Originally the owners of a dango and tea shop in the post town of Otajuku on the historic Nakasendo route, the Watanabe family began brewing sake in 1893. They handcraft sake under two main brands: Miyozakura, which is more traditional and offers a variety of styles; and Tsushimaya, which is limited-production, premium sake. Launched in 2012, Tsushimaya sake is exclusively distributed to trusted retailers. This distinguished brewery consistently wins top prizes at sake competitions. The third-generation head brewer, Eizaburo Watanabe, received the Navy Blue Ribbon Medal, Yellow Ribbon Medal, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class, from the Japanese government.