Sake Experiences Destinations

Sake Experiences

Step Inside the World of Sake. A Journey You’ll Never Forget.

Whether your trip to Japan is fully planned or still taking shape, don’t miss the chance to experience sake like never before. Through our Sake Experiences, you can visit local breweries, guided by the brewers themselves. Taste, discover, and immerse yourself in the craft, an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that only Japan can offer.

Destinations & Sake Breweries

BREWERY

Hachinohe Sake Brewery, Hachinohe Aomori (Mutsu Hassen)

Aomori / Tohoku

Established in 1775, Hachinohe Shuzo balances craftsmanship and automation. Enter parts of the brewery usually closed to the public and enjoy a special tasting session. Distils shochu and vodka as well.

BREWERY

Mitobe Sake Brewery, Tendo Yamagata (Yamagata Masamune)

Yamagata / Tohoku

Founded in 1898 and run by the fifth generation, Mitobe Sake Brewery produces fruity, high-quality sake. Visitors, guided by the master brewer, can explore this normally closed brewery, its own rice fields, and historic brewing facilities.

BREWERY

Dewazakura Sake Brewery, Tendo Yamagata

Yamagata / Tohoku

Dewazakura Shuzo, a pioneer of ginjo sake, is renowned for its high-quality, award-winning brews and innovative approach, earning international recognition and continuing to push boundaries in sake production.

BREWERY

Shuho Sake Brewery, Yamagata

Yamagata / Tohoku

Shuho Brewery, led by CEO Hidekazu Takeda, blends tradition with innovation, experimenting with diverse rice and yeast varieties to create distinctive, high-quality sake in a historic brewery setting.

BREWERY

Kikkawa Sake Brewery, Isehara Kanagawa (Afuri)

Kanagawa / Kanto

Kikkawa Jozo, recently revitalized after a Tokyo acquisition, produces distinctive sake known for its unique acidity. Visitors to this normally closed brewery are warmly welcomed and can explore both modern and historic brewing facilities.

BREWERY

Yukawa Sake Brewery, Yabuhara Nagano (Jurokudai Kuroemon)

Nagano / Koshinetsu

Yukawa Shuzo-ten, award-winning in 2023, brews distinctive sake using pure water in scenic Kiso, Nagano. Led by CEO Naoko and brewery master Shinichi, the brewery offers a home-like, innovative experience, with tastings in a 150-year-old renovated house at the heart of Yabuhara-juku.

BREWERY

Suginomori Brewery, Narai Nagano (Narai)

Nagano / Koshinetsu

Reborn in 2021, Suginomori is one of Japan’s smallest and highest-altitude breweries, using fresh mountain water to craft sake. Nestled in the historic townscape of Narai-juku, it offers a unique blend of nature, tradition, and small-batch craftsmanship.

BREWERY

Aoi Brewery, Nagaoka Niigata (Maison Aoi)

Niigata / Koshinetsu

Aoi Brewery, with a 160-year legacy in Nagaoka, Niigata, blends tradition with modern vision to craft sake that resonates locally and globally. Led by a skilled, diverse team, the brewery produces three lines—Domaine Aoi, Maison Aoi, and Chō-ryō—offering smooth, balanced, and distinctive sake rooted in history yet reimagined for the future.

BREWERY

Yucho Sake Brewery, Gose Nara (Kaze-no-mori)

Nara / Kansai

Founded in 1719, Yucho Shuzo brews some of the freshest sake in the world, with visits guided by 13th-generation CEO Chobei Yamamoto. Guests can explore three breweries, experience traditional and innovative brewing methods, and enjoy the unique preservation of historic rice fields, all in a setting usually closed to the public.