Hirase Sake Brewery, founded in 1623, has been in Takayama, a town that flourished as a merchant town, and has been a part of the town's history. They use mellow underground water from the Northern Alps and sake rice grown in Hida to brew their sake. The name of their representative brand, Kusudama, comes from the "medicinal balls" that are displayed at celebratory occasions. Kusudama is brewed in the harsh winter cold that is unique to Takayama, and is enjoyed in a wide variety of ways, including Kusudama Honjozo Josen, which is popular for daily evening drinks, Kusudama Junmai Daiginjo, which is made from Hida Homare rice polished to 40%, and Kusudama Junmai Ginjo, which is brewed with flower yeast.