Dewazakura

Items

Dewazakura (1.8 L) 'Izumi Judan' (Tenth Degree Super Dry +12) Ginjo, Yamagata Perfecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (1.8 L) 'Jewel Brocade' Omachi Junmai Ginjo, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (300 ml) 'Festival of Stars' Sparkling Nigori Daiginjo, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (720 ml) 'Festival of Stars' Sparkling Nigori Daiginjo, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (720 ml) 'Green Ridge: Primal Strength' Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (720 ml) 'Izumi Judan' (Tenth Degree Super Dry +12) Ginjo, Yamagata Perfecture	Login	—	In Stock
Dewazakura (720 ml) 'Jewel Brocade' Omachi Junmai Ginjo, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	DEC Featured	In Stock
Dewazakura (720 ml) 'Mountain Cherry' Daiginjo, Yamagata Prefecture	Login	—	In Stock

Dewazakura Brewery was founded in 1892 by Seijiro Nakano, whose head family owned Kuma Masamune Brewery. Located in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, the brewery is nestled within a fertile basin surrounded by high mountains. While the Dewazakura Sake Brewery boasts a rich history, it is best known for its revolutionary approach to ginjo sake.

Thirty years ago, ginjo labels were scarce in Japan, and people mainly drank the cloyingly sweet sakes that had been popular since the fifties. The industry did not believe customers would pay more for the quality ginjo and daiginjo sakes brewed in limited quantities for competitions. This changed in 1980 when Dewazakura launched Oka Ginjo, an affordably priced ginjo label with a 50% polishing ratio and a lovely floral aroma.

Oka Ginjo was light, crisp, delightful, and made to be drunk cold. Available for broad market consumption, Oka Ginjo ultimately transformed the industry and popularized ginjo sakes. Starting in 2008, Oka Ginjo topped the list for 12 consecutive years in the ginjo category in Jizake Ninki Meigara Ranking, an authoritative guidebook on popular local sake published by Fullnet Corp. This success prompted other breweries to introduce their own ginjo labels, sparking one of the most creative periods in sake history.

Dewazakura's drive for innovation set it apart. When the opportunity arose after the war to invite research technicians from the National Research Institute of Brewing, the brewery seized it. Drawing on the expertise of Hideo Abe, a former Institute research advisor, they implemented new ideas without hesitation. By 1991, Dewazakura had perfected cold storage techniques, aging freshly pressed sake at 28 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve its aroma and flavor until bottling. In 1996, they introduced Dewasansan, brewed from a new Yamagata rice strain of the same name. This success paved the way for other prefectures to introduce highly specific regional labels.