Juji Asahi Shuzo has been handcrafting sake in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, since 1869, drawing on the sacred geography of a region where the Izumo Grand Shrine has stood for centuries. The brewery refuses all commercial lactic acid, producing its sake exclusively through the kimoto method, which develops a natural starter over weeks using wild microorganisms. All rice is organically grown in the Izumo and Okuizumo mountain areas and milled on-site, while soft mineral spring water from the northern mountains shapes the sake's clean, structured character.