Tentaka Shuzo

The sake brewery is located in Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture, an agricultural area that has been cultivating rice since ancient times, with rivers originating from the Nasu mountain range. It is also known as a “starry sky city,” having won first place four times in the Ministry of the Environment's national stargazing contest. To preserve this rich natural environment for future generations, Tentaka Shuzo focuses on producing organic certified sake. The rice used for brewing is grown in organic certified paddies, without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and brewed at an organic certified brewery. In addition, the brewery practices sustainable production methods such as using reusable bottles, solar panels, and utilizing the hot water from steaming rice to provide floor heating. In 2018, the brewery established "Tentaka Organic Farm Co., Ltd.," a corporation dedicated to organic farming, where employees themselves engage in cultivation. This effort aims to shift from "agriculture that protects the environment" to "agriculture that improves the environment." The brewery holds organic certification not only in Japan but also in the United States and the EU. Its organic sake has won gold medals at the National New Sake Competition, making it the only organic sake to receive this honor (four times, as of 2024), and it has also garnered high praise at international competitions.