Aoki Shuzo

Produced by Aoki Shuzo (est. 1717) in Niigata. Clean, bone dry, and well-refined. Serve chilled or warm. Yuki Otoko, the bigfoot/yeti of Japan, is illustrated as a large hairy humanlike creature by Suzuki Bokushi in his masterpiece, Hokuetsu Seppu, the early 19th-century topographic essay on life in the snowy southern Niigata region, where the brewery has been making sake for 300 years. Bokushi’s son became the seventh generation of the brewery. Legend has it that the Yuki Otoko has helped travelers carry their loads and guided them through mountain trails. The brewery donates part of their proceeds to support local rescue activities for hikers.