Touhokumeijo was established in 1893 in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, and renamed its flagship brand Hatsumago in the early Showa era when the founder's first grandchild was born, expressing the wish that the sake be loved as widely as a cherished grandchild. Every product is brewed using the traditional kimoto method without exception, a labor-intensive approach the brewery has maintained since its founding that builds complex, layered flavor. Hatsumago has won the International Wine Challenge Trophy three years in a row from 2018 to 2020, with the brewery sourcing locally grown Yamagata rice varieties including Dewasansan and Dewanosato.
