What We Believe

Japan lies at the eastern edge of the world map—a nation of islands blessed with a long history and abundant nature. Stretching from north to south, the country is marked by towering mountain ranges and deep forests, home to a rich diversity of life. Generous rainfall and pure water flowing from the mountains have long supported rice cultivation, sustaining Japanese food culture for thousands of years. Rice was treasured as a divine gift and was once so precious that it served as a form of tax.

Surrounded entirely by the sea, Japan enjoys fertile fishing grounds where warm and cold currents meet, and the changing seasons paint the natural landscape in vivid colors. Within this environment, the Japanese people nurtured a unique sense of beauty and wisdom—living with, and sometimes against, harsh nature; refining countless techniques; valuing harmony; cherishing objects; and cultivating a spirituality that extends even to things unseen.

Sake is a brewed alcoholic drink made from rice, believed to have originated 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. It is neither beer nor wine; it is a drink born, crafted, and loved in Japan—the land of rice. Sake has long been a sacred offering to the gods, a drink that connects people, and a companion in both joy and sorrow. Its creation relies on the invisible work of microorganisms such as koji mold and yeast. I find it truly remarkable—and something Japan can proudly share with the world—that even long before microscopes existed, the Japanese recognized and skillfully harnessed these invisible forces to craft sake and continually refine its flavor.

Written records about sake begin to appear around 1,500 years ago. Over the long course of history, countless artisans devoted themselves to meticulous work, patience, and repeated refinement. With the skills and spirit passed down from earlier generations—combined with the dedication and passion of today’s brewers—sake has now reached what many consider the most beautiful quality in its entire history.

Challenges remain. Where there were once 4,000 breweries, only about 1,300 remain today. Population decline, a shortage of successors, and decreasing consumption have made survival difficult for many.

Even so, the story is not only one of decline. There are hopeful signs as well.
Appreciation for sake is growing overseas, and people who encounter it—whether in Japan or abroad—are discovering its appeal. Moreover, the number of brewers outside Japan who are taking on the challenge of making sake is also increasing.

I firmly believe that one day, this rice-born drink—SAKE—will stand alongside wine and beer on the global stage. Believing in that future, I moved to the Netherlands with passion and began working with sake here in Europe. My work is small in scale, but I hope to move forward carefully and steadily, one step at a time.

As someone raised in Japan and deeply in love with sake, I chose the great line-up I genuinely want people to drink and truly want the world to know, and I brought them to the Netherlands. I am grateful to have been entrusted with sake from some of Japan’s most remarkable breweries. Their sake is not made by industrial mass production, but through traditional methods that value time, labor, and craftsmanship, resulting in unique and expressive flavors.

These sakes are the embodiment of the brewers’ souls — a beautiful collaboration and harmony with nature. To drink sake is to feel human passion, taste the earth itself, and experience the connection between people and nature. It is a moment to turn inward, to savor life deeply, to appreciate the planet, and to cultivate a gentle, grateful heart. That is what I believe sake invites us to do.