Kikuyu" Amezure Daisen Junmai Sake
Brand name in dispute with a ramen shop over trademark rights
As a pet theory
I prefer an Ooka-judgmental, humane verdict rather than a legally correct one.
Therefore, I would rather support Yoshikawa Brewery, which has been brewing sake at the foot of Mt. Daisen for a long time, than a ramen shop that currently does not brew sake at the foot of Mt.
The ramen shop's "AFURI" was brewed at the Kurosawa Sake Brewery in Shinshu!
If it was brewed at Kurosawa Brewery, it must be a delicious sake!
But, isn't "AFURI" another name (generic name?) for Oyama without any distinction between "Ameuri", "Aburi", and "AFURI" to begin with? Isn't it?
I strongly doubt that a company can claim trademark rights to it.
If the trademark is owned by the Oyama Aburi Shrine or the Amezan Daisenji Temple, then I guess it is.
Besides, from the outside looking in, I think that Yoshikawa Brewery has contributed more to Daisen than the ramen shop, so I would like to support Yoshikawa Brewery.
It's possible that the ramen shop's ambitions are higher than I assumed.
But still, I wonder about the lawsuit (or is it not over yet?). I'm not so sure about this.
I don't know if the ramen shop's "AFURI" is a reason to drink it, even if it is brewed by Kurosawa Brewery in Shinshu, because of its reputation for good taste.