The Daishichi Sake Brewery Co., located in the castle town of Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, sits at the foot of majestic Mount Adatara. Daishichi was founded in 1752 by Saburoemon Ohta, who hailed originally from a samurai family. Since then, 10 generations of the Ohta family have overseen the business.
With 260 years of history and developed locally, Daishichi's sake today has a worldwide appeal. Wine and food specialists from around the world reserve the highest praise for Daishichi because of its exceptional finesse, which balances elegant refinement with a full taste and body. Daishichi has been served at international events, such as the Group of Eight Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, and has featured at a gala dinner hosted by members of the royal family of the Netherlands. Four times, the brewery has been the sponsor of an award ceremony for Dutch chefs and sommeliers of the influential Gault-Millau restaurant guide, held annually in The Hague. Last year, Daishichi became the first Japanese sake brewery to take part with a one-company booth in Vinexpo, the largest wine show in the world, held every two years in Bordeaux, in the heart of the French wine country. During the show, Daishichi attracted not only tasters and buyers from many nationalities, but also was sought out by Europe's most distinguished wine makers and sommeliers.
Daishichi truly is an embodiment of excellence by rationally combining the best in tradition with revolutionary modern techniques. Tradition is honored by strictly adhering to an authentic, handcrafted brewing tradition: the kimoto method. All Daishichi's products are superb examples of kimoto sake. Dating from around 1700, the kimoto method harnesses the power of natural lactic acid bacteria to make a complex sake that is both rich and sophisticated. It is sake with a great depth of flavor that grows and matures over time. An example of modern, cutting-edge technique can be found in the super-flat rice polishing method that is unique to Daishichi. By polishing in the shape of the grain and milling the grain flat in the center, Daishichi is able to overcome the inefficiency of the conventional method. Above all, the super-flat rice polishing method serves to radically remove all elements that can lead to off flavors, resulting in a surprisingly smooth and elegant taste. Daishichi has won many important awards for developing this technique.