Zenbird Editorial TeamPatagonia has announced the launch of “Yamamori 2025,” a natural sake produced in collaboration with the historic Fukushima-based brewery Niida Honke. Released earlier this week, the product is the first domestic product to receive the Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) status. It also represents a shift from mere sustainable farming to regenerative practices that actively restore soil health and biodiversity in Japan’s rice paddies.
Patagonia has expanded its focus on food systems through its provision division, Patagonia Provisions. Through it, it identified that conventional monoculture and chemical-heavy farming deplete soil and harm ecosystems. In 2017, Patagonia co-founded the Regenerative Organic Alliance to establish a certification that goes beyond standard organic requirements. The ROC framework prioritises three pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness.
While the certification has gained traction globally, applying it to Japan’s wet rice paddy agriculture required specific standards. In July 2025, the Regenerative Organic Alliance established new guidelines for water paddy rice cultivation, a process in which Patagonia Japan played a cooperative role. This development allows for the improvement of cultivation methods for rice, a staple food for approximately half the world’s population.
To realise this vision in Japan, Patagonia partnered with Niida Honke, a brewery in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, with over 300 years of history. Niida Honke is renowned for its commitment to shizenshu (natural sake), brewing without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilisers. The brewery’s holistic approach to land management was a decisive factor in achieving certification. Niida Honke manages the mountains surrounding its rice fields to protect the water source. They utilise a “habitat mosaic” approach to their landscape, creating diverse environments that support a wide range of wildlife and contribute to biodiversity. Furthermore, the brewery met the social fairness criteria of the ROC by ensuring high standards for worker welfare and human rights.
“Yamamori 2025” embodies the principles of the circular economy through its production process. The sake is brewed using 100 per cent ROC “Omachi” rice grown in Niida Honke’s own fields. In a return to traditional methods that utilise local resources, the sake is fermented in wooden barrels crafted from cedar trees harvested from the brewery’s own mountains. The product name, “Yamamori,” carries a dual meaning: it signifies a “heap” or abundance, and also references the protection of the mountain forests (yama-mori).
“Yamamori 2025” is available for purchase at Patagonia direct stores, the Patagonia official online shop, and select retailers.
[Reference] PR Times (Japanese)
