Kaetsu

Kaetsu Sake Brewery is located in Tsugawa-machi in Niigata Prefecture, at the juncture of the Agano and Tokonami Rivers, with the Sea of Japan to the immediate west. This area has long been celebrated for its superb natural scenery. It is also abundantly blessed with pure water, for the clear mountain streams of the Oku-Aizu and Echigo ranges empty here. During the Edo Period (1600-1868 AD), Tsugawa-machi was already recognized as a key sake-brewing region, and its brewers were granted brewing concessions by the Aizu Han (feudal clan ruling the area) that were almost monopolistic.

The brewery was founded in 1880. With cold winters and plenty of clean water and fresh air, the Niigata environment perfectly suits the requirements of rice growing and sake production. Misty mountain weather also suits the creation of folklore, for the nearby mountain of Kirin-zan (Kirin Mountain) is the origin of a nationally famous legend called Kitsune-bi (Fox Lights) and of nationwide festivals that feature the "Fox Bride Procession" (Kitsune no Yome-iri).