If sake were to have a terroir as with wine, it would come from the source of the water. Unlike wine, which is made from juice, 80% of sake’s volume comes from water - making the quality of the water critical.

The Takashimizu brewery is located in Akita, Japan which is known for its mountainous terrain that produces high quality, soft riverbed water at its purest state. Soft water is vital because it leads to slower fermentation, which produces sake with a soft, lush texture. The Takashimizu brewery is located where three rivers meet, a place known as being the source of the purest water since the time of the Samurai. It is this cherished water that the toji uses to brew shimizu-no-mai sake.