Since opening in 1960, Hasegawasaketen has been a landmark sake store and earned reputation for being a distinctive resource of artisan sakes. It is also an incorporated company constituted by Tokyo divisions of some Kuras like Isonosawa in Fukuoka and Yonetsuru in Yamagata. Many of the staff are sakebrewers themselves, or from such families. This unique company structure is one of the reasons for being able to introduce artisan sakes from small independent breweries, which other retailers cannot find.

Although not a sakebrewer himself, the president Koichi Hasegawa is a legendary "sake guy" whose opinion about sake is very influential in Japan. He also consults over xx sakebrewers throughout Japan. They visit Hasegawasaketen in order to hear his critic and reviews on their sakes, which they believe truly important for the future of sake world.

Most people reckon that Hasegawa is one of the most powerful sake critics; his approach to sakebrewers and their sakes always gives an outside eye looking at them, whose products readily get incredibly high appreciation from sake people. "Plain and simple, I love good sake in a very human way; and want sakebrewers not to forget what's magical about sake, which many sake-brewing giants has obscured. On one hand, sake is a sort of elitist beverage that requires great knowledge to truly understand. On the other hand, I think, it is very easy to get to know sake; it is self-explanatory and straightforward. You will just know whether the sake you taste is good or not. So, all you need is an experience of tasting a genuine sake. No snobbery critic needed. "

Hasegawasaketen now has its headquarter and flagship store in Kameido, Tokyo, and operates two other retail stores in Azabujuban and Omotesando Hills. The company's next step is introducing exquisite selection of sakes from award-winning, but small, sake brewers to the outside counties of Japan. The purpose of start exporting is opening as many people�fs eyes and mouths to those outstanding sakes, because to experience them is the best way for one to realize how beautiful sake is and how bit the sake world is.

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