“We want to offer sake that brings a sense of happiness through drinking it,” says Risa Aoki, President of Aoi Brewery, located in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. Last winter, she took over the operations of the more-than-160-year-old former Takahashi Shuzo, situated not far from JR Nagaoka Station. Aoki, who shifted careers from a different industry, leads the business and sake brewing together with a team of mostly young members in their thirties. Now in their second year, the company will release Domaine Aoi, a sake brewed with rice cultivated in-house by Aoki’s younger brother, Kaito Aoki, who oversees rice production. We spoke with President Aoki about her thoughts on the sake business and her outlook for the future.
Expressing a Clean, Modern Flavor
Having spent about ten years in the financial industry since graduating from university, Aoki recalls living a fulfilling life until the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return to Japan from an overseas posting in Singapore-a turning point for her.
“Working abroad made me realize that Japan is blessed with four distinct seasons, rich regional cultures, food ingredients, and a strong spirit of craftsmanship,” Aoki reflects. “When I thought about what I truly wanted to do back home, I recalled my love for sake and decided I wanted to work in an industry that embodies Japanese identity, deeply rooted in each region.”
She then switched careers to join a local sake brewery in Yamagata that she had connections with through her financial work. After leaving that position and exploring the idea of managing her own brewery, she was ultimately able to take over the former Takahashi Shuzo in Nagaoka, Niigata, from among several potential opportunities.
As the new operation launched, like-minded members gathered around Aoki’s vision. The team includes Toji (master brewer) Tatsuya Abe, who brings extensive experience from a brewery in Yamagata; branding specialist Masayuki Doi, formerly of a major advertising agency; and her brother Kaito, a former farmer from their hometown in Mie Prefecture, who now manages rice cultivation.
“Sake is something that takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to make,” Aoki says. “We want to elevate its value and bring it to more people.” She adds, “Our ideal sake expresses the natural flavor of rice while remaining clean, refined, and modern. Taste is important, of course, but so is having accessible bottle and label designs. I especially want people who usually drink wine but not sake to try it—that used to be me and my friends. Domestic sake consumption is declining, but there are still opportunities. Overseas markets also hold great potential.”
Currently, sake brewing is handled by four members: Toji Abe, Kaito Aoki, and two local farmers who produce the raw rice.
Pursuing Both Sake Brewing and Agriculture
In the brewery’s first year, the team commercialized products in a short period while using the existing facilities, launching around 60 koku (1 koku = approx. 180 liters) under the new brand Maison Aoi. They produced seven different types of sake using multiple rice varieties such as Dewasansan, Miyama Nishiki, and Aiyama, showcasing diverse flavor expressions. The back labels intentionally omit detailed information such as Junmai/Junmai Daiginjo classification or polishing ratio. “We want people to simply enjoy the taste,” explains Aoki. The sake was set at a lower alcohol content of 13%, compared to the typical 15%.
Although production volume was limited, the brand had a strong start, being taken up by liquor retailers within Niigata Prefecture as well as well-known specialty shops in Tokyo.
This season, the brewery is actively investing in equipment to further improve quality and working conditions, introducing small-batch thermal tanks, upgrading the koji room from electric wiring to panel heaters, and installing a dedicated labeling machine for 720ml bottles.
In the second brewing year, Kaito Aoki will use Gohyakumangoku sake rice grown in Nagaoka’s rice fields to produce the new series Domaine Aoi. “We intend not to over-polish the rice, allowing its natural goodness to shine and creating a clean, elegant sake,” says President Aoki.
The existing Maison Aoi series will continue as the core lineup, with the addition of a new product made from Niigata-grown Koshitanrei rice. The two series combined are planned to produce around 150 koku.
Looking ahead, Aoki expresses her desire to strengthen the agricultural side of the business as well. “Of course, our first priority is to keep making delicious sake and establish the business on a stable trajectory,” she prefaces. “Our rice cultivation has only just begun and remains small in scale, but in the future, we want to find even better growing conditions to pursue high-quality rice. Brewing sake from our own carefully cultivated rice will further enhance its value. Because we’re involved in both brewing and agriculture, we can take on challenges others might not—and ultimately, it may even help preserve the local rice fields and landscape.”
