Dan is a simple but incredibly luxurious Japanese sake created by a sake brewer in business for over 350 years which has returned to traditional production methods, made using water from Mt. Fuji and special sake rice.
The name was chosen for its connotations of “sunrise” and “a new beginning,” and this sake has a divine illumination to it akin to the sun rising up at the start of a new day.
At Sasaichi Sake Brewery, we are devoted to creating the ultimate sake for pairing with simple and delicious foods.

This is the essence of Dan.

Gozensui from Mt. Fuji is used in the brewing process.

The brewery which makes Dan, Sasaichi Sake Brewery is located in the Sasagomachi area of the city of Otsuki in Yamanashi Prefecture.In the past, this area prospered as a lodging town prior to the most difficult section of the Koshu Kaido road, Sasago Pass, a location within the Kanto metropolitan area approximately 80 km from the center of Tokyo, Groundwater flowing in this area originates from Mt. Fuji, the symbol of Japan, and the water used in our sake brewing comes from the melting of accumulated snow on Mt. Fuji, filtered through the soil into groundwater reservoirs over a period of decades.The reason the brewery is located here is because the water here is the best in Japan.In ancient times, there are records of the water being transported to Edo Castle for tea ceremonies, and it is said the Meiji Emperor also used it as his personal gozensui for trips to Kyoto.Thanks to this prestigious water, we are able to bring out the distinctive character of the best sake rice from all over Japan in our brewing process.

Brewing philosophy for Dan

Japanese sake is 70% water, and the water used in Dan has a distinctive soft mouthfeel, which emphasizes the savory flavors of the rice. We take great pains to select the optimal rice to match the quality of this exquisite water, and the sake rice varieties used in our brewing processes are the best in Japan.These natural bounties are fermented slowly at low temperatures, emphasizing the balance of aroma and flavor above all else, achieving a sake with an expansive aroma and pure and gentle crispness, sweetness, and savory flavor in perfect balance. This is the goal we are aiming for with Dan.For this reason, traditional sake mother and lactic acid bacteria fermentation are used to their maximum potential to draw out all the best of the raw materials, with a focus on junmai (no added sugar or alcohol) and yamahai (natural yeast) processes, aiming to express the pure flavors of the water and rice to the greatest extent possible.With a focus on balancing aroma and flavor, Dan aims to be the pinnacle of Japanese sake for enjoying with a meal, developed to pair with a variety of dishes rather than any specific type of cuisine.

Dan and the four seasons

Dan emphasizes food pairing above all else, and instead of putting a unique character at the forefront, the role of Japanese sake as a beverage was considered when determining its flavor.In other words, this sake is meant to be enjoyed with both Japanese and Western cuisine featuring a variety of different seasonal ingredients.Just like the seasonal nature of fine dining, Dan also aims to be the optimal sake for meal pairings in each season.Rather than providing the same unchanging product year-round, we aim to deliver the optimal characteristics for each season.Truly, this way of thinking is so rooted in Japanese culture that it’s only natural.However, all of these seasonal varieties maintain the distinctive character of Dan.This requires an extremely sensitive, delicate, and detail-oriented approach to sake brewing, but it’s what’s needed to make Dan the way it should be.Inheriting from those who came before us, we will preserve the refined traditions and culture of sake, devoting ourselves to creating a new luxury Japanese sake that maintains the distinctive character of this beverage.

History of Sasaichi Sake Brewery, the makers of Dan

Dan is Sasaichi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.’s flagship sake brand known for its world-class quality. The brewery’s history goes back over 350 years in 1661 when it was founded as Hanadaya. In 1919, the house was renamed and merged as Sasaichi Sake Brewery by the founding brewer, Hisashi Amano. The name “Sasaichi,” consisting of “sasa (sake rice wine)” and “ichi (number one),” carries the brewer’s aspiration to make his house as Japan’s top sake brewery. The company followed the mass production trend of the times until 2013, when it completely got rid of the factory-style production and returned to Japan’s traditional manual koji malt making and yeast mash process. The effort resulted in the release of Dan, a new brand with a Chinese character representing the sun rising from Mount Fuji. The founding brewer’s spirit, epitomized in the name of “Sasaichi,” somehow resonates in the brand name, “Dan.” While being a sake brewery, Sasaichi is also a winery producing Japanese wine. Dan, matured in the time-honored brewhouse by skilled brewers with a wide range of expertise in liquor production, marks the beginning of Sasaichi Sake Brewery’s new page in its history.