When drinking at Izakaya (informal Japanese style bar) in Japan, sometimes sake is served in this style: server put a glass inside the Masu or sake saucer and pour until sake overflows from the glass. This serving style is called “Mokkiri” and it is said that the degree of overflowing shows the degree of the server’s generosity. How would you drink this style of sake? The most familiar style in sake country Akita is that sipping a bit of sake with kissing the brim. In order to spread this “kissing drinking style” throughout the the world, we will continuously introduce the attractive “Mokkiri face” of beautiful Akita’s ladies to you. […]

Takashimizu history began in 1944 after merging of 12 small breweries during World War II. Thus far, we introduced eight families out of 12 which started their sake business during Edo to Meiji period. Time passed and it became Taisho period. It is said that from this period, Akita was recognized as a good sake brewing place nationally and expanded its market outside Akita prefecture. During Taisho period, the technical brewing skill developed dramatically. Originally, sake making was passed down from generation to generation orally or through the practical training. However, from the late of Meiji to Taisho period, new method based on science was gradually spreading nationwide through the […]

When drinking at Izakaya (informal Japanese style bar) in Japan, sometimes sake is served in this style: server put a glass inside the Masu or sake saucer and pour until sake overflows form the glass. This serving style is called “Mokkiri” and it is said that the degree of overflowing shows the degree of the server’s generosity. How would you drink this style of sake? The most familiar drinking style in sake country Akita is that sipping a bit of sake with kissing the brim. In order to spread this drinking style throughout the world, we will continuously introduce the attractive “Mokkiri face” of beautiful Akita’s ladies to you. This […]

When drinking at Izakaya (informal Japanese style bar) in Japan, sometimes sake is served in this style: server put a glass inside the Masu or sake saucer and pour until sake overflows from the glass. This serving style is called “Mokkiri” and it is said that the degree of overflowing shows the degree of the server’s generosity. How would you drink this style of sake? The most familiar style in sake country Akita is that sipping a bit of sake with kissing the brim. In order to spread this “kissing drinking style” throughout the world, we will continuously introduce the attractive “Mokkiri face” of beautiful Akita’s ladies to you. This Mokkiri […]

Takashimizu history began in 1944 after merging of 12 small breweries during World War II. In this column, we will trace the history of 12 breweries which are the foundation of current Takashimizu one by one. We will introduce “Toshimagawa” this time as the eighth brewery out of 12. Masanosuke Okabe started sake brewing business in 1905 at Toyoshima village, current Kawabe area, Akita city. Sake brewing business itself started at late Meiji period, but as Okabe family, it is dating back to the end of Edo period. Masanosuke’s old brother “Shozo” was born in 1845 and until his death in 1918, he contributed to the development of education and […]

After the third Toji Isao Takahashi had resigned the Toji and assumed brewing counsellor, Noboru Minagawa assumed the Fourth Toji of Takashimizu head office brewery. Minagawa came from Nakasen, current Daisen city. Minagawa entered the company as a seasonal worker in 1962 when he was 19 years old. He assumed a chief of Shubo in 1986 and Moromi in 1991. After the transfer from head office brewery to Nakasen brewery in 1995, he assumed a deputy Toji, and in 1998, he was appointed to Toji of Nakasen. He finally worked as Toji of head office brewery from 1998 to 2014. His years of experience in sake brewing covered 52 years […]

When drinking at Izakaya (informal Japanese style bar) in Japan, sometimes sake is served in this style: server put a glass inside the Masu or sake saucer and pour until sake overflows from the glass. This serving style is called “Mokkiri” and it is said that the degree of overflowing shows the degree of the server’s denerosity. How would you drink this style of sake? The most familiar style in sake country Akita is that sipping a bit of sake with kissing the brim. In order to spread this “kissing drinking style” throughout the world, we will continuously introduce the attractive “Mokkiri face” of beautiful Akita’s ladies to you. This […]

Takashimizu history began in 1944 after merging of 12 small breweries during World War II. In this column, we will trace the history of 12 breweries which are the foundation of current Takashimizu one by one. We will introduce “Satonoi” today as the seventh brewery out of 12. Kenji Hirakawa started his sake business in 1902 at current Toga area, Oga city in Akita prefecture. Kenji’s grandfather Tokichi established a branch family from the head family based at current Asauchi area, Noshiro city during 1818 to 1830. Family contributed to reclamation of Wakami area, Oga city with the agricultural advisor Onomatsu Watanabe, who rendered significant achievement to Akita’s water supply and reclamation work at that time by completing […]

After the second Toji Riichiro Nagaswawa had resigned the Toji and assumed brewing counsellor, Isao Takahashi assumed the Third Toji of Takashimizu head office brewery. Takahashi also came from San-nai area in Yokote city same as his predecessors. Takahashi entered the company as a seasonal worker in 1951 when he was 17 years old. Continuingly, he assumed a chief of Shubo in 1960, Moromi in 1979, and as a deputy Toji in 1989. After that, in 1996, he was appointed to Toji and received prizes over and over at various sake competitions. Then all Takashimizu breweries at the time (Head office, Nakasen, and Goshono) received Akita Governor’s Prize at Akita […]

When drinking at Izakaya (informal Japanese style bar) in Japan, sometimes sake is served in this style: server put a glass inside the Masu or sake saucer and pour until sake overflows from the glass. This serving style is called “Mokkiri” and it is said that the degree of overflowing shows the degree of the server’s generosity. How would you drink this style of sake? The most familiar style in sake country Akita is that sipping a bit of sake with kissing the brim. In order to spread this “kissing drinking style” throughout the world, we will continuously introduce the attractive “Mokkiri face” of beautiful Akita’s ladies to you. This […]