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Japanese sake that is close to the human heart.
Hasegawa Shuzo brews Japanese sake that complements meals without getting in the way, and that you won’t tire of drinking. We seek to create drinks you’ll share in all kinds of situations—to enjoy at parties, as a regular nightcap, or in moments when you want to take a break.
Every winter, we take soft water from the subterranean flow of the Shinano River and carefully selected sake rice, and we brew Japanese sake using techniques honed over long years. Our sake has a soft, well-rounded mouthfeel and a refreshing aftertaste with a moderate dryness, while retaining a hint of the rice’s flavor. All our artisans and employees devote their utmost to this brewing process in small tanks, which can only be made under the watchful eyes of a small regional sake brewery. That’s the Hasegawa Shuzo way.
December 15, 1842
Jukichi applies for permission to brew sake as a sacred offering, which is granted
1886
Second-generation brewer Yakichi constructs the main building
*Registered as tangible cultural property
1919
Third-generation brewer Yakichi builds the brewery building and koji-making room
1924
Third-generation brewer Yakichi renovates the main building
1955
Established as a corporation
1984
The trademark Echigo Sekkobai is registered (named by the late Minoru Endo, recipient of the People’s Honor Award)
2004
The Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake destroys three buildings, including the sake storehouse
Greater focus is placed on bottle storage due to reduction in buildings
2014
Bottling facility is constructed
Medal of Honor with Yellow Ribbon recipient and contemporary master craftsman Koichi Takahashi joins us as a master brewer and commences brewing
2016
Medal of Honor with Yellow Ribbon recipient Tadaji Sawanaka joins us as a master brewer and commences brewing
The first to settle here was an ancestor who moved from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture during Japan’s war-torn Sengoku period. In 1842, a wealthy farmer, Jukichi, was granted permission to brew 12,600 liters (70 koku in Japanese units) of sake and also to sell whatever sake remained after the sacred dedication. This was the beginning of the Hasegawa Shuzo brewery. Subsequently, the second- and third-generation owners established a base for sake brewing, and the brewery has been brewing Japanese sake for over 170 years.
Built in 1886, the brewery building, having been recognized as a part of the scenic landscape of the Settaya area, a renowned brewing district, was designated a registered tangible cultural property in 2012. In this storehouse built over 100 years ago, our brewers are still working in the ideal atmosphere for the brewing of sake.
Niigata, where our company is located, is one of Japan’s leading sake destinations. There are several reasons why sake brewing is so widespread here.
First of all, “the environment” is ideal for sake brewing. The city of Nagaoka, where our company is located, is characterized by very short winter sunshine hours and little temperature variation between day and night. In addition, there is considerable snowfall here every year, and this climate is one of the most essential factors in brewing delicious sake.
Next is “waterwater”. The clear waters that flow from the Nagaoka Higashiyama mountain range are clear and soft, which plays a significant role in brewing clean-tasting, transparent sake. Premium Daiginjo sake, brewed during the coldest season, has a spectacular aroma and a light, sophisticated flavor—the gift of cool, clear streams fed by thawing waters.
Finally, the most essential element is “human”.
Almost all processes are performed by hand. With the skill and experience of our artisans and master brewers, we make sake with a flavor that brings out the unique characteristics of each rice
variety. We wash the fragile polished rice carefully with our own hands, steam it using Japanese pots, put into small tanks, and brew only as much sake as we can while being meticulously attentive to the smallest details. Year in, year out,
we continue to keep these aspects in mind as we brew our sake.
Koshitanrei rice produced by contract farms is carefully fermented in small tanks to produce this luxurious premium sake, which has an elegant, bright aroma and a sweet taste.
The finest brewer’s rice, known as Yamada Nishiki, is polished to 40% and then carefully and gradually fermented at low temperatures during the coldest period of the year. The result is this premium sake, which makes an auspicious gift for celebrating good fortune, prosperity, and long life.
A refined umami permeates the mouth, leaving a rich and elegant aroma lingering behind. This is delicious when you drink it chilled with wineglass.
Brewed using 100% Koshitanrei rice produced by contract farms. Well-rounded umami flavor permeates a distinctly dry taste. The brand name“Hatsugoe” refers to the Japanese bush warbler’s song in early spring. This highly auspicious branding conjures images of fresh, new life.
A clear taste with a mellow flavor that explodes in your mouth. Sweetness that emerges slowly and leaves behind a mild aftertaste.
While a negative Sake Meter Value makes this a sweet ama-kuchi sake, the sweetness is subtle with a crisp taste. A great choice even for those new to sake.
An authentic junmai-shu with a well-rounded, rich taste brimming with rice’s natural umami flavor. Notable for its refreshing aftertaste.
Distinctly dry with striking umami flavor. This sake can be enjoyed cold or warmed, making it a great choice for a regular evening drink.
An auspicious branding designed with the first sunrise of the New Year in mind. This junmai ginjo-shu uses Koshitanrei brewer’s rice grown in Niigata to produce its characteristic full-flavored, mellow umami and rich body.
This sake uses carefully selected, highly polished brewer’s rice grown in Niigata. The sake has a smooth and refreshing mouthfeel and goes down easily.
| Company Name | Hasegawa Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-7-28, Settaya, Nagaoka city, Niigata pref., 940-1105, Japan |
| Tel | 81-258-32-0270 |
| info@sekkobai.jp |