Niizawa Brewery

Founded in 1873, this brewery has always pursued the theme of creating “the ultimate meal-time sake,” aiming to be a perfect partner that enhances food. The fifth-generation owner, Iwao Niizawa, demonstrated exceptional tasting skills, winning the national sake-tasting competition while still in university, and rebuilt the brewery, which had been on the verge of closure, as Miyagi Prefecture’s first in-house brewmaster and, at the time, its youngest brewmaster.

In 2011, the brewery was completely destroyed by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Yet, through Mr. Niizawa’s indomitable spirit and the support of devoted brewery staff and numerous volunteers, the brewing facility was relocated to Kawasaki Town in Shibata District, achieving a miraculous recovery within the same year.

In 2016, “Atago no Matsu” won first place at Japan’s largest sake-tasting competition, the SAKE COMPETITION, earning the title of Japan’s best sake. The brewery also introduced multiple in-house rice polishing machines, producing a series of high-polish sakes. In 2019, Nanami Watanabe, then just 22 years old, was appointed as the new brewmaster, becoming the youngest female brewmaster in Japan.

As of November 2025, the brewery has ranked first in the World Sake Brewery Rankings for three consecutive years since 2022, and has won "the Sake Brewer of the Year" award at the International Wine Challenge for four consecutive years since 2022.