Sake brewer loses all to tsunami, vows to rebuild

It's unfortunate that the Japanese economy is at a low point right now, because what is sorely needed are emergency loans for deserving people and companies that need to get back on their feet. These kinds of people are the ones who will rebuild the shattered regional economies of Tohoku.

He can rebuild but I am not sure if he can do so in Iwate. Good luck.

Where is the picture of him? He has a product everyone enjoys. He and the Japanese economy will survive this financial tsunami too.

she worries her family won’t be able to pay the loan on their five-year-old house, which was swept away by the waves.

I thought in these types of situations, the banks would just write this off or some kind of Government intervention so they won't have to pay??

That's just terrible! You loose everything including so many of your family and you still have to pay a loan for something that's no longer. This is very very sad!

southsakai.

That is the law here. If you need to foreclose on your mortgage and the bank sells the property you are still hit for the difference between the selling price and what you owe on the mortgage.

I believe most home owners are sheltered by insurance.

I believe most home owners are sheltered by insurance.

I read somewhere that only 15% of buildings are covered by earthquake insurance (to be confirmed, I am not sure about this). Furthermore, there is a maximum overall payout in a single year (4.5 trillion yen), to be distributed between all claimants.

I believe most home owners are sheltered by insurance.

Unfortunately, many many people fail to get quake insurance. There have even been TV ads informing people that damage by fire (and I assume tsunamis) caused by earthquakes is not covered by regular homeowners' insurance. Yet time and again people fail to pay out the extra for coverage on the assumption that it couldn't happen to them. I do, of course, have sympathy for those affected by this disaster and lenders must be flexible. But I can not say the banks must forgive loans and the government pay to give everyone a brand new house.

Good luck to this man -- he certainly has the spirit we should all strive for. Hopefully he can get help in achieving his goal.

I have a 15-year-old boxed bottle of Suisen in my closet. I kept putting off opening it. I was just going to dump it out... but not anymore.

Anyone know how long sake lasts unopened?

Sadly, that's his factory that's seen in the foreground of the infamous video of the tsunami hitting Rikuzentakata. The four-sided blue sign with white "Suisen" characters that was atop one of the buildings can be seen on the right side of the video.

Also, check out Suisen's homepage; there's a sad message there.

This is a great article.

As one who appreciates a good glass of reishu, I will be sure to seek this producers sake out after the brewery is up and running again.

Hontoni Gokurosamadegozaimasu. (0_0)

Tatenaosini, Ganbattekudasaimase! |^_^|

@ubikwit

I agree with you; it's a great article.

As one who appreciates a good glass of reishu, I will be sure to seek this producers sake out after the brewery is up and running again.

In the meantime, I believe it will be important to be mindful to seek out the local producers in the area and buy their products as much as possible. I located a great sake brewed in Iwate, called Tsukinowa (月の輪), and picked up the last two bottles on the shelf. (And I'm here in the state of Georgia in the US.)

Like you, I will look forward to the day when Suisen gets back on its feet, and will promote their product at local tastings here.

I wouldn't have the testicles to rebuild in the same place. Mother nature doesn't mind kicking a man when he's down. Perhaps further inland and higher up so that the next murderous black tide can't get its thirsty tongue around everybody`s goodies, and keep rice fields and cultivated fields near the coastline. Look forward to sipping some sake from Iwate in the near future.

Yeah, but that's the aspect of this story I find uplifting in the midst of this calamity.

I mean, the tragic fact is that there are still employees unaccounted for, and the brewery is basically splinters.

But it was refreshing to encounter this forward looking spirit and determination against the daily scenario of reading about TEPCO cretins with no work ethic and the corrupt officials that have ignored the corporate malfeasance.

It seems like quake insurance is not necessary. Flood insurance is necessary. All of these homes and buildings were ruined, post earthquake, by the tsunami. I hope Suisen sake lives on and I'm sure it will.