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SAKE
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Hideyoshi (Suzuki Shuzoten)
BREWERY OVERVIEW
Suzuki Shuzoten is one of the oldest continually operating sake houses in Japan, and one of
Akita’s most well-known and respected breweries. Founded by Matsuemon Suzuki in 1689, the
brewery has been run by the Suzuki family for 19 generations.
The name Hideyoshi was given to the brewery by the local lord Satake. It is said that he
tasted all of the sake in Akita and judged the sake of this brewery to be the very best. The
words “excellence” and “goodness” form the name of the legendary feudal warlord Toyotomi
Hideyoshi, and they refer to the high quality of the brewery’s product. For over three centuries,
Suzuki Shuzoten has strived to live up to the high standards set by the Hideyoshi name.
LOCATION OF BREWERY
The Akita prefecture is best-known for farming rice, as well as its clean water provided by the
large amount of snowfall during the winter. In winter, the low temperature and high humidity
result in abundant snow, which purifies the air and creates the perfect environment for sake
brewing. It requires complex procedures of fermentation and saccharification, which slows
down and creates the most delicate sakes.