Takenotsuyu, meaning bamboo dew, takes its name from the beautiful bamboo groves that have surrounded this brewery in Yamagata since its founding in 1858, situated at the foot of the sacred Mount Haguro, one of the Three Mountains of Dewa. The brewery maintains an unusually close connection to its land: owner and master brewer Masao Aisawa grows all the rice used in production himself, working with the Haguro Sake Rice Research Group to select rare local varieties from a field of 120 candidates. Takenotsuyu sake is used in annual ceremonies conducted by Shugendo monks, deepening its bond with the mountain traditions of the region.
