WATOWA. INTRODUCES THE LIVING CULTURE OF REGIONAL JAPAN THROUGH CRAFTS, SAKE, AND FOOD.

In small towns across Japan, makers continue traditions shaped by landscape, materials, and time. Rooted in tradition yet meant for everyday life, each piece carries the story of the place and the people who make it.

Explore by Region
Story of

TOYAMA

Toyama Prefecture sits at the edge of the Japan Alps, where the Tateyama mountain range — one of Japan's three sacred ranges — sends snowmelt streaming through deep corridors and into Toyama Bay. The soft, mineral-rich water that flows from these peaks is what gives Toyama sake its character.

This journey brings together two Toyama makers to offer a single unified vision: handmade and intentional. Together, we invite Toyama to take its place as an everyday discovery.

Fumigiku Shuzo (文義菊酒造) · Toyama City (富山市)
Sake · Junmai-shu (純米酒) · 15%
Nousaku (能作) · Takaoka City (高岡市) · Est. 1916

Meet the sake The craft

Fumigiku Shuzo (文義菊酒造), Toyama (富山) City

Founded in 1994 in Toyama City, Fumigiku Shuzo is a family brewery dedicated to crafting sake from locally grown Toyama Prefecture rice. The brewery's flagship Haneyama (羽根屋) label is known for its clean, precise character and its commitment to the historic Etchū-toji (越中杜氏) tradition — a style of brewing deeply associated with the Toyama and Hokuriku (北陸) region across centuries.

Brewing begins in the winter months, when the cold mountain air descends from the Tateyama range. The brewers work closely with local rice farmers, selecting varieties that express Toyama's soft, mineral water. The result is a series of sakes that are gentle and layered — made to be enjoyed with food rather than for ceremony.

A combined method of careful temperature control and extended fermentation creates a harmony across the palate — delivering a clean, precise sake with a long, satisfying finish.

Haneyama Kirabi sake bottle
羽根屋 特別純米 (Haneyama Kirabi)   羽根屋 きらび
BreweryFumigiku Shuzo
RiceToyama Prefecture
Rice Polishing Ratio55%
Alcohol15%
Kirabi aroma and flavor chart — Light aroma, Semi-Dry flavor

The Kirabi is Fumigiku Shuzo's most approachable expression — a Tokubetsu Junmai brewed with local Toyama rice and polished to 55%. Its profile opens with a light, clean aroma and settles into a gently semi-dry finish.

Meant for the table, it pairs naturally with mild seafood, tofu dishes, and delicate vegetable preparations — a sake that enhances rather than competes.

Haneyama Tokubetsu sake bottle
羽根屋 純米大吟醸 (Haneyama Tokubetsu)   羽根屋 特別
BreweryFumigiku Shuzo
RiceYamada Nishiki
Rice Polishing Ratio45%
Alcohol16%
Tokubetsu aroma and flavor chart — Light aroma, Semi-Dry flavor

The Tokubetsu is brewed from Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 45%. Its character is more refined: a quietly fragrant nose and a clean semi-dry finish with gentle depth.

Excellent chilled alongside sashimi or lightly seasoned grilled fish. A sake that rewards a slower pace.

Nousaku (能作), Takaoka (高岡) City

Takaoka City, located just south of Toyama Bay, has been the center of Takaoka copperware (高岡銅器) for over 400 years. The tradition was established under the Kaga Domain in the early 1600s, and has evolved continuously ever since — adapting its materials and forms while holding to the same standards of craft.

Founded in 1916, Nousaku has continued this tradition using tin and brass, producing objects for use in everyday life. Like the sake it pairs with, Nousaku's work brings together the ancient and the accessible — placing an artisan tradition within reach of anyone who values it.

Tin is a forgiving and tactile metal. It flexes slightly in the hand, conducts temperature with sensitivity, and is said to purify water and draw out the flavors of sake poured into it. Nousaku's sake cups and vessels make this tradition practical and present.

Nousaku tin sake cups on a dark tray with sake bottle Nousaku Mt. Fuji sake cup with gold interior beside sake bottle

Bring the Story of Toyama to your list.

Get in touch
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Our
Story

Watowa is the first brand created by Meld Imports to introduce the stories of regional Japan. In small towns and quiet workshops across the country, artisans continue traditions shaped by place, history, and years of craft.

Through carefully selected crafts, regional foods, and sake, Watowa shares these stories through everyday experiences, offering small moments of discovery that connect people to the landscapes and traditions behind each piece.

Rather than preserving traditional craftsmanship only as nostalgia, we believe it can live naturally within contemporary life. By working with makers and small producers across Japan, Watowa presents their work in a way that feels open, approachable, and meaningful.

In doing so, we hope to create a small bridge between everyday life in the United States and the living culture of Japan.

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Gatherings

Watowa is also a place for discovery and gathering. Through tastings, pop-ups, and seasonal events, we invite visitors to explore Japanese crafts, sake, and regional foods in a relaxed and welcoming setting—creating opportunities to experience these traditions together.

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Makers

Behind every object and bottle at Watowa is a maker, a place, and a story. We seek out small workshops, family producers, and regional artisans across Japan who continue traditions with care and dedication. By sharing their work, Watowa hopes to bring greater visibility to these makers and support the communities where their crafts continue to thrive.

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Where

Watowa is based in Seattle, a city shaped by the cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Here, traditions of woodwork, metalwork, and craft reflect a deep connection to nature and materials. Nordic and Japanese design aesthetics have long found a natural resonance in this environment, where both regions share a quiet respect for craftsmanship, simplicity, and the natural world. In this setting, Watowa creates a place where the stories of regional Japan meet the spirit of the Pacific Northwest.

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What

Watowa curates crafts, sake, and foods that reflect the character of the regions they come from. From handmade ceramics and textiles to small-batch sake and regional specialties, each item is chosen not only for its beauty or taste, but for the people and traditions behind it. These pieces are meant to be enjoyed in everyday life—at the table, in the home, and in moments shared with others.

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Who

Watowa is a retail space dedicated to Japanese crafts, sake, and regional foods. We work with artisans, makers, and small producers across Japan who continue traditions rooted in their local communities—crafts that have been shaped by generations of knowledge, materials, and care.

Get in touch

info@meldimports.com