Around the turn of the 20th century in Yashima (a town located in Yurihonjô City), there was a brewing association called the “Yûsei Union.” This was the starting point of the DE-WA-NO-FUJI brewery. “Dewa no Fuji” is another name for Mt. Chôkai, the highest independent peak in the Tohoku Region, which is located on the border of Akita and Yamagata Pre-fectures. “Dewa” is the old name for the province covering most of Akita Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture. “Fuji” comes from the fact that Mt. Chôkai greatly resembles the famous Mt. Fuji. Therefore, “Dewa no Fuji” directly trans-lated means “Mt. Fuji of Dewa Province.” The saké brand was named DEWA-NO-FUJI with the hope that it would be as outstanding as Mt. Chôkai itself.
In 1906, Kyûkichi Satô took over the brewing rights to start a family business as saké brewers, and the union was suc-ceeded by Satô Brewery. Kyûbei Satô inherited the business from Kyûkichi, and he received technical training at the Na-tional Institute of Brewing. The third generation, Kyûichi Satô, enrolled in the brewery course at the Osaka Technical School (which is now part of Osaka University). Both Kyûbei and Kyûichi dedicated themselves to improving the quality of saké and greatly contributed to the expansion of the market. In 1944, during World War II, Satô Brewery merged with the Yuri Liquor Production Co., Ltd. due to the Industrial Reform Act, becoming Yuri Liquor Production Co., Ltd.’s second branch factory in Yashima. In 1968, the brew-ery regained its independence as Sato Brewing Co., Ltd. The brewery celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2015.
Yashima Town is located on the northeast slope of Mt. Chôkai (which is 2,236 meters high). The town has been a distribution center for lumber and rice transportation since ancient times, and it flourished as the castle town of the Ikoma Domain. Due to its cold climate, heavy snow, and high-quality spring water, the town was suitable for saké brewing. In the late 19th century, the town was considered along with Yuzawa, Rokugô, and Araya as one of the major brewing towns in Akita, with 10 breweries in operation. Currently, Satô Brewery is one of the only two remaining.
Every year, thick snow covers Yashima. It purifies the air, and the region is blessed with rich, clean water that is es-sential to making high-quality saké. The temperature of the area is another one of nature’s bounties because it is perfect for saké brewing. Rice with the highest ranking in the market, which is harvested mostly in Akita, is used for the brewing process. All the conditions mentioned above are the pillars of the two fundamental values of Satô Brewery: brewing delicious saké and providing products that consumers can trust. The company takes pride in its established brewing methods, which have been passed down generation after generation. Sato Brewery’s saké ensures that its great saké will be enjoyed by all customers.
