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Now Viewing: Ozeki Sake (USA)
Ozeki was the first major sake brewer to begin production in the United States. In 2009, Ozeki Sake (USA) Inc. celebrates its 30th anniversary. Not only is Ozeki the oldest sake brewer in the United States, it can boast of a history of over 291 years in Japan. Ozeki's Japan headquarters is located in Nada (between Osaka and Kobe), a sake brewing region famous for its water (Miyamizu) and sake-brewing rice (Yamada-Nishiki). In the U.S., Ozeki was also concerned about location, which is why Hollister, California, was carefully chosen. In Hollister, water from the Sierra Nevada mountains and rice from nearby Sacramento provide Ozeki Sake with quality ingredients to make the finest sake.
Origins of the Ozeki Name... The Ozeki name is rooted in the traditional Japanese sport of sumo. Hundreds of years ago, the strongest castle guards in the land would gather each year to test their wrestling skills. "Ozeki" was the title bestowed on the victor. (Later, in the Edo Period, "Yokozuna" became the highest sumo ranking.) It was in 1939 that a special-grade sake bearing the name "Ozeki" was first released.
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