different generations gravitating toward different styles. Could you share some insights into the latest trends shaping sake consumption and how preferences are evolving across generations?

As you mentioned, Japan’s declining population is causing an overall contraction across industries, including alcohol consumption. Changing preferences and growing health consciousness have contributed to a decline in overall sake consumption. However, demand for premium varieties such as Junmai, Ginjo, and Daiginjo is on the rise. In contrast, demand for standard sake is decreasing, though it’s unclear how much of this is due to population decline. Another possible factor is the perception—though not necessarily true—that premium sake is healthier than regular sake.

Generational shifts also play a role. People in their 60s and 70s, who consumed more alcohol in their youth, are now drinking less but tend to prefer premium sake. Additionally, the variety of alcoholic beverages available has expanded. In the past, choices were mostly limited to beer, sake, and whiskey, whereas today, wine and shochu are also widely consumed, making sake just one of many options in the market.

The number of overseas tourists visiting Japan has grown significantly in recent years, reaching 37 million last year. Notably, around 5% of these visitors cite Japanese sake as a primary reason for their trip. With the government aiming to attract 60 million tourists by 2030, how are you adapting your offerings to capitalize on this tourism boom?

After these tourists come to Japan and taste authentic Japanese sake, I would love for them to go back to their country and spread the word about how good it is.

Actually, we have many good stories about sake tourism. For example, some people came to Osaka and tried our sake with sushi, and when we had an exhibition in their country, they visited our booth and told us how they were visiting us because they tried and really enjoyed our sake during their trip.

One thing we have done is to make offers to Japanese restaurants to provide foreign language menus, especially in English, Korean, and Chinese. We also have a museum to promote sake culture in Japan, so when tourists visit, they can learn about the culture, tradition, and history of sake brewing.

Founded in 1662, your company has grown into one of Japan’s most renowned sake producers. Your esteemed Hakushika (“white deer”) brand is known for its smooth, well-balanced flavor and deep connection to the Nada sake tradition. Could you share some of the key milestones in your company’s history and how you have contributed to the evolution of sake culture?

During the mid-Edo period, our brewery was established in Nada, and our sake was transported to Edo, now modern-day Tokyo. It quickly gained popularity among the people there, earning a strong reputation for its quality. Through this process, we, along with other Nada sake brewers, helped establish Nada’s reputation as a premier sake-producing region.

Photograph of the brewery during the Showa period (1959)

Over the past decade, sake from the Tohoku region has been gaining popularity in Tokyo. However, before that, Nada-produced sake was the most favored, giving us a strong reputation in the city. Since Nada’s sake-making tradition dates back to the Edo period, Tokyo’s cuisine naturally evolved to complement it, and in turn, Nada’s sake was crafted to pair well with Tokyo’s food. This deep-rooted relationship between Tokyo’s cuisine and Nada’s sake has remained strong over the centuries, and our company has played a significant role in shaping and preserving this connection.

Most of our readers may not be familiar with the different styles of sake. What defines the Nada style of sake, and what are its key characteristics?

Nada sake has traditionally been known as “sake for men” due to its bold, strong, and dry flavor profile, often described as full-bodied. In contrast, sake from the Fushimi area of Kyoto is referred to as “sake for women” because of its softer, more delicate characteristics.

Your company has received multiple awards over the years, including a gold medal at the annual Japan Sake Awards last year for your Kuromatsu Hakushika offering. How have these accolades influenced your brand strategy?

Winning these awards allows us to showcase the exceptional quality of our Hakushika sake to consumers.

Your Hakushika sake owes its distinctive character to miyamizu water, sourced from Nishinomiya. Discovered in the 1600s, this water is rich in phosphates and potassium, which promote yeast fermentation, while its extremely low iron content makes it ideal for sake brewing. How does the unique composition of miyamizu influence the flavor profile of your sake?

Unlike wine, water doesn’t directly influence the taste of sake. However, miyamizu is ideal for brewing because it is low in iron and other elements that can negatively impact the process. As you mentioned, it also contains minerals that promote fermentation, making it well-suited for sake production, even though it doesn’t directly alter the flavor.

You have collaborated with renowned chefs, luxury retailers, and cultural brands, including a partnership with the anime KonoSuba. What strategies do you use when selecting cross-industry collaborations?

Our collaboration with KonoSuba initially began through the Hakushika Memorial Museum of Sake and later evolved into a product partnership. The original goal was to attract visitors to the museum who might not have had an interest in sake, with the hope that their visit would spark curiosity and appreciation for it.

Collaboration also plays a role in the global distribution of your products, which are now available in 36 countries worldwide. Can you share insights into your overseas business—when did you begin exporting, and which countries have shown the strongest demand for your sake? Additionally, are there any new regions or markets that you see as having strong growth potential?

The U.S. is currently our strongest market. Looking ahead, we aim to expand into countries with large or growing young populations. Southeast Asia is a key focus, excluding markets where alcohol consumption is limited, with Vietnam showing particular promise.

We also have a strong presence in Brazil, supported by its sizable Japanese community. In the future—though not immediately—we hope to expand further into emerging markets in Latin America.

Expanding into new markets comes with the challenge of competing in the highly competitive alcohol distribution industry. Given the wide variety of alcoholic beverages available, how do you position your brand to appeal to potential distributors?

We seek distributors who understand both our products and our company, as we prioritize long-term partnerships rather than short-term arrangements. Our goal is to collaborate with local distributors to develop the market together, which is why we focus on finding reliable and trustworthy partners.

If we were to interview you again in 2030, what goals or ambitions would you like to have achieved by then?

I aim to double our overseas business within the next five years, and I believe this is a realistic goal. The global wine market is valued at approximately USD 450 billion, while the Japanese sake market remains relatively small in comparison. This suggests significant untapped potential for sake. I want more people around the world to experience our Hakushika sake, expanding both its sales and global recognition.

For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.hakushika.co.jp/en/company/profile.html

To read more about Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing, check out this article about them