HOLBROOK — The shop where Atsuo Sakurai brews his Arizona Sake is deceptively simple. A large tub of rice and yeast in a cooler, boxes of empty bottles stacked along a wall, a handmade press to squeeze the fermented rice and a very small table with what looks like a high school test tube kit are all that fill his small garage. It leaves the impression that all it would take to become a sake brewer would be to view a few YouTube videos, and the rest would be a breeze.
What makes this deceptive is that the product isn’t a result of the equipment, it’s in the skill that comes from years of studying the perfect balance of time, temperature and taste that make Sakurai a master in his art.
Sakurai studied the fine art of sake brewing in Niigata, Japan, for 10 years and with that skill it took him only a year and a half to go from selling his sake to a few local businesses to selling them to more than 50 businesses across the state and some of Arizona’s finest restaurants, and even winning international acclaim in his homeland of Japan.
In his quiet, humble way Sakurai has achieved something that most people living in America hope to achieve: the American Dream. Evidence of that occurred last week when a news team from Fox 10 came to his home in Holbrook and interviewed Sakurai regarding his widespread success. When asked how he felt about receiving international acclaim for his sake, Atsuo replied, “I was happy because then I can contribute to my client’s business. I’m thankful for America, Arizona and Holbrook.”
Mayor Tyler was at the interview and explained his first impression when he learned of Sakurai’s intention to brew sake in the high dessert of Arizona. “At first you think of it as really different and off the wall but then you sit down and talk with him and see the passion that he has and that he really wants to make this work.”
Chamber of Commerce Director Cindy Tafoya was also interviewed and noted that when she first met Sakurai he had come to her office and asked her what it was he could do for the community before he started talking about his business. “Since then he’s been an ambassador not just for his own business but all businesses in the community of Holbrook as he goes around the country and across seas. We couldn’t be more proud. I think that’s one of his goals is to be a person that unites and promotes the community and see everyone here succeed.”
Sakurai is a first grade brewer certified by the Japanese government to brew sake, an honor only provided to those who have been a brewer for more than seven years. Sakurai is the only first grade sake brewer in Arizona and possibly the U.S. and now he says that the government has discontinued issued sake brewer licenses.
When he left Japan and moved to his wife Heather’s hometown of Holbrook with their children it wasn’t with a plan to brew sake in Arizona but fate stepped in and provided the opportunity to not only brew sake but to brew some of the world’s finest sake in the high dessert. Sakurai attributes his success to the dry pure environment and the characteristics of Holbrook water.
Sakurai will be expanding his operation to a commercial building in town but while most new business owners have dreams of expansion and broader marketing, Sakurai’s dream for his business has remained unchanged since he spoke of it a year and a half earlier in an interview with The Tribune. “My dream is making sake that people will use for their special occasions, like Christmas, weddings and celebrations, or as a summer vacation souvenir,” he said. “I want to be good enough for Holbrook to use my sake to attract tourists and contribute to their businesses,” he said.
Sakurai has definitely made his dream come true and on his way has become an example to others that success for one can be a benefit to many on the road to creating a community that thrives.
