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October 02, 2023

Windows 11 Pro gives a competitive advantage to an ancient craft

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. has been creating fine sakes in Kobe, Japan since 1743. When the company transitioned to flexible work styles, they needed a way to streamline security management across their 22 locations around the world. Secure-by-default Windows 11 Pro devices enabled their 500+ employees to outperform anywhere while freeing up their IT team to focus on strategic business initiatives.  

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing

About the company

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. has been in business since 1743 in the Nada ward of Kobe in Japan, where an inland sea and cool winds blowing from the mountains create ideal weather for brewing sake. The company has perfected its artisanal brewing techniques over nearly three centuries, combining starchy Nishiki rice with mineral-rich spring water from the Rokko mountains to make several exquisite sake varieties. 

These days, Hakutsuru is combining its traditional techniques with modern technology to keep its position as the world’s number one exported sake. The company upgraded to Windows 11 Pro devices to support and secure its workforce at three production facilities in Japan and several local subsidiaries in the US and Europe. The new secure-by-default posture helps free up IT for business innovation while enabling team members to outperform anywhere. 

“The inclusion of TPM 2.0 greatly increased our sense of security”

As head of Hakutsuru’s Information System Division, Ichiro Katsube supports hundreds of employees at 22 locations around the world. He grew concerned about the proliferation of cyberthreats as the company transitioned to flexible work styles during the pandemic. To streamline security management across countries and time zones, Hakutsuru switched to new Windows 11 Pro devices. For Mr. Katsube, the deciding factor was out-of-the-box security, including hardware-backed protection like TPM 2.0, which enabled his teams to work anywhere while protecting trade secrets like brewing data and recipes. His employees were far more interested in the enhanced productivity features, like long battery life,(1) intuitive search, and an easily customizable desktop. As Mr. Katsube notes, “The users are happy, and the IT department’s productivity is enhanced by using the tools in Windows 11 Pro. It has made my job that much easier.”


“We wanted security out-of-the-box and compatibility with our in-house and third-party apps.”

Mr. Ichiro Katsube, Manager, Information System Division, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

A competitive advantage in a fiercely competitive business

Like many IT leaders, Ichiro Katsube was torn between two goals: managing his 500+ global employees and innovating to increase his company’s business. He used Windows 11 Pro devices to achieve both objectives. Secure by default and designed for flexible work styles, they freed up Mr. Katsube’s team to focus on business initiatives—like researching new brewing techniques. With the new devices, Hakutsuru can crunch enormous amounts of data to analyze the genetic characteristics of sake rice and help improve brewing techniques and flavor. Another competitive advantage for the company: Microsoft Teams. As Mr. Katsube points out, “The combination of Windows 11 Pro and Teams is a very good match. And I think the improved usability is the most important factor for users.” He adds, “We continue to evolve through digital transformation to stay on top of trends and changes in this highly competitive industry.”

“It was very easy to deploy Windows 11 Pro”

Mr. Katsube was impressed by how simple it was to migrate from earlier versions of Windows. And he notes that “everything works seamlessly together with Windows 11 Pro.” Compatibility is crucial for Hakutsuru because the company uses several proprietary apps and systems that were developed in-house. “They are running without problems,” reports Mr. Katsube, as he sums up his experience with Windows 11 Pro: “The transition has been smoother than expected, and employees are using it without any confusion.” That’s good news for the sake giant, but as he points out, “Even though we have been around for 280 years, we are not stuck in the old ways. We are deploying Windows 11 Pro company-wide because of TPM 2.0 and other security technologies. It has enabled us to unify our operations, including those overseas, and it has been useful in enhancing productivity and security.”

Modern technology for an ancient craft

As Director, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Business Administration Division of Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd., Mr. Noriya Nakanishi is committed to the role of new technology in traditional sake brewing. Intelligent drones that deliver chemicals to the crop, monitors that automatically acquire irrigation data, and Windows 11 Pro devices are all part of his repertoire to increase quality and yield. As he explains, “We are conducting research on sake rice, including our own Hakutsuru Nishiki variety. Windows 11 Pro is indispensable because it allows for safer and faster analysis.” Mr. Nakanishi notes that the company uses Microsoft Teams as “a communication tool in a wide range of situations, including for remote work, overseas subsidiaries, and our business partners. And Microsoft 365(2) and Windows 11 Pro can be trusted for security even when sharing information across many companies.” As he sums up, “We want to respect the ancient craft of brewing sake while using the newest technologies to improve the process.”

“Windows 11 Pro is essential for sustainability, as it contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy consumption.”

Mr. Noriya Nakanishi, Director, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Business Administration Division, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

“Windows 11 Pro is indispensable for reducing energy consumption”

“At Hakutsuru, we are strongly committed to environmental conservation,” says Mr. Nakanishi, adding that the company is actively working toward achieving its Sustainable Development Goals. They have installed 1,600 solar panels, optimized their factory machinery, and are even growing rice on the roof of their Tokyo branch office. While those efforts are extraordinary, Hakutsuru’s fleet of laptops is another step toward a more sustainable future. “We are very pleased with the enhancements Windows 11 Pro has made to its sustainability features,” says Mr. Nakanishi. For instance, Windows carbon-aware updates take advantage of renewable energy sources, while energy recommendations in system settings can reduce energy consumption and help save battery life.(1)  As Mr. Nakanishi notes, “Windows 11 Pro has proven to be a wise choice for Hakutsuru, as it reduces carbon dioxide emissions even in its idle state.” 

“Windows 11 Pro is a must for Hakutsuru Sake Brewing”

The Toji system has been used in sake brewing since ancient times, with the master brewer’s skills and intuition passed down to the next generation of brewers. That deep experience is now being enhanced by technology, as the company runs its development, brewing, and process management applications on Windows 11 Pro devices. Mr. Nakanishi explains that “in recent years, a huge amount of brewing data has been accumulated, and by analyzing this data, we have been working on the development of more appropriate methods, which is, well, data science.” He reasons that because Windows 11 Pro has the performance to handle large-scale data and make high-speed calculations, it’s possible to create a brewing process that combines the best of both traditional techniques and data science. As Mr. Nakanishi says, “We have high expectations for the functions of Windows 11 Pro.”



By combining traditional brewing techniques with secure-by-default Windows 11 Pro devices, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing enabled its workforce of 500+ team members to outperform across 22 locations worldwide while allowing its IT department to focus on business innovation. 

1. Battery life varies based on settings, usage, device and other factors. 

2. Sold separately.


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