2024年11月7日
The first sake tour in the Kansai region was held in Nara Prefecture, bringing together customers who have participated in the past and those with a deep interest in history and culture.
We successfully hosted our first sake-themed tour in the Kansai region, in Nara Prefecture.
Known as the birthplace of sake brewing, the tour included visits to Shoryakuji Temple, renowned for its historical connection to sake, as well as to cedar and cypress plantations to learn about barrel production. This tour provided participants with the opportunity to deeply explore the art of sake brewing as well as the rich history and unique culture of Nara.
Day 1: Birthplace of Sake Brewing and Bodaimoto
On the first day , we visited Shoryakuji Temple, famed as the birthplace of sake. Surrounded by a scenic landscape of lush green maple trees, we learnt about the temple's history and its significance in coming up with the traditional Bodaimoto brewing method. Looking ahead, we plan to bring our guests along to join the annual "Bodaimoto Festival" held at the temple in January 2025!
After that we visited Kuramoto Sake Brewery, where we tasted "Bodaisen" a sake pressed from the moromi (fermenting mash) prepared during the "Bodaimoto Festival", and explored the intricacies of the Bodaimoto brewing process and aged sake production. We were also shown soyashi-mizu (sour water), a vital element in the brewing process, allowing us to experience the profound historical significance of Bodaimoto brewing.
Kuramoto Sake Brewery
2501 Tsugetoyamacho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, 632-0231
Day 2: Exploring Yoshino and its Timber Legacy
On the second day , we travelled to Yoshino and visited Yoshino Chuo Mokuzai Co., Ltd. and learnt about tarumaru (barrel starves). Our tour began in the mountains, where we observed cedar and cypress plantations. Yoshino cedar, known for its tightly packed growth rings, uniform thickness, and minimal branches due to dense planting, is renowned for its high quality. Its lighter colour and subtle fragrance, compared to cedar from other regions, make it highly valued for barrel starves, a tradition that has greatly contributed to the sake brewing legacy of Nada, Hyogo Prefecture. The story of its role in the rise of sake production left a lasting impression on our guests.
Next, we toured the factory and observed the sawing process, where massive logs were skilfully cut into planks using belt saws - an awe-inspiring sight!
In the afternoon, we visited Miyoshino Brewery, which crafts sake using Yoshino cedar barrels. After enjoying a delightful pairing of locally made kakinoha-zushi (persimmon leaf-wrapped sushi) with their sake, we toured the brewery. We even sampled koji (malted rice), marvelling at its softness and sweetness, which elicited gasps of amazement from the group. The explanation of how the unique local rice and water create flavours born of this land resonated deeply. We ended the day with a visit to Kinpusenji Temple, a World Heritage site, concluding the second day on a cultural and spiritual note.
Yoshino Chuo Wood Co., Ltd.
57 Hashiya, Yoshino-cho, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture, 639-3118
Miyoshino Brewery
Address: 1238-1 Rokuta, Yoshino-cho, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture, 639-3116
Day 3: Visiting Kitaoka Honten Brewery and Concluding the Tour
On the final day , we visited Kitaoka Honten, where we observed sake production on a larger scale. Participants had the opportunity to taste moromi (fermenting mash), and koji (malted rice), and even peek into the brewery's massive tanks - offering a distinctly different experience from the previous two breweries. During the tasting session, guests engaged with the toji (master brewer) with a sake blind tasting game, and to the toji's surprise, everyone guessed correctly! The lively atmosphere added a fun element to our brewery visit.
We then returned to Nara city and enjoyed a comforting hot pot made with kasu (sake lees) from Kaze no Mori sake, bringing our journey to a delicious close.
Kitaoka Main Store
639-3111 61 Kamiichi, Yoshino-cho, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture
https://www.kitaoka-honten.com/
This tour offered not only a deeper understanding of sake brewing but also an immersive experience of Nara's rich history and culture. We look forward to continue providing memorable tours like this in the future.