Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum in Nada, Kobe 🍶
The whole Nada area of Kobe City is a popular place for sake brewing which is said to be a sacred place of sake along with Fushimi in Kyoto.
Even now, there’re many breweries lined up, and it’s a sake brewery spot where you can enjoy a tasteful town.
HAKUTSURU Sake Brewery Museum uses a wooden sake brewery built in the Taisho period (1912-1926) and is open to the public as a sake brewery museum.
They faithfully exhibit dolls and tools that were actually used and reproduced the way they worked according to the old brewing process.
Then, let’s go inside right away.
About the Museum
The museum, located in a corner of the Nada area, has more than 500 exhibits where you can learn about the sake brewing process and the life of the sake brewers at that time.
The old brewing process is preserved as it is, and it’s displayed in a three-dimensional and easy to understand way. You can also see precious materials from that time.
One of the charms is that you can have sake-tasting for free. Duty-free sales are available at the kiosk in the museum.
Let’s learn the brewing process.
The first thing you see when you step into the museum with the smell of alcohol is the muscular men.
They are pulling a rope to move a large storage bucket upstairs. Dolls are recreating the physical work of that time. The realistic handsome dolls are modeled after the employees.
A doll in the shape of a headband, steaming rice from a large pot. Steam from the boiling pot rises and you can see the passion for sake making.
The guide explains the process of making sake at that time and old tools. You can know the reason why sake brewing is popular in Nada and the story of sake which only sake brewers know.
Free Wi-Fi is equipped in the museum, and explanatory videos are played in various places. English version with one switch. You’ll be glad to hear that.
Sake tasting is free.
You can enjoy about 6 kinds of sake including freshly squeezed raw sake for free. Your mood will be at the pinnacle of refreshing and refined taste. You can buy the sake you tasted at the shop next door.
A lot of goods limited to the museum are sold such as Hakutsuru sake, cosmetics using Japanese sake, and accessories using recycled sake bags.
Indigo T-shirts with HAKUTSURU mark and apron are very popular.
Hakutsuru Daiginjo All-in-One Cream
Sake Soft Ice Cream
There’s a soft ice cream using ingredients of a famous patisserie in Kobe and sweet sake of Hakutsuru.
Soft ice cream with refreshing flavor spreading in your mouth. Daiginjo (Super premium ginjo made from highly-polished rice) is poured on the soft ice cream which is delicious as it is. The taste is irresistible for those who like alcohol.
At the end of the route, there’s a spot for taking a commemorative photograph, and you can borrow clothes called Happi.
While experiencing the history and tradition of sake breweries, why don’t you experience the creativity and ingenuity of the brewers at that time?
Information
- Hours: 9:30～16:30
- Closed: Summer holidays, New Year holiday period
- Admission: Free
- Website