asahi shuzo co-dassai

What asahi shuzo co-dassai does

Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd., commercially known as Dassai (獺祭), is a Japanese premium sake brewery founded in 1948 in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The company produces and sells exclusively Junmai Daiginjo (pure rice, high-polish) sake under the Dassai brand, with a portfolio structured around rice polishing ratios: Dassai 45 (45% remaining), Dassai 39, Dassai 23 (flagship at 23%, 77% polished away), Dassai Beyond, and the DASSAI BLUE sub-brand produced at its New York brewery from American-grown Yamada Nishiki rice. Production technology centers on proprietary processes including commercial-scale centrifugal separation (introduced in 2000 - the first in Japan's sake industry), rice polishing to extreme levels of 8% (using substandard togai rice that other breweries reject), daily temperature/alcohol monitoring of every fermentation tank, and Tomin liquid-freeze technology developed with Technican for -30°C preservation of fresh-pressed quality.

Dassai operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer channels (Dassai Stores in Japan, dassaistore.com e-commerce) with B2B distribution through authorized dealers, premium restaurants, hotels, and Dassai Bars internationally. The company employs approximately 230 kurabito (brewery workers) - the largest brewing team in the Japanese sake industry - and exports to 40+ countries, with over half of FY2025 sales coming from international markets. Dassai commands 2.5x the market share of the next-ranked Japanese sake brewery in the Junmai Daiginjo category and accounts for 17% of all Japanese sake exports by volume. Pricing spans a wide range from approximately 2,475 yen (Dassai 45, 720ml) to 363,000 yen (Dassai Ambition in a titanium bottle), with collector-level special editions achieving 750,000-843,750 yen at Sotheby's auctions. The company is privately held and family-controlled (Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai; President Kazuhiro Sakurai), with no external institutional investors and a wholly-owned French subsidiary (DASSAI France) and US production operation (DASSAI BLUE in New York, established 2023). FY2025 revenue reached a record 213 billion yen.

Name

asahi shuzo co-dassai

Legal name

株式会社 獺祭

Website

https://dassai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Asahi Shuzo Co. (Dassai) is a Japanese premium sake brewery producing exclusively Junmai Daiginjo sake under the Dassai brand, serving fine-dining restaurants, premium retailers, and direct consumers across 40+ countries. It commands 2.5x the market share of its nearest domestic competitor and achieved 213 billion yen in FY2025 sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Japanese Sake (Junmai Daiginjo)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Sake & Traditional Rice Wine Production (AFAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands (CRADAIAF)

Keywords

• Premium junmai daiginjo
• Japanese sake brewing
• Rice polishing technology
• Yamada nishiki sake
• Centrifuge sake separation

Headquarters

HQ city

Iwakuni

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sake Product Sales: Dassai generates revenue primarily from direct sales of premium Junmai Daiginjo sake products through its own retail stores, online shop, and authorized dealers. Products range from standard Dassai 45 to ultra-premium offerings like Dassai Beyond and Dassai Ambition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Asahi Shuzo produces and sells premium Junmai Daiginjo sake under the Dassai brand, specializing in extreme rice polishing (from 45% down to 8% remaining for specialty products) using Yamada Nishiki rice. Production leverages proprietary centrifuge separation technology introduced in 2000, data-driven fermentation monitoring, and Tomin freeze technology. Products are sold through company-owned Dassai Stores, the official online store (dassaistore.com), an authorized dealer network, Dassai Bars internationally, and a wholly-owned New York brewery producing the DASSAI BLUE sub-brand.

Product overview

Dassai (獺祭) is a sake brewery operated by Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd., specializing exclusively in premium Junmai Daiginjo (pure rice wine). The product portfolio centers on five main Dassai grades differentiated by rice polishing ratio: Dassai 23 (23% remaining), Dassai Beyond (undisclosed polish), Dassai 39 (39%), and Dassai 45 (45%), complemented by the DASSAI BLUE sub-brand produced at the New York brewery using American-grown Yamada Nishiki. Beyond standard sake, the portfolio extends to sparkling variants, seasonal limited releases, plum liqueur (Umeshu), shochu, and non-alcoholic products including amazake and sparkling water. Premium limited editions like Dassai Ambition (titanium bottle, 363,000 yen) and Dassai Future (made from off-grade rice) represent the ultra-luxury segment. All products share the unified focus on Yamada Nishiki rice variety, with fermentation technology and quality consistency across the range.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DASSAI BLUE: Premium sake brand produced in New York using Yamada Nishiki rice, with varieties at 23%, 35%, and 50% polishing rates.
• 新生獺祭 (Dassai DEX)
• 獺祭 登龍門 (Dassai Toryumon)

Products and services

• Dassai 45 (獺祭 純米大吟醸45) Standard Dassai Junmai Daiginjo polishing Yamada Nishiki rice to 45% remaining; balances delicate rice sweetness with floral aroma as the foundational Dassai product. Priced ¥2,475 (720ml) to ¥4,950 (1800ml).
• Dassai 23 (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き二割三分) Flagship Dassai Junmai Daiginjo polishing Yamada Nishiki to 23% remaining (77% polished); floral aroma with clean honey sweetness. Priced ¥6,380 (720ml) to ¥7,480 (300ml).
• Dassai 39 (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き三割九分) Mid-tier Dassai Junmai Daiginjo polishing Yamada Nishiki to 39% remaining; balanced sweet taste with lingering finish, embodying the ideal Junmai Daiginjo profile.
• Dassai Beyond (獺祭 磨き その先へ) Premium sake surpassing Dassai 23 — Dassai's ultimate expression developed for global wine competition positioning. Polishing ratio undisclosed. Priced ¥46,200 (720ml) to ¥220,000 (Magnum).
• Dassai 23 Centrifuge (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き二割三分 遠心分離) Sake pressed using centrifugal separator (unpressurized), producing refined, transparent quality with floral elegance; recent batches composed entirely of centrifuge-pressed 23% Dassai. Priced ¥16,830 (720ml).
• Dassai Sparkling 45 (獺祭 純米大吟醸45 にごりスパークリング) Cloudy sparkling sake using bottle secondary fermentation with Yamada Nishiki aroma, rice sweetness, and refreshing carbonation; requires refrigeration.
• Dassai Sparkling 23 (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き二割三分 発泡にごり酒) Christmas-limited sparkling cloudy sake using natural bottle secondary fermentation from 23% polished Yamada Nishiki with no added sugar.
• Dassai 23 New Year (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き二割三分 元旦届け) Limited raw (unpasteurized) sake for New Year delivery; rich yet refined taste from 23% polished Yamada Nishiki.
• Dassai 39 Kanzukuri (獺祭 純米大吟醸 磨き三割九分 寒造早槽) Seasonal fresh-pressed raw sake (November-December) featuring fresh brightness and floral elegance of early winter brewing at 39% polish.
• DASSAI BLUE 23 from NY Flagship DASSAI BLUE from Dassai's New York brewery using American-grown Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 23%. Priced ¥13,200.
• https://dassai.com/files/dassai%20blue%2035_jpn%20ver_label_s.jpg Sake from Dassai's New York brewery using American Yamada Nishiki polished to 35% — traditionally considered the optimal balance for Junmai Daiginjo competitions. Priced ¥7,480.
• https://dassai.com/files/dassai%20blue%2050_jpn%20ver_label_h.jpg Entry-level DASSAI BLUE polishing American Yamada Nishiki to 50%; floral aroma, sweet taste, and soft body with firm structure. Priced ¥4,180.
• https://dassai.com/files/shinseidassai-2wari3bu.jpg New generation Dassai 23 focusing on Dassai Exosome; redesigned packaging honoring late designer Kansai Yamamoto. Priced ¥8,470.
• https://dassai.com/files/dassai-shinseiamazake.jpg Non-alcoholic amazake using Yamada Nishiki togai rice at 50% polish, koji-cultured with no added sugars; contains Dassai Exosome. Priced ¥1,393.
• https://dassai.com/files/dassai-sparklingwater.jpg Sparkling water derived from Dassai's fermentation technology, featuring Dassai Exosome; delicate carbonation with faint Dassai aroma. Priced ¥399.
• https://dassai.com/asset/img/product/ambition/hd-ambition.jpg Ultra-premium limited-quantity sake (16% ABV) using rice from Beyond the Beyond Yamada Nishiki Project winners, packaged in titanium bottle with Tomin freeze technology. Priced ¥363,000 (720ml).
• https://dassai.com/asset/img/product/mirai_20221128.jpg Sake made from togai (off-grade) Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 8% — transforming agricultural waste into ultra-premium product while supporting rice farmers. Priced ¥18,700 (720ml, limited quantity).
• https://dassai.com/files/umesyu_keyvisual_new.jpg Japanese plum liqueur using premium Nankakume plums and Dassai 23 base sake; balances Dassai's honey sweetness with plum acidity at 8% alcohol. Priced ¥15,950.
• https://dassai.com/files/dassai_shochu_720_set.jpg Shochu distilled from Dassai's fresh sake lees (sake kasu); preserves Dassai's clean aroma in a 39% alcohol spirit.
• https://dassai.com/files/toryumon_eda_kusatu.jpg Artisanal sake renamed from CRAFT Dassai; young brewers in pairs handle all brewing processes from rice washing to pressing, expressing their vision of 'Dassai-ness'. Priced ¥3,080.
• https://dassai.com/files/bisui_keyvisual_new.jpg Low alcohol (11-12%) Junmai Daiginjo-style sake maintaining full character without dilution, achieved through precise fermentation temperature and water management control. Priced ¥8,800.

Quantifiable outcome

• 213億円 sales in FY2025 (record high)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yamada Nishiki Rice Farmers (山田錦農家)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Dassai partners with rice farmers across 22 prefectures through the 'Beyond Superior Yamada Nishiki Project' (最高を超える山田錦プロジェクト), purchasing rice at premium prices and providing technical guidance. This supports sustainable rice farming while securing the highest quality brewing rice.
• Technican (株テクニカン)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for 'Tomin' (凍眠) liquid freezing technology that preserves fresh-pressed sake at -30°C. This innovation allows Dassai to deliver sake quality equivalent to freshly pressed products to distant markets.
• Yamamoto Kansai Office (山本寛斎事務所)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaboration for 'New Birth' (新生) series packaging, honoring the legacy of the late Japanese fashion designer known for promoting Japanese aesthetics globally.
• MOS BURGERminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative product development creating 'Dassai Shake' - a milkshake combining Dassai Amazake with vanilla shake, launched in MOS BURGER stores across Japan.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Gekkeikan Sake Company: Gekkeikan is one of Japan's oldest and largest sake producers, headquartered in Kyoto with a broad premium sake portfolio and substantial US production/distribution (Gekkeikan USA in Folsom, CA). Comparable as a large-scale Japanese sake manufacturer with international reach, though less concentrated in the Junmai Daiginjo ultra-premium segment than Dassai.
• Hakutsuru Sake Brewery: Hakutsuru is one of Japan's largest sake producers by volume (longtime #1 by shipments) and is based in Kobe, the heartland of Yamada Nishiki rice. Comparable as a premium sake manufacturer with significant domestic and export distribution, though it produces a wider portfolio including non-Junmai Daiginjo SKUs.
• Takara Shuzo (Sho Chiku Bai): Takara Shuzo is a major Japanese sake producer and owns Takara Sake USA, the largest sake producer in the United States (Sho Chiku Bai brand in California). Directly comparable as a premium sake brand with established US production footprint, providing a useful benchmark for Dassai's New York expansion.
• Hattori Shuzo (Ippin / Hattori): Hattori Shuzo is a medium-sized premium Japanese sake producer with a strong reputation in Junmai Daiginjo. Comparable as a quality-focused premium sake peer competing for the same restaurant accounts and export channels as Dassai, though at a smaller scale.
• Kura Sake / Nanbu Bijin: Nanbu Bijin is a premium sake producer from Iwate Prefecture with strong export presence in the US and Europe. Comparable as a regionally rooted premium sake brand with international distribution and a portfolio centered on Junmai and Junmai Daiginjo expressions.

Emerging players

• Juyondai / Hitorimusubi (Shuzhou): Juyondai has become one of the most sought-after premium sake brands in Japan, with allocations and secondary-market pricing comparable to luxury wine. Directly comparable in ultra-premium positioning and limited-allocation marketing, though smaller in scale and less internationally distributed than Dassai.
• Nakano Shuzo (Tatsuuma-Honke / Born: Dreams): Nakano Shuzo is a small but highly regarded premium sake producer in Wakayama, known for ultra-premium allocations like the Born series. Comparable in ultra-premium positioning and limited-quantity luxury sake marketing, though smaller and less internationally distributed than Dassai.

Broad incumbents

• Kubota / Asahi Breweries Sake Division: Asahi Breweries' sake division produces the Kubota brand, one of Japan's most recognized premium sake names. Comparable as a premium sake brand, with the broader Asahi Group offering distribution synergies that Dassai lacks — useful as a strategic acquirer or distribution partner candidate.
• Suntory (Premium Sake Portfolio): Suntory produces premium sake brands including DASSAI's largest competitor by export volume in some channels, alongside its dominant spirits (Yamazaki, Hibiki) and beer portfolio. Comparable as a Japanese premium alcoholic beverage incumbent with global distribution and luxury brand-building expertise.

Others

• Rémy Cointreau (Lifestyle Premium Spirits): Rémy Cointreau owns Rémy Martin (cognac) and Cointreau, exemplifying the global premiumization playbook — building luxury spirits brands through allocation, craftsmanship storytelling, and lifestyle marketing. Useful as a comparable for Dassai's potential long-term trajectory as a Japanese luxury spirits brand and as a potential strategic acquirer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DassaiSake
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCglSKa8DnmCJwO2QUrTH9Rg
• Facebookfacebook.com/DassaiSake
• Instagraminstagram.com/dassaisake

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about asahi shuzo co-dassai