Niizawa Sake Brewing Company

株式会社新澤醸造店

Prefecture
Miyagi

Niizawa Shuzo, in Miyagi prefecture, is one with an especially intriguing story.  The brewery itself has been around since 1873, however, it started to make big waves in the beginning of the 2000’s with its Hakurakusei Brand and has been shaking up the Sake world ever since. In recent years, the brewery received the prestigious "IWC Sake Brewery of the Year 2022".

In 2000, Iwao Niizawa, 5th generation Kuramoto took over as Miyagi’s youngest ever Toji.   With youthful ambition he took strides to change the image of Sake by creating a brand of “ultimate mealtime sake”, a concept which had not yet been officially considered at that time, although it was just accepted that sake was to be enjoyed alongside food.  In 2018, even more revolutionary at the time, was the appointment of Nanami Watanabe as Japan’s youngest ever female Toji at age 22.  

興味深いストーリーを秘めた宮城県に構える新澤酒造。1873年創業の老舗だが、2000年代初頭より「伯楽星」ブランドを確立させて以来、国内外の日本酒界に衝撃と感動を与えてきました。 

2000年、宮城県史上最年少の杜氏として5代目蔵元・新澤巌夫氏が就任。当時、日本酒は食前もしくは食後に楽しむものとされていた中、「究極の食中酒」というコンセプトを打ち出し日本酒のイメージを変えるべく、若い力で邁進してきました。 2018年当時さらに画期的だったのは、日本史上最年少の22歳で渡辺七海氏が女性杜氏として就任したこと。