Takashima Brewery, founded in 1804 in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, is best known for its flagship sake, Hakuin Masamune. The name has its origins in 1884, when a royal envoy visited a local temple and was deeply impressed by the sake served. The envoy combined “Masamune” (a name associated with high-quality sake) with “Hakuin,” a respected Zen monk from the area who had revived the Rinzai school of Zen, to create the name Hakuin Masamune. The brewmaster and owner, Kazutaka Takashima, is dedicated to creating sake that truly reflects the region—sake that people can enjoy slowly and continuously, like a relaxed conversation. The brewery uses soft water from melted snow from Mt. Fuji and sources rice locally, focusing on a variety called Aikoku, grown with reduced or no pesticides. Takashima Brewery continues to pursue a uniquely Shizuoka style of sake brewing.