Kawatsuru Sake Brewery, established in 1891 in Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, takes its name from the sight of a crane alighting on the pristine Saita River witnessed by the brewery's founder. Now in its sixth generation under president Yuichiro Kawahito, the brewery has shifted its focus from mass production to quality, reducing output from 10,000 koku to 1,000 koku to prioritize depth of flavor. Kawatsuru actively pursues rice-centered brewing and produces a distinctive Olive Junmai Ginjo using olive yeast, reflecting Kagawa's identity as Japan's only prefecture that has successfully cultivated olives.
