Sake Legacies – One Man’s Sake Mission Carries On
Many have told me that I would have liked Mr. Bungo Tanaka very much. I never got the chance to meet this pioneering sake man, who has become legendary in the sake world for what he did and for what he could have done if not for a terrible tragedy. Basically, Bungo would seek out distressed and going-out-of-business sake breweries, and would turn them around. He had huge sake energy. The word “irony” can be cool and mean, and ironically KJ and several other friends of mine got to meet Bungo-san very recently before his passing. So, I feel like it is our honor and duty to carry on with his mission at True Sake, and we feel it is important for you to learn a little more about his life, business, and legacy.
In this light, I have asked Chika Martino (True Sake alum, and Sake Specialist working for Breakthru Beverage CA) to pen her thoughts and timeline on Dainagawa, led by the great Bungo Tanaka, who had a plan and a mission. Herewith is Chika’s take on the man, the mission, and the path ahead:
Dainagawa Lands in California: A Legacy of the Late Bungo Tanaka
Tucked away in Yokote, Akita—one of Japan's snowiest regions and home to the Sannai Toji guild—Dainagawa Brewery operates in an environment shaped by deep snow and long winters. These conditions naturally lend themselves to kanzukuri (cold-temperature fermentation), where precision, patience, and restraint are essential.
The four-person microbrewery's Tenka Series fully embraces this setting. Each sake is bottle single-pasteurized—a labor-intensive method typically reserved for premium sake—and brewed with kura-tsuki kobo (house yeast), a hallmark of Akita craftsmanship. Rather than highlighting these details on the label, the Tenka Series takes a more welcoming approachable and modern design that lets the sake speak first.
My first experience with the Tenka Series was simply fun. The flavors are vivid and approachable, with a juicy, modern character and a luxurious mouthfeel, yet remain grounded in Akita's terroir and Sannai Toji techniques. The labels mirror this balance—simple and inviting, encouraging discovery over time. This philosophy of preserving and enhancing tradition while presenting it in a more accessible, contemporary way was central to Bungo Tanaka's vision.
Dainagawa itself had once been struggling, facing an uncertain future before Tanaka-san stepped in to take ownership and guide its revival. Around the time Dainagawa's first shipment arrived at our warehouse, we received the devastating news of Tanaka-san's passing. He was still in his forties. The loss was deeply felt across the community, especially as the brewery had just entered a hopeful new chapter. "Tanaka-san redefined what the sake business could be by revitalizing many struggling breweries through modern management while respecting tradition, without sacrificing people or identity," reflects Toshi Kojima, CEO of Sake Story.
Yukie, Sake Story's Western U.S. Sales Manager, shared a more personal perspective: Tanaka-san often said making sake is the same as building community. When he first arrived in Yokote, he spent first three months drinking with locals daily, earning trust through genuine connection. His warmth and passion left lasting impacts, reflected in the overwhelming turnout at his memorial. For me, Dainagawa's sake represents more than craftsmanship: it carries the bond between Tanaka-san and the community, as well as hope for struggling breweries to recover and shine again. As Toshi notes, "the Tenka Series is just like Bungo Tanaka: modern, friendly, welcoming and rooted in hard work driven by passion." Rare even in Japan, but for those who encounter it, the experience is as meaningful as it is memorable.
Please join us at True Sake on Saturday May 23rd to taste these and other Dainagawa Sakes with Yukie Manfred of Sake Story! (See the In-Store Tastings section for this Newsletter)
From Akita Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: +1 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this Akita sake is a gentle collection of Asian pear, lemon tea, apple pie, pastry, croissant, steamed rice, cucumber and rose water aromas. Made with Gohyakumangoku sake brewing rice milled to 55%, and using a house kobo (yeast) called D-121, this storied sake embodies the style and philosophy of the man who pioneered turning around faltering sake breweries. They stressed making understandable sake that is tasty and easy to enjoy, and “Green Apple” is just that. Soft, clean, slippery, smooth, gentle, silky, juicy, and with an umami and bruised apple attitude, this sake has a gentle softness that is very quaffable. Look for cinnamon apple pie crust, granola, mochi, cooked pear, apple compote, mineral water, bamboo, daikon, and Asian pear flavors that roll on a very soft and smooth fluid that gets even more round in a white wine glass. WORD: Green Apple WINE: Soft Reds/Creamy Whites BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled fish and chicken, soups and stews, cheese plates, sukiyaki, cream pasta dishes, and grilled veggies.
From Akita Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: -4 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this Akita sake is a cool collection of kiwi, strawberry, mango, orange, and banana bread aromas. Made with Akita Sake Komachi brewing rice milled to 55% and house yeast D-29, this sake is all things Dainagawa, including the man who turned this sake brewery around with a promising future in the international sake market. Look at that label! And yes the fluid matches the feel. You can really taste and feel the super soft subterranean aquifer water that they use to make this beauty. Soft, smooth, silky, gentle, elegant, round, clean, and very water-like, the fluid is a masterpiece in slippery-and-juicy sake. Look for strawberry, powdered sugar, mango, papaya, melon, cotton candy, sugar cane, and strawberry smoothie flavors that glide across the palate in a lovely umami flow that is velvety smooth. “Twin Hearts” is a can’t miss sake that is perfect for gifting, and excels in a white wine glass. WORD: Smooth WINE: Round Reds/Silky Whites BEER: Creamy Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, shrimp cocktail, fresh crab and lobster, cheese and fruit plates, gently-spiced fare, spicy tuna rolls, and small grain caviar.
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