Ryotaro Nakashima, the 35-year-old owner of a long-established sake brewery devastated by the Jan. 1 earthquake that struck central Japan, has mixed feelings about rebuilding his business.
Nakashima is the eighth-generation owner and tōji master brewer of Nakashima Shuzoten in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, which has been in business for more than 150 years.
Its key brewing building, reconstructed after it was destroyed by an earthquake 17 years ago, collapsed again in the 7.6-magnitude New Year's Day quake. Wajima was one of the municipalities hit hardest by the latest temblor.