Takasago

Takasago Shuzo was originally established in 1899 in Asahikawa City in Hokkaido, under the name Kohiyama Shuzo (a family name). They struggled, but continued to produce sake during the war. In 1965, we merged with another sake brewer in Asahikawa, and changed the company name, as well as the name of its sake, to Takasago. Their white-walled kura, built in 1909, is one of the more attractive buildings in Asahikawa (see below).

Asahikawa has been called "the Nada of the north," because there was at one time a lot of sake being brewed there, and we are the oldest sakagura in the area. It is cold here, with the temperature regularly falling to -20C. Needless to say, the snow is relentless in the winter. It is a wonderful environment in which to brew sake. They proceed bearing in mind the three principles set forth by its founder almost a century ago: The customer is number one, continue to try and make better and better sake, and always be learning.