Summary
This time, we took a walk around a sake brewery on Hiroshima’s Saijo Street.
The Sake Brewery Street actually has a lot to offer not only to drinkers but also to non-drinkers ✨
On this trip, we will introduce you to spots recommended by locals!
All of these spots are within walking distance from each other, so please refer to them when you visit Saijo!
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
10:00am Saijo Station（西条駅）
This trip started from Saijo Station!
It is about 300 meters from the station to the sake brewery street. It takes about 5 minutes to get there.
Spot Outline
Saijo Station, located in Saijo-machi, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a station on the Sanyo Main Line of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). There is a tourist information center, and on the 10th of every month, there is a guide who gives free guided tours of sake breweries. A Walking around town MAP is also available, providing useful information for tourists. Saijo, a town of sake breweries, is located in the vicinity, and visitors can feel the charm of the local area.
10:30am Hakubotan Sake Brewery（白牡丹酒造）
Saijo’s Sake Brewery Street has not only sake breweries, but also general stores and cafes, so even those who do not drink alcohol can enjoy themselves!
Interior
A large barrel that exceeds your height by a good margin!
You stock up in such big barrels.
Sake Tasting Experience
At Hakubotan Sake Brewery, they offer a sake tasting experience on Saturdays and Sundays only.
You can also purchase your favorite alcoholic beverages!
sales
Not only sake, but also sake lees and yokan (sweet bean jelly) are sold!
Spot Outline
Hakubotan Sake Brewery is located in Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Its popular sake “Hakubotan” is the oldest of the Saijo sake breweries and is the oldest sake made in Saijo. Visitors can tour the brewery and take a tour of the brewery.
11:30am Kugurimon Coffee Shop（くぐり門珈琲店）
There is also a place on Sake Brewery Street where you can have a stylish lunch like this.
1st floor
Also sells coffee beans and accessories.
2nd floor
A café space with a relaxed atmosphere. You can relax!
Sake lees cheese toast
Sake lees cheese toast 630 yen
You can really taste the sake lees and it’s delicious✨
Spot Outline
Kugurimon Coffee Shop is a home-roasted coffee shop located in Saijo Honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The first floor sells home-roasted coffee beans and specialty products of Higashi-Hiroshima, and the second floor is a coffee shop. The coffee shop is popular by word of mouth for its coffee and lunch made with the water used to brew Saijo’s unique sake. It is also located next to the Saijo Tourist Information Center, making it a convenient spot for tourists.
cocoron
Bakery located on Sake Brewery Street.
The bread I was after this time was amazake (sweet sake and is made from fermented rice) anpan (Sweet red bean bun).
Interior
It makes me happy to see so many breads lined up.
Amazake anpan
The amazake bean-jam bun you are looking for.
It included smashed bean paste and smooth bean paste and was delicious!
Spot Outline
cocoron is a bread store located in Saijo Honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The store’s chic black exterior blends in well with the sake brewery street. The interior of the store is small and cozy, and around 11:00 a.m., about 60 kinds of bread are baked.
12:30pm Mike cacao（御饌cacao）
Walk 3 minutes to the chocolate shop.
They can compare chocolates made with Saijo’s sake!
Chocolate on sale
The store was filled with jewel-like chocolates.
eat-in space
There was an eat-in space with a relaxed atmosphere!
Chocolates ordered
Truffles (Kamotsuru, Sanyotsuru, Hakubotan)
Even with the alcohol in it, it was easy to eat and delicious!
Spot Outline
Mike cacao is a chocolate specialty store located in Saijo Honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It sells bean-to-bar chocolates made from cacao beans by region, truffles made in collaboration with a Saijo sake brewery, and cute chocolate confections.
1:30pm Kurashi no Mise en（ 暮らしの店 en）
Then, my favorite grocery store where I like to wander in.
I am always healed whenever I come!
Interior
A fun place to come to any time of the year because of the fascinating things to see and do✨.
Spot Outline
Located in Saijo Asahi-cho, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, “Kurashi no Mise en” is a select store dealing in household goods. It mainly handles kitchen and household sundries. The store is popular as a place where you can casually drop in and spend a pleasant time.
2:30pm Kirei Sake Brewery（亀齢酒造）
We came to this place where sake tasting and souvenirs are sold called Manekiya.
Interior
There was a spacious area where products related to alcoholic beverages were sold!
Recommended reflection spots
Recommended photo spot in the back.
Spot Outline
Kirei Sake Brewery is a sake brewery located in Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Dry sake is made, and the name “Kirei,” which means longevity and eternal prosperity in Japanese, has long been popular among sake customers.
3:00pm Saijo Honmachi Historical Square（西条本町歴史広場）
We took a short break after walking a lot.
It is also a good spot to take a short break and look at the tools used in sake brewing.
Sake Brewing Tools
Sake brewing tools are also on display here.
Spot Outline
Saijo Honmachi Historical Square is located in Saijo Honmachi, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. At this plaza, visitors can learn about the history and culture of the town of Saijo through materials and exhibits. It also exhibits tools used in sake brewing, and is used as a place to take a short rest.
4:30pm Kamotsuru Sake Brewery（賀茂鶴酒造）
The next stop was the famous Kamotsuru Sake Brewery.
It’s a brewery, but it also has the feel of a museum✨
Interior
The gallery and store are attached to each other, and it is fun just to look around!
theater
At the theater, you can watch the process of making sake!
Spot Outline
Kamotsuru Sake Brewery, located in Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is one of Hiroshima’s leading sake breweries and is known for being the first in Japan to begin making ginjo sake. In addition to its flagship product, Kamotsuru, the brewery offers an extensive general tour area where visitors can see the process of making sake and other products. There are many sights to see around the tour site, including a large kettle and sake barrels, as well as photo spots for younger visitors to enjoy.
6:00pn Okonomiyaki Magokoro Days Sake Brewery Shop（お好み 真心デイズ 酒造店）
Dinner is at an okonomiyaki restaurant within walking distance from Saijo Station.
Families are welcome!
Interior
The interior of the restaurant has a bright, tavern-like atmosphere.
It’s nice that they grill it right in front of you!
Fuchu-yaki (Onion, Egg, Perilla, fermented soybeans)
The taste is addictive no matter how many times you eat it!
Mayo and Carp Sauce (An essential sauce for okonomiyaki) with a dash of flavor is insanely delicious ✨
Spot Outline
Located in Saijo Suehiro-cho, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Okonomiyaki Magokoro Days Sake Brewery Shop is known as an okonomiyaki restaurant. Located within walking distance from Saijo Station, this restaurant is popular for its okonomiyaki. It is family friendly and recommended for an evening meal.
Saijo Station
We returned to the station.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, you can enjoy various things at the brewery,
Whether you like sake or not, please take a tour of the breweries!
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