Saijo Sake Brewing District Travel Guide

A world-class sake town just outside of Hiroshima, the Saijo sake brewing district is famous in Japan for housing approximately 50 breweries which work hard to give Fushimi in Kyoto and Nada in Kobe a run for their money. Collectively made with a tradition of carefully milled rice and pure underground waters from Mount Ryuou (with wells dotted throughout the town), Saijo is famous for its local ginjoshu genre of sake. However more broadly, locally-produced rice wine in Japan is called nihonshu, the official name for Japanese sake. Saijo’s streets are filled with small temples and shrines, and so a prayer for prosperity and delicious sake production never goes astray. Hiroshima hosts its annual Sake Festival in the fall, as well as sake awards supported by the National Research Institute of Brewing. Unique Hiroshima sake comes in signature flavors, aromas, and styles, offering different options depending on the changing seasons. Rich and fresh, Saijo represents the taste of Hiroshima in its aromatic and delicious premium sakes.