Yamatogawa Sake Brewery

Yamatogawa Sake Brewery

Close to Kitakata station is Yamatogawa Brewery. This brewery was built in 1790 in the Edo Era, and has been producing sake ever since. The famous sake cultivated at this brewery is made using the clear, mountain water from Mt Iide.

Another important component of Yamatogawa Brewery’s sake is the use of high-quality, carefully cultivated rice. This rice is grown in Yamatogawa Brewery’s own rice fields, and from the fields of selected local farming families. Next door to the brewery is the Northern Museum – where old earthen storehouses built during the Edo Era have been opened up to the public. Here you can learn about how the sake-making process has changed since the Edo period. Tours and sake tasting available for free.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttp://www.yauemon.co.jp/
Contact

Yamatogawa Brewery

(+81) 241-22-2233

Best SeasonAll Year
Opening Hours

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Entrance FeeFree
Access Details
Access4761 Teramachi, Kitakata City, Fukushima Pref. 966-0861
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 30 min from the Aizuwakamatsu I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway

By Train: 15 min walk (or 5 min taxi ride) from Kitakata Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line)

Related trips

  1. Culture

    Cherry Blossoms and Hot Spring Relaxation

    Get the full springtime cherry-blossom viewing experience on this two-day adventure through Fukushima. You'll hit all the major sites of the area and then even relax in a luxurious onsen! Your trip begins at Kitakata Station; from there you will walk to the start of the Nicchu Line walking path. This spot is famous for its over 1,000 cherry trees stretching along both sides of the 3 km-long road and park. Nicchu Line makes for a magical vista with cherry petals falling like fresh snow against a backdrop of springtime colors and fresh air. From there, travel on to Kyu Kai Honke Zurashiki to see the early 20th-century kura-style residences. Admire the architecture and quality lacquer work on the building. Finish the day with a sake brewery museum tour at Yamatogawa Brewery. No springtime cherry blossom viewing party in Japan is complete without the famous Japanese alcohol. Finish your two-day trip at the fantastic Higashiyama Onsen town where you can relax at any number of hotels or ryokan-style inns. It’s a truly Japanese spring experience.  

    Cherry Blossoms and Hot Spring Relaxation

Nearby

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Shingu Kumano Shrine Nagatoko

Built in 1055, the Nagatoko is Shingu Kumano Shrine's worship hall and translates to “long floor”. It is designated as a Nationally Important Cultural Asset. Its thatched roof main structure was built between the Heian period and the Kamakura period and is supported by 44 massive pillars, each one 45 cm in diameter. It is a large, open stage with no walls, said to have been used for ascetic training by priests, as well as kagura dance festivals. Housed inside a nearby large wooden frame is the shrine bell, which visitors to the shrine are welcome to hit with a wooden rod. There is also a famous copper pot in which, allegedly, rice was rinsed before being offered to the gods; the pot was designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1959. This treasure is housed at the shrine along with many others and is on display for visitors along with national and prefectural designated cultural assets. Also not to be missed is the lion statue in the center of the treasure hall. It is known as a guardian of wisdom: a local legend says that if you can pass under the belly of the lion, your wisdom will blossom. It is a popular place for students to visit before the exam season and even politicians before election season. Come autumn, the magnificent 800-year-old ginkgo tree at the site is bathed in yellow, contrasting beautifully with the Nagatoko. This ancient tree has also been designated as a Natural Monument of Kitakata City. In November each year, you can even see a special illumination of the ginkgo tree for a limited time.
The World Glassware Hall
Gourmet & Shopping

Suehiro Sake Brewery Kaeigura

Suehiro Sake Brewery was founded at the end of the Edo Period, in the mid 19th century. The Kaeigura (the building where the sake is brewed) has been designated as an important historical building by Aizu-Wakamatsu City. Here, visitors can take a guided tour of the sake-brewing process, as well as of old Japanese-style rooms which were built during the Meiji Period. The brewing process takes place from October to March every year. During this time, visitors can see the process and conditions inside the fermentation tanks. Visitors may try between six and ten different kinds of sake for free year-round. Suehiro sake and other Aizu products are available for sale on-site. On the left side after entering the gate stands a café called Kissa Ann. The architecture of Kissa Ann was remodelled from the Kaeigura's oldest storehouse. Here, you can enjoy coffee made with water prepared especially for making sake, and cake made using high-quality sake.
The World Glassware Hall
Hot Springs

Ashinomaki Onsen

This hot spring resort town is well-known for its beautiful vallies, and the high quality of the abundant hot water that gushes from the town's natural hot springs.Ashinomaki Onsen is a convenient place to stay overnight for those visiting sightseeing spots such as Ouchi-juku, To-no-hetsuri, and Aizu-Wakamatsu City, as the town is located in between these key places.After enjoying a full day of sightseeing in Aizu, visitors can relax and lose track of time while bathing in a hot spring bath at a resort hotel or quaint ryokan.
Discover Aizu Area

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