About Us
Our Mission:
Amazake Co.’s mission is to share the benefits and pleasure of traditional Japanese fermented food with people all over the world. We make our products using time-honored methods, the highest quality ingredients, and a seasonal approach.
Our Vision:
People of all ages and backgrounds smiling from the inside, as they enjoy delicious and nourishing Amazake.
Our Story:
Founder and president of Amazake Co., Atsushi Nakagawa was born and raised in Mie, Japan, where grew up on a farm. He graduated from university in Tokyo with a degree in electrical engineering and then came to the United States to pursue a career as a rock musician. After semi-retiring from music, he worked as an electrical engineer in the automotive industry in Torrance. However, he always knew he wanted to do something craft-related involving the culture he grew up in.
Ten years ago, after exploring alternative wellness practices with his wife Dalit, Atsushi re-discovered the health benefits of Japanese fermented food. Atsushi realized that this centuries’ old fermentation process had deep nourishing power. Driven to experiment further, he started to make homemade Japanese rice bran pickles (Nukazuke). Then, he went on to making miso, amazake, and koji. This led Atsushi to apprentice at miso/koji microbreweries in Japan, where he worked side by side with the great fermenters of his heritage. In May 2019, he established Amazake Company in Los Angeles.
