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■ Certified Organic JAS Sake Made with Organically Grown Rice
The company was founded in 1831. Guided by the theme of “integrity in all things,” they continue to pursue uncompromising, quality-focused sake brewing.
The flagship brand is "Yamatan Masamune". Although located in a warm region, they have air-conditioned the entire brewery to recreate conditions comparable to those of a cold climate ideal for sake brewing, dedicating itself fully to enhancing the quality of its sake.
After graduating from Waseda University, President Nobuki Yagi worked at an IT company for about eight years before joining the family business, Yagi Sake Brewery. Leveraging his valuable experience in a different industry, he continues to pursue various reforms and challenges while preserving tradition.
One such example is brewing sake using organically grown rice. “Yamatan Masamune Organic,” brewed with locally produced organic rice and crafted using the Muromachi-period method known as “Mizumoto”—which does not involve the addition of artificial lactic acid—has obtained Organic JAS certification as a naturally crafted sake.
The label is made from Imabari Towel, a local specialty product, and the towel itself uses organic cotton.
They aim to be mindful of the SDGs and handle rice with care, setting the rice polishing ratio at 80%. The result is a flavor profile where the refreshing acidity from lactic acid bacteria and the distinct umami unique to organically grown rice come through clearly. It's said to pair well with washed-rind cheeses that have a distinctive character.
It is also recommended to peel off the label and reuse it as a coaster.
You can feel the fluffy soft touch and overwhelming water absorption of Imabari towel, which is a representative product of "safety, safety and high quality" Japan quality.
■ Consecutive Wins in the World Sake Brewery Ranking; Expanding Exports to Europe, Led by Germany
Their craftsmanship, backed by tradition and advanced techniques, has earned high praise for the quality of their sake, winning gold medals at numerous competitions including the National New Sake Appraisal.
In recent years, they have achieved consecutive placements in the World Sake Brewery Rankings. The World Sake Brewery Rankings select the top 50 breweries by converting awards won at domestic and international sake competitions and appraisal events into points. In 2025, 698 breweries were eligible for ranking, and they placed 42nd.
They are actively expanding into overseas markets so that people abroad can also experience the premium taste achieved through their commitment to locally sourced rice and water from Ehime. Since 2020, they have also been exporting to Germany, where they are steadily increasing their share of the domestic sake market.
They exhibited at ProWein, Europe's largest wine festival gathering brewers from around the world, held in Düsseldorf, Germany in 2025.
Going forward, they plan to further expand their reach across Europe. They are passionate about not just exporting sake, but promoting it globally as part of “Japanese culture” alongside “washoku” (Japanese cuisine), a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture is also famous for the Shimanami Kaido, a cyclist's paradise where you can enjoy the scenery of islands floating in the Seto Inland Sea.
People from all over the world come to experience the beautiful, abundant nature, the mild climate, and the fine sake “Yamatan Masamune.”
■ Recommended Items
Yamatan Masamune Katana(Sword) Junmai Daiginjo
This junmai daiginjo sake is made from Ehime Prefecture's “Shizuku Hime” sake rice polished to 40%. They placed strong emphasis on its visual appeal, adopting a cool design featuring a “sword” motif.
True to its name of “sword”, its flavor is sharp and exceptionally crisp. It enjoys high popularity both in Japan and overseas, making it an ideal gift.
Yamatan Masamune Shizuku Hime Junmai Ginjo
“Shizuku Hime” is Ehime Prefecture's first sake rice variety. It was named with the wish that “drops of delicious Ehime sake would be born from Ehime rice.”
Its soft, gentle flavor perfectly matches the image of warm Ehime. When poured into a wine glass, you can enjoy its fruity aroma even more.
Yamatan Masamune Ginjo Sake
This ginjo sake is brewed with “Matsuyama Mii,” a sake rice from Ehime Prefecture. Its refined ginjo aroma and crisp, light flavor pair perfectly with light dishes.
This exceptional sake has repeatedly won the Grand Gold Award at the “Delicious Sake in Wine Glasses Award” and was selected for ANA's international first-class service in 2014.
Yamatan Masamune Junmai Sake Matsuyama Mii
Yamatan Masamune's signature sake. A dry junmai sake that slowly draws out the rich flavor of the “Matsuyama Mii” sake rice. Enjoy it chilled or warmed.
It won a gold medal in the Junmai category at the Féminalise World Wine Competition 2020, judged by female wine experts from around the world.
It also won a gold award at the “Delicious Sake in Wine Glasses Award 2024.”
[Yagi Sake Brewery Company profile]
Address: 3-3-8 Asahi-cho, Imabari-shi, Ehime
Access: About 15 minutes walk from JR Imabari Station
Phone number: 0898-22-6700
Official website:https://www.yamatan.jp
* This article is machine translated from Japanese to other foreign languages
