Arizona Sake blends Japanese brewing with Navajo ingredients in Holbrook

A sake brewery located just off Route 66 in Holbrook, Arizona, produces award-winning alcohol that merges Japanese brewing techniques with Navajo cultural elements.

Atsuo Sakurai, a former sake industry worker from Tokyo, founded Arizona Sake with his wife, Heather Sakurai, a member of the Navajo Nation. The couple operates out of a facility where they brew the fermented rice beverage in a 200-gallon vat. Sakurai noted that visitors are frequently surprised by the location of the shop in the American Southwest. He recalled that when he first shared his plan to establish a sake business abroad, many people did not believe it was possible.

The production process is manual and time-consuming. Workers wash and heat rice in baskets before transferring it to vats for fermentation. Once fermentation is complete, the team presses the mixture to extract the liquid under pressure. Sakurai stated that the entire process takes approximately three months to produce a single bottle. He described the slow, hands-on nature of the work as a source of peace, contrasting it with modern industries driven by automation and artificial intelligence.

The brewery creates traditional styles of sake alongside unique variants that incorporate local ingredients. One specific product features Navajo tea, a plant native to the region. Sakurai explained that this blend represents the intersection of their two cultural backgrounds. Some of the specialized creations are sold exclusively in Holbrook, while others have gained recognition in competitions in Japan and internationally.

Tasters have described the aroma of the sake as resembling pear or blueberry. One individual noted a distinct prickly pear flavor in a sample, calling it a distinctly Arizona taste. The shop serves as a physical space where the couple’s shared heritage is expressed through the beverage.

Sakurai expressed confidence that the business will continue to operate for decades to come. He compared the potential impact of modern technology on traditional industries to the way the interstate highway system affected businesses along Route 66. When asked if Arizona Sake would still exist in 100 years, he answered, 'Hopefully.'

The brewery remains active in Holbrook, continuing to produce small batches of sake that reflect both Japanese tradition and local Arizona ingredients.