Introduction of artisans: Menu ----------------------------- Introduction ----------------------------- Introduction "Clothing" Kyo yuzen silk dyeing / Masahiro Ikeuchi Nishijin textile / Takahisa Tamura Kyo yuzen silk dyeing / Ryotaro Hika Kyo Yuzen silk dyeing / Tomoko Fujii Flower arrangement / Michihisa Watanabe ----------------------------- Introduction "Eating and Drinking" Japanese dishes / Takeshi Shinmura Rice / Takashi Hashimoto Sake / Yoshihiro Higashino ----------------------------- Introduction "Living" Synthetic resin / Shigemi Inari Kiyomizu-ware / Hirokazu Kato Woodblock printing / Yuko Harada Jidaigire / Taro Matsumura Folding fans / Takahito Mizukami

There are many types of sake, each featuring a different flavor. I often think about what types of sake my customers prefer, and the situations in which they drink it. Do they sip alone or with friends? Are they smiling, or weeping? Are they happy, sad or angry about something? In imagining diverse situations in which people are drinking, I am working to develop a sake product that can make people truly happy.

When I was a college student, at pubs we always ordered beer first, then the type of cocktail that was in fashion at the time. One day, I happened to break that rule and ordered cold sake, which cost 700 yen. Students rarely ordered such expensive drinks, but that day I somehow felt generous regarding my budget. Wondering why it was so expensive, I sipped a little, to find that it took me to a dreamy world. That sake was different from any type I had ever tasted. In retrospect, that was probably the moment that determined my career.

Of the many types of sake, produced by so many brewers, I value only the products that I find good to sip. Of course I value other companies' products too, as long as they are delicious. My business principle is simple: to produce sake that I myself feel is delicious. I believe that our sake-Gekkeikan- has many enthusiastic patrons simply because I adhere to this principle. Because of my profession, I have many opportunities to taste sake. It is truly fun to find a product that satisfies me the moment I take a sip. Good sake makes me smile in an instant, with its exceptional fragrance and flavor.

My parents did not drink sake or any other alcoholic beverage. On New Year's Day, when I visited my relatives, I saw my grandfather and uncles enjoying sake. I did not feel like drinking, though-- partly because I knew sake was only for adults, and partly because I saw drunken people often become wild. Fortunately, I do not become wild even after drinking much sake.

I' ll always remember the following remark by a senior brewer: Sake is not produced by people, but by microorganisms. All we can do is to prepare the ideal conditions for the microorganisms to do their work. To help them work in optimal conditions, we must do our best in the preparatory process, determining right volume of water, immersing rice grains in water and so forth. After this process, there is nothing more we can do.

When I was drinking at a bar near our company, being in a good mood I boasted about my knowledge of sake brewery. Before long, I noticed a man who was listening to me carefully. After he left the bar, I asked the bar owner who the man was. I was utterly shocked to learn that he was a master brewer. Instead of lecturing him about brewing, I should have listened to his lecture.

Unlike many other alcoholic beverages, sake is, I believe, a sort of fresh product. I therefore hope that our customers drink sake soon after its production. Brewers are simply assisting microorganisms that play the leading role in fermentation; sake, created by live organisms, is a living thing. I hope that our customers enjoy the characters of different types of sake, immediately after the sake's ' birth.'
To ensure that our customers can enjoy fresh sake, I also hope to develop an ideal logistic system.