Hiroshima Sake Town Tour in Saijo

Different regions of Japan produce sake (known as nihonshu in Japanese) with unique characteristics, reflecting the terroir of the local area. Hiroshima sake is renowned for its mellow taste and gentle sweetness, which is attributed to the region’s soft water, excellent quality rice, and the special Hiroshima Ginjo yeast, for which Umeda Shuzo-jo Brewery won an award. In particular, Saijo, Hiroshima’s “Sake Town” is famous nationwide as one of the top three sake brewing locations in Japan, with eight breweries located in close proximity to one another. Their business flourishes from the abundance of shikomi mizu, water which is well-suited for sake brewing. So, going on this Hiroshima Sake Town Tour of Saijo is the perfect way to brush up on your sake knowledge, in one of the best sake regions of Japan! Our local tour guide will show you around various historic breweries in Saijo, giving you insights into the local culture and traditions of sake brewing. You’ll hop from one brewery to another to taste samples and witness the production, exploring the surrounding town in between. Starting off at Kamotsuru, a sake brewery which carries a line of 12 unique bottles of sake, you’ll learn about the brewing process. But you’ll soon find out that sake is not just for drinking when you stop off at a nearby restaurant to enjoy Bishu Nabe, a local style of hot pot made with sake! You’ll learn all about the history of this yummy dish, and enjoy other local specialties at the restaurant. Then, you’ll enjoy brewery hopping in Saijo, your palate encountering new flavors during the Hiroshima sake tastings at each location. If one, in particular, tickles your fancy, feel free to purchase a bottle to take home! Finally, you’ll wind down the adventure with a few sweets and snacks inspired by Japanese nihonshu.