What other travelers are saying about Chichibu Nishiki Sake Brewing Forest
I made a reservation by phone in advance at the Yao Honten in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, and enjoyed a tour of the sake brewery museum, tastings, and purchasing sake on Sunday.
It was about a 30-minute bus ride from Seibu Chichibu Station.
This brewery is quite old, having been founded in 1749 (Kan'ei 2). On the day of the tour, we were shown around the brewery's preparation room, which is kept at 12°C year-round. It felt quite chilly.
Also, at the sake brewery museum (admission fee: 200 yen including tax for adults (100 yen including tax with a JAF membership card), we were able to see the following fascinating artifacts from the brewery's approximately 270-year history. (Isn't the doll handsome? (^_^;))
・Old accounting office and equipment
・Old sake brewing paintings
・History of Chichibu Nishiki
・Sake brewing tools
・Sakeware
・Sake brewing props
・Interesting sake brewing tools
・About the master brewer (the master brewer at this brewery is from Iwate Prefecture) (water content)
・Introduction and paintings by the three artists
・Congratulatory masu
Also, we were able to sample sake, shochu, plum wine, and craft beer produced here, as well as pickles, which was great! ♪
The sake was dry, probably due to the limestone of Mt. Buko.
The craft beer was easy to drink and delicious, and the plum wine was sweet and tasty.
In addition to sake, we were also able to purchase Chichibu specialty products like pickled plums and honey, which was great! ♪
I had the opportunity to tour a sake brewery in Chichibu City and was very impressed. It has been open since 1749 and still maintains the same traditional methods, but has added quality control measures to keep up with the technology and developments of the era. Whether it's storing at the right temperature, using containers for storage, or cleaning methods, it's truly worthy of the city's famous brand.
Today, I visited here with Yao Department Store and was able to experience the achievements of Omi merchant Kihei Yao.
After purchasing the special pure rice sake Chichibu Nishiki at the tourist product center, we toured the sake brewery museum, which was well worth the 200 yen admission fee.
You can shop after tasting at the souvenir shop.
In addition to sake, they also have plum wine.
Since it's self-service, you can sample all the drinks and then check out the ones you're interested in before purchasing.
You can also sample snacks and pickles that go well with the alcohol.
I ended up buying too much.
The stir-fried Chinese cabbage and spicy pickled dried daikon radish were delicious.
I probably wouldn't have bought these two items if there weren't samples.
The sake soft serve ice cream section was also popular.
The brewery tour requires advance reservation, but you can visit the Sake Brewery Museum and product center without a reservation. The Sake Brewery Museum is open from 9:00 to 16:30, allowing walk-in visitors to explore traditional brewing tools and historical exhibits at their convenience. The product center, where you can sample and purchase sake, is also freely accessible during operating hours.
The brewery tour and product center are free to enter. The Sake Brewery Museum charges 200 yen for individual visitors and 180 yen for groups of 20 or more people. This modest fee grants access to exhibits showcasing the brewery's history since its founding in 1749 and displays of traditional sake-making implements.
Yes, sake tasting is available at the product center. The product building offers tastings of Chateau Chichibu wine and other regional products besides Chichibu Nishiki sake. Visitors can sample Yao's brands of sake and Danbe shochu at the attached storefront and tasting bar. This allows you to experience the different varieties and flavors before making a purchase, helping you discover your preferred style of Chichibu sake.
The name "Nishiki" references the fact that the sake is made with both Yamada Nishiki rice and Miyama Nishiki rice, two varieties considered top-class within the sake world. Chichibu Nishiki won first prize at the sake fair for seven consecutive years since 2002, demonstrating exceptional quality and craftsmanship. The brewery produces approximately 18,000 bottles of sake each year using high-quality water from the mineral-rich Chichibu region.
