Furusawa Shuzo, established in 1836 in Sagae City, Yamagata Prefecture, grew from a prosperous safflower merchant family that turned to sake making in the favorable natural conditions of the Mogami River basin. The brewery's flagship Sawamasamune upholds a founding commitment to quality over convention, using no added sugar and concentrating especially on pure rice and ginjo brewing to achieve sake that is described as having power in its flavor, lightness in its aroma, and softness in its texture. The house has won recognition at the National Sake Appraisal multiple times, including gold medal honors in recent years.
