Kamisugi Brewery, founded in 1805, is currently the only remaining sake brewery in Anjo City. Anjo is blessed with vast rural landscapes and soft spring water, creating an ideal environment for sake brewing. The brewery is dedicated to using locally grown Aichi prefecture rice varieties, focusing on crafting authentic regional sake that pairs well with local cuisine, rather than following fleeting trends. While winning awards at contests is important for the brewery’s reputation, they questioned the trend of producing similar-tasting sake nationwide just to win prizes. About five years ago, they stopped using the famous “Yamada Nishiki” rice from Hyogo Prefecture and committed to using only Aichi-grown rice. Working with these distinctive local rice varieties has been challenging, but their efforts paid off when they achieved a remarkable milestone: winning an award at the prestigious National New Sake Appraisal using Aichi rice—something previously thought difficult without Yamada Nishiki. Kamisugi Brewery continues to embrace challenges unique to a small, local brewery, striving to produce sake that embodies the pride and spirit of their region.