OUR STORY

"Dassai" literally means "otter festival". This is a word that was used long ago in the region, Yamaguchi Prefecture, as there were many otters frolicking in the nearby rivers. Otters would lay out on the shore fishes they caught, almost as if they are showing them off – like one would do during a festival.

The story of Dassai is one rich in history, culture and unparalleled quality. The original brewery was founded in the 1700s and is still in the same location in the mountains of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi, in Southern Japan. The Sakurai family took over in the late 1800s during the Mei era and started the sake brewing business as Sakurai Sake Brewery. After the Second World War, in 1948, they established Asahi Shuzo with Hiroshi Sakurai becoming the family’s third-generation CEO in 1984. He launched the brand Dassai shortly thereafter, growing it to the number one premium sake brand in Japan in terms of both sales and production volume, for Ginjo and Daiginjo levels.

Through determination and perseverance, the Sakurai family has successfully transformed Dassai into a beloved and globally acclaimed sake, winning the hearts of people worldwide. Over the past thirty years, Dassai has experienced exponential growth in Japan, the U.S.and globally. Hiroshi and Kazuhiro Sakurai, the father and son, 3rd and 4th generation Chairman and President, have tirelessly refined Dassai and expanded its markets. Opening the New York brewery is their latest bold step into the global sake market.

To learn more about Dassai and Asahi Shuzo, please check out our website.

With our new brewery in Hyde Park, Dassai Blue hopes to introduce and share our sake with even more people. We strive to educate people on how our artisans craft our sake. We strive to make our sake the very best and to deliver truly delicious sake from New York to the world.

The goal of Dassai Blue is to brew a more superior product than our sake in Japan. We look to the proverb about the indigo plant. The dye possesses a deeper hue of blue than the very indigo plant from which it originates, symbolizing the transformative power of art and craftsmanship to elevate and enrich the natural world's inherent beauty. Dassai Blue will transcend expectations and reach deeper than ever before.

The Dassai Blue Brewery is a 55,000 square foot facility with an annual capacity of 140,000 cases (9L per case), producing solely craft sake made by artisans made up of both veteran staff from the Dassai brewery in Iwakuni as well as local recruits.

Starting with the rice, we endeavor to make delicious, hand-crafted Junmai Daiginjo, the highest level of premium sake. Dassai Blue is produced with 100% Yamada Nishiki rice imported from Japan, as well as rice from the United States. We have spent three years cultivating Yamada Nishiki in the U.S. and have worked with Isbell Farms in Arkansas in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and foster a sustainable supply chain.

We utilize craft sake methods, making sake batch-by-batch, using handmade koji, and fermenting in each small tank. Our brand also employs detailed analysis and technology to achieve its delicious taste and premium quality.

We cannot wait for you to try it. Kampai!