Takara

Image gallery

VISIT THIS PRODUCER'S WEBSITE
VISIT IMPORTER'S WEBSITE
Country of Origin: USA
Location: Berkeley
People: Takara Group

Items

Takara Sake USA Inc., a branch of Japan’s esteemed Takara Group, has been producing premium sake and Japanese beverages in Berkeley, California since 1982. Known for its flagship Sho Chiku Bai sake, Takara Mirin, and plum wine, the company combines traditional craftsmanship with advanced technology. Using pure snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and premium rice grown in the Sacramento Valley, Takara Sake USA ensures its products reflect the same quality and authenticity that define its Japanese heritage. Visitors can explore the company’s Tasting Room and Sake Museum, which offer insights into the history and artistry of sake brewing.

Historical Highlights of Takara Group

• 1842: Takara Group was founded by the Yomo family in Kyoto’s Fushimi district, initially producing sake.
• 1864: Expanded production to include shochu, mirin, and shirozake.
• 1905: Yomo GMK (predecessor to Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.) was established; mirin became the flagship product, earning Usaburo Yomo the title “King of Kansai Mirin.”
• 1925: Incorporated as Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd., expanding mirin and shochu sales nationwide through strategic mergers and partnerships.
• 1951: Began exporting Sho Chiku Bai sake to California, marking the start of Japanese food and beverage demand in the U.S.
• 1982: Takara Sake USA Inc. established in Berkeley, California, using Calrose rice (a unique Japanese hybrid variety) and Sierra Nevada water for local production.
• 1990: Became the largest sake producer in the United States.