Tengumai

Shata Shuzo was founded in 1823 and is located close to Kanazawa and the Sea of Japan. The primary brand name is “Tengumai” with means Dancing Tengu. Tengu are creatures of Folklore in Japan. The idea is that after drinking their sake, even the Tengu would want to dance.

While using the spring water from Mount Haku and the high-quality sake rice nurtured in Kaga plain, Shata Shuzo brews several varieties of sake by the Yamahai method, a method which uses a traditional yeast starter. This method is one of the difficult methods in sake brewing. In the 1960’s, a Yamahai method that is original to Tengumai was developed through the brave challenges by the 7th generation, Toshiro Shata and the Noto-Toji (Noto Region’s Master brewer), Saburo Naka. They continued their research and eventually Saburo Naka was awarded the title of Contemporary Master Craftsman by the Japanese government.