Husband and Wife Blend Japanese Craft and Navajo Tea for Award-Winning Sake

Atsuo Sakurai and his wife Heather operate Arizona Sake, a production shop located just off Route 66 in Holbrook, Arizona. The couple crafts a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage using fermented rice. Their operation produces the drink in a 200-gallon vat within a facility that serves as both workshop and sales location.

Sakurai, originally from Tokyo, worked in the sake industry in Japan before moving to the United States. He stated that he had long held a dream of establishing a sake manufacturing business somewhere in the world. His wife, Heather, is a member of the Navajo Nation. The couple integrates elements of both their cultural backgrounds into their product line.

One of their specific creations features Navajo tea as a primary ingredient. Sakurai explained that this plant is native to the region and serves as a distinct flavor profile in the final product. He noted that customers are frequently surprised to learn that a traditional Japanese spirit is being produced in a small town in Arizona. “Initially, nobody believed,” he said.

The production process is labor-intensive and slow. Workers wash and heat rice in baskets before transferring it to vats for fermentation. Once the fermentation period is complete, the mixture is pressed like mash to extract the liquid. Sakurai stated that the entire process takes approximately three months to complete for a single bottle.

The resulting beverages have won awards in competitions held in Japan and other international locations. While Sakurai produces traditional styles, some of his specific creations are sold exclusively at the Holbrook shop. He described the aroma of the sake as beautiful, noting that tasters often compare it to pear or blueberry.

During a tasting, one customer identified a distinct flavor in one of the varieties. “Oh my God, I can really taste the prickly pear. This is about as Arizona as it gets,” the taster said. Sakurai emphasized that the slow, hands-on nature of the work provides him with peace in an era dominated by artificial intelligence and automation. “That kind of business, industry, I want to save,” he said.

Sakurai expressed confidence that his operation will continue in Holbrook for the long term. When asked if Arizona Sake would still be in business in 100 years, he replied, “Hopefully.”