Dec 1, 2025
We conducted a sake tour in Tochigi Prefecture for returning customers from Hong Kong.
for this trip, the theme was "practical sake brewing experience" and "aged sake." This tour goes a step further than previous ones, offering a deeper, more immersive experience of Japanese sake culture.
Day 1: Tour of the cave storage facility at Shimazaki Brewery
On the first day, we traveled from Tokyo Station to Tochigi by chartered bus, and the first place we visited was Shimazaki Brewery.
To cap off the brewery tour, we were given a special look of the cave storage facility where the sake is aged.
This cave is the remains of an underground factory dug for tank manufacturing at the end of World War II, and it stretches for approximately 600 meters in length.
The temperature remains constant at around 10°C throughout the year and also retains a high humidity, creating an ideal environment for the long-term aging of sake.
Although it was left abandoned for a long time after the war, it has been used as a sake brewery since 2007 and is now registered as a cultural heritage site of Nasukarasuyama City.
The participants were left in awe at the sight of the aged liquor, matured for over 20 years, peacefully resting.
After the tour, we tasted aged wines of different ages paired with cheese, enjoying the depth of flavor and the changes in aroma as they matured.
Day 2: Sake brewing experience at Watanabe Sahei Shoten
Upon arriving at the brewery, President Watanabe called for us to "Hurry!", and the participants immediately got to experience and participate in the task of transferring the steamed rice to the mash tanks.
Next, we were taught practical skills in the trade of brewery working, such as managing the rice in the koji room and cleaning the equipment.
Lunch was a multi-course meal featuring eel paired with sake.
In the afternoon, we traveled to Mashiko town and participated in a pottery making experience using a potter's wheel, learning about the region's traditional crafts through their specific processes.
Day 3: Kagami-biraki (sake barrel breaking ceremony) and tasting at Sotoike Sake Brewery
On the last day, we visited Sotoike Sake Brewery.
Upon arrival, participants enjoyed a traditional sake barrel breaking ceremony, and a surprise gift of sake with an original label was revealed inside the barrel for each participant.
Afterward, we toured the museum and tasted several different brands of sake, experiencing the unique characteristics of each brewery.
This time, we had many customers with a deep knowledge of Japanese sake, so the content was more specialized and practical, focussing on specific, deeper aspects of the brewing process.
Many participants commented that they "reaffirmed the profound depth of Japanese sake and the passion of the craftsmen," making it a very meaningful tour for us as well.
We will continue striving to deliver memorable and special Japanese experiences like this one to as many people as possible.
