Holbrook Sake Maker Blends Japanese Craft with Navajo Botanicals

A shop located just off Route 66 in Holbrook, Arizona, is producing a beverage that bridges two distinct cultural heritages: Japanese rice fermentation and Navajo botanical traditions. The establishment, Arizona Sake, is operated by Atsuo Sakurai and his wife, Heather.

The business operates out of a facility where a 200-gallon vat serves as the primary vessel for brewing. Sakurai, a native of Tokyo, worked in the sake industry in Japan before relocating to the United States. He stated that his initial goal was to establish a sake manufacturing business anywhere in the world. He noted that many customers are surprised to learn the product is made in Holbrook, a location approximately 6,000 miles from his birthplace. "Oh, yeah. Initially, nobody believed," Sakurai said.

The production process is slow and manual, taking roughly three months to complete a single bottle. Workers at the shop wash and heat rice in baskets before transferring it to vats for fermentation. Once the fermentation stage concludes, the mixture is pressed to extract the liquid. "When fermentation is done, we press the sake like mash," Sakurai explained. The liquid is squeezed out under pressure, a method Sakurai said he intends to preserve despite the rise of artificial intelligence and automation in other sectors.

Heather Sakurai is a member of the Navajo Nation, and the couple integrates this background into their production methods. One of their specific products utilizes Navajo tea, a plant native to the region. "Navajo tea, Navajo tea sake. This is Navajo tea itself, a plant," Sakurai said. This fusion has resulted in unique flavor profiles that differ from traditional Japanese styles. Sakurai described the aroma of his creations as beautiful, noting that people often compare it to pear or blueberry.

The sake produced in Holbrook has won competitions in Japan and internationally. While the shop sells several traditional styles, some specific creations are available only in the local market. During a tasting session, one individual identified a distinct flavor in a sample. "Oh my God, I can really taste the prickly pear. This is about as Arizona as it gets," the taster said.

Sakurai views the hands-on nature of the work as a source of peace in a rapidly changing technological landscape. He expressed confidence in the longevity of the business, citing the historical resilience of businesses along Route 66. When asked if Arizona Sake would still be operating in 100 years, Sakurai responded with a single word: "Hopefully."