This book recounts the dramatic and remarkable success story of the world’s most beloved and acclaimed sake brand. Dassai’s origins date back to the 1700s, when the business was founded in the mountains of Iwakuni in Southern Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture. Until the late 20th century, it remained an insignificant family-owned, brewery struggling to supply cheap, low-grade sake for the local market. Then, in 1984, the highly entrepreneurial Hiroshi Sakurai became CEO. Against all odds, he began to transform its fame and fortunes by launching and growing Dassai exponentially to become Japan’s number one ultra-premium sake. Now with the help of his son, Kazuhiro Sakurai, this exceptional father and son team continues to work tirelessly in both refining Dassai and expanding sales at home and abroad, especially in the United States where its latest bold move saw the opening of its groundbreaking New York brewery.