Century-old Sake-making Dynasty Revealed | Uncovering the Secrets of a Centurion Family-owned Sake Business
In a fascinating talk organised by The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles and supported by the website Los Angeles, Rumiko Obata, the fifth-generation successor of Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery, will discuss the factors for sustaining a family business over a century.
Based on a 2017 survey by Tokyo Shoko Research, LTD, traditional industries like Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery can drive innovation in the global economy. And with over 30,000 centuries-old companies in Japan, many of which are family-run, it's clear that these businesses have a significant role to play.
Rumiko Obata, who took over the family business at the age of 29, returned to her hometown in 1995 after spending 7 years in Tokyo working for a movie company. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to elevate her family business from the local-and-traditional, to the global-and-modern market.
Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery, founded in 1892, is a family-run business located on Sado Island. Their signature sake, MANOTSURU, has won numerous awards, including gold medals at the 2007 and 2015 International Wine Challenge in London, and the National Sake Competition gold medal 6 years in a row.
During the presentation, which will be in English with Japanese-English interpretation during the Q&A session, Rumiko Obata will share her insights on preserving traditional craftsmanship, adapting to market changes, investing in education and innovation, maintaining strong family and community ties, and embracing global outreach while respecting heritage.
Guests will have an opportunity to taste Obata Sake Brewery's signature sake (for guests aged 21 or older). This promises to be an enlightening event for anyone interested in traditional industries, family businesses, or the Japanese sake industry.
- Rumiko Obata, a fifth-generation successor of Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery, will discuss how traditional industries like her own can drive innovation in the global economy.
- Despite starting her tenure at the age of 29, Rumiko Obata has successfully elevated Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery from a local and traditional business to a global and modern market player.
- The Obata Shuzo Sake Brewery, a family-run business founded in 1892, has won numerous awards for its premium sake, showcasing its leading role in the Japanese sake industry.
- By attending the presentation, guests can learn from Rumiko Obata's insights on preserving traditional craftsmanship, adapting to market changes, and embracing global outreach while respecting heritage, with an opportunity to taste their signature sake.
