Wataya is produced by Kanenoi Shuzo, founded in 1915 in Miyagi Prefecture, where the brand was relaunched in 1996 under guidance from a Nanbu Toji master brewer. Brewed with water from the Kozo Fudo Falls spring and rice contracted from farmers across Japan — with a growing focus on locally grown varieties — Wataya is crafted explicitly as a food-pairing sake, described by the brewery as one with slightly high acidity and sweetness derived from rice that harmonizes naturally with dashi-based cuisine.
