Hirase Shuzo has been brewing in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture since 1623, making it one of the oldest active sake breweries in the Hida region with over 400 years of unbroken production. The brand name Kusudama refers to the traditional ornamental ball displayed at auspicious occasions, chosen with the meaning of longevity drawn from a classical Japanese dictionary. Water from the Northern Alps, locally grown Hidahomare rice, and the severe Hida winters provide the foundation for a lineup that spans everyday honjozo to a luxuriously polished junmai daiginjo.
