SAKÉ IN AMERICA

The earliest evidence of saké in America dates back to the late 1800s when Japanese began migrating to Hawaii to satisfy the demand for labor on farms, in mines and for construction projects. Between 1880 and 1908, more than 150,000 Japanese entered the United States, bringing with them many Japanese foods and customs, including saké. By 1889, saké had become a popular luxury import and was shipped to markets in Hawaii and California.

Because of the high import tax, Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii and California began to make their own saké and by the beginning of World War II, there were around 15 small breweries operating. The first successful brewery was established in Honolulu by the Hiroshima immigrant Tajiro Sumida who, in December 1908, presented the first batch of saké from his Honolulu Saké Brewery. Unfortunately, the saké quickly spoiled in Hawaii's hot climate and was returned to the brewery. Sumida solved this problem by refrigerating the part of the brewery where fermentation takes place. He was also the first brewer to use stainless steel and he developed techniques that enabled the production of saké year-round.

Sumida did much to improve saké-brewing techniques - many of which are still in common use today - in both the U.S. and Japan. Sumida is also credited with developing techniques for making saké out of California-grown Japanese rice which today are in use by several American- and Japanese-owned breweries in California. The major Japanese saké brewers - Shochikubai, Ozeki, Gekkeikan and Hakushika - have breweries in the United States which produce saké under their American labels. It is estimated that the U.S. saké industry produces about 1.5 million cases of saké per year.