What other travelers are saying about Otokoyama Sake Brewery
Tasting room was quite delightful with free samples and an excellent range of Sake, Gin etc to purchase.
The tour was very informative, to give you the best experience go up to the top (3rd) floor and watch the video in your chosen language then walk back down level by level.
Top tip. Take an empty water bottle - they have free running taps with some of the purest water I have ever tasted and you can fill your own for free. We went in Winter but there is also a playpark for kids that looks fun in summer
Otokoyama Sake Brewery boasts a rich history, having been established several centuries ago. It's one of the oldest breweries in Japan, with a legacy that spans over 340 years.
Otokoyama Sake Brewery produces a wide range of sake varieties, including Junmai, Daiginjo, and Ginjo, among others. Each type offers a unique taste profile, meticulously crafted to suit different preferences and occasions.
Yes, Otokoyama Sake Brewery offers tours to visitors interested in learning more about the sake-making process and the history of the brewery. These tours often include sake-tasting sessions, allowing guests to sample various sake varieties produced by the brewery.
Yes, there is a shop at the brewery where visitors can purchase Otokoyama's sake and related products. This provides an excellent opportunity to take home some of the finest sake directly from its source.
Yes, Otokoyama Sake Brewery exports its sake to several countries around the world. This allows sake enthusiasts globally to enjoy the high-quality sake produced by one of Japan’s most esteemed breweries.
A great story, well executed.
The combination of the museum and windows onto the live production sections of the brewery is a great mix. My favourite item in the museum was the display showing the 22 woodblock process to create the image of ‘Selected six famous sake …’ which has the company brand on a sake cask in the background.
The production story includes the clarity of the local water (from the surrounding mountains’ aquifers). They need to keep the water flowing to stop the pipes freezing and bursting so the locals (and visitors) are encouraged to bring water containers and fill them up. I saw a few struggling under the weight of their containers heading back to their cars. The shop and cafe is now in a new building next door and has free tasting of three from the range (very sweet up to very dry.
The award-winning one cost 200 yen. I was the driver so could not try but took the reputation at face value and bought a 750ml bottle of their top brand (77,000 yen). Tried later back at our hotel - worth it!
A nice museum though it's free but it has a quite detailed process of sake making and show lots of sake making equipment. The museum itself is free and you can also get 3 coins each person for sake tasting on the Otokoyama sake shop on the building nearby the museum.
Tried the award winning sake (for 200¥ a cup) and yes it deserves it!
As we head up NorthEast, we stopped by the sake museum. This sake is almost around the world. It's not a huge place but it does display how they make sake and sell it around the world. There's also an area where you can get free water! There's also a slide for kids! There's a shop where you can purchase some sake and taste them. They have a sticker for drivers so they know who's driving and not let them drink. Nice place to stop by if you're leaving Asahikawa. There's also shopping across the street
When my wife and I researched places of interest around Furano, we came across Asahikawa, a city located about 56 km (1 hour 5 mins drive by car) north of Furano. Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum & Park in Asahikawa was a special interest as we enjoy sake.
From our hotel in Furano, the drive to Otokoyama Sake was scenic and enjoyable.
The museum showcases the history of Otokoyama and chronicling its historical brewing artifacts, brewing processes, collection of regional and international sake awards, etc. An audio-visual TV presentation is available in different languages, including English, and we found this very interesting. From the museum, visitors can view through glass panels into the sake production plant. Entry to the museum is free-of-charge.
In a separate building is the sake retail shop where sake tasting and soft-serve ice cream can also be enjoyed. As I was driving, I did not participate in the sake tasting. My wife did and she enjoyed the sake samples. There is a wide selection of sakes for sale at different price points. We purchased Otokoyama's top award-winning Naturally Pure Junmai Daiginjo, Yukimizuki Junmai Daiginjo, and Fukko Sake.
We observed an interesting activity by locals who brought large plastic containers to fill up with mineral water which was dispensed free-of-charge from taps. The mineral-rich water is drawn from underground wells for sake production, and the water sources are the very reasons for Otokoyama's location. Of course, we emptied our small drinking bottles and refilled them with the mineral water!
