Fukushima’s sake is renowned across Japan, and Nihonmatsu is known in particular as a region with great sake production and high-grade sake producers. Using water from Mt. Adatara, the sake of the area is characterized by a mellow taste and is popular with sake lovers around the world. Himonoya Sake Brewery was established in 1874 and specializes in Senkonari sake; Senkonari is named after the battle standard "Sennari Hyotan (1000 Gourds)" of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the famous military leader and one of the great unifiers of Japan.
The sake at Himonoya is a local secret that many outsiders, even Japanese, don’t know about. To get real sake-brewing experience to be sure to visit in the winter on a morning when the sake brewing art begins and most of the day’s tasks are performed. Because Himonoya Sake Brewery operates in a traditional and artisanal manner, it only makes sake during the winter season (a centuries-old rule). The tours and sake tasting offered at this old-fashioned brewery are available by reservation and are a treat to anyone with a taste for Japanese sake, or Nihonshu. These sake brewery tours are free for groups of one to ten people and take only 30 minutes to experience the brewing process. Guests should be legal Japanese drinking age, 20 years old or more, in order to enjoy the free tasting. There are four types of sake to be sampled along the tour, among them Kinpyo is the most highly recommended with its sweet aftertaste it makes an excellent match for Japanese snacks.
| Website | https://www.nihonmatsu-dmo.jp/en/plan/sake_1/ |
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| Contact | (+81) 243-23-0164 |
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| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Related info | <u><b>Brewery Tours:</u></b> Run between 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Please reserve at least one day in advance. By appointment on Sundays and national holidays. <u>Booking Tours</u> Contact Himonoya Sake Brewery at (+81) 243-23-0164 Or, book via Nihonmatsu Tourism Association via <a href="https://www.nihonmatsu-dmo.jp/en/plan/sake_1/">their website</a>, or by calling (+81) 243-24-5085. |
| Access | 173 Matsuoka, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 964-0905 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 5 min drive from Nihonmatsu I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway. By Train: 4 min walk from Nihonmatsu Station (JR Tohoku Main Line). |
Bandai-Azuma Lake Line is a sightseeing road that runs for 13.1 km, connecting Inawashiro Town and Kitashiobara Village. Outstanding backdrops of hundreds of lakes, including Lake Akimoto, Lake Onogawa, and Lake Hibara can be seen from along the road. The Nakatsugawa Valley, which lies half-way along the route, offers a wonderful view of a combination of rock surfaces polished by strong water currents and woodland greenery. A rest-house area with washrooms stands near the valley and visitors can enjoy trekking along the walking trails from the season of fresh green leaves through to the end of the season of red and yellow foliage. The valley is particularly famous as one of the most scenic foliage-viewing spots in Japan with many photographers visiting from both inside and outside of the prefecture. Enjoy a beautiful drive through this landscape when the new leaves of spring are fresh and green or when the autumn beauty of the valley glistens with red and yellow foliage of beeches, buckeyes, and maples.
TATAMI VILLAGE (Kuboki Tatami Shop) is a shop, cafe, and workshop in Sukagawa City in Southern Fukushima prefecture. The Kuboki Tatami business was founded in 1740 in Sukagawa and is currently run by the 15th generation of the same family. ‘Tatami’ is a kind of woven mat made with rush grass frequently used as flooring in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Kuboki Tatami is not only dedicated to flooring, but also makes tatami coasters, smartphone mats, and accessories made with tatami-heri (a kind of ribbon used to fasten the sides of a tatami mat).At Tatami Village, visitors can make a tatami coaster or a pouch made of tatami-heri. Both experiences take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Additionally, the cafe on site serves matcha and seasonal sweets, and features a modern, bright space that uses tatami elegantly.
This famous hot spring area is located at an altitude of approximately 750 meters, which is why it’s called 'taka-yu' ('taka' means 'high-up' and 'yu' means 'hot spring'). Located on the slopes of the Azuma mountain range, Takayu Onsen area was once known as “Shinobu Takayu” and, together with Zao Takayu and Shirabu Takayu, prospered as one of three Takayu in what was once known as the northern Ou region. The waters of Takayu Onsen are a bluish milky color and are thought to have healing properties. Most of the resort facilities of the area neither add water nor adjust the temperature in order to maintain the natural allure of the hot spring waters. After bathing in the waters of this spring, your skin becomes almost slippery from the high acidic and hydrogen sulfide makeup. In the Takayu Onsen area, there are 10 natural hot spring sources, with names such as 'Takinoyu', 'Netsuyu', and 'Senkinoyu'. These sources are named after old public baths. In the olden days, bathtubs were built right next to or directly above the hot spring source. Today, the bathing facilities still receive their water flowing directly from the same source. Nowadays, Takayu Onsen consists of about a dozen ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), all offering their unique charm to travelers. You’ll be pleased to note that many of the ryokan open their hot spring baths to non-staying guests for a small fee. The most famous hot spring facility in Takayu Onsen is Tamagoyu, a wooden bathhouse with a traditional feel. There’s even a foot bath in the center of the town open to the public. If public bathing isn’t something you feel comfortable with, many of the onsen facilities in the area also offer private onsen rooms with a rotenburo (open-air bath) available for your own use. It is a relaxing experience unlike any other to soak in the hot waters and feel your worries melt away.
Mt. Handa (known as 'Handayama' in Japanese), which rises 863 meters above sea level, and Handa Pond are the focal points of this park. Handayama Natural Park is known for its late-blooming cherry trees, as well as the diverse wildflowers that bloom. It is a great place for visitors to feel close to nature throughout the year.
A wonderful family owned and operated small business that sell unique ultraman and kaijyu stylized bread and cookies.The interior is decorated with Ultraman related memorabilia. This is a family owned and operated small business, and the creativity of the (now adult) kids of the family shines through in the various Ultraman and Kaijyu related breads and cookies!Each one is absolutely delicious.©円谷プロ
Newly opened on July 8th, 2021, this is a place where visitors can learn about Daruma, the symbol of Shirakawa city! Much of the structure of the main building is the structure of a restored old Japanese home, so the structure is beautiful and minimalistic. Inside, an elegantly restored tatami room showcases a work shop where you can watch artists expertly hand paint daruma dolls. There is also a display that explains the process of making a daruma doll, and a showcase room where you can take a look at a collection of unique daruma that are designed by various artists. There is also a daruma shrine and a warehouse where you can purchase daruma, paint your own, or try out the huge daruma gacha gacha machine for a surprise daruma!
The Kunitaya Miso Factory is a small shop that was founded in 1777 to produce miso paste for the local community. Miso is one of the most (if not the most) popular flavor for foods in Japan. Many people drink miso flavored soup at least once a day and it isn’t uncommon to find miso soup present in every meal of the day. Before grocery stores and convenience stores were as widespread as they are today, people would go to their neighborhood miso shops to source this kitchen staple Today, many of these small shops have disappeared, however at Kunitaya Miso Factory, the owners want to preserve their small business and the unique culture of small batch local miso makers.The small scale operation allows for more freedom and diversity in flavors. At the café next door, “Kura Café,” you can try different variations and flavors of the miso that they produce at the Kunitaya Miso Factory.The brewery is housed in an old fashioned Japanese ware-house style building with a red lattice front. Years ago, during festivals, the red lattice front was removed to make the building more open to the street and the public. If you are interested in getting a more in depth experience, consider joining a tour of the brewery! Contact us if you are interested.
Newly opened in 2022, Michi-no-Eki Fukushima (道の駅ふくしま）is a great place to buy local produce, souvenirs, and eat delicious Fukushima foods! Or even just to pause for a break along your road trip.It is located near the Fukushima Fruit line, so you’ll find a good assortment of delicious fresh fruit on display. You can also go fruit-picking to the nearby orchards using the rental bicycles available.Click here for more information on fruit picking in Fukushima!There is a dog park and an indoor play area for children called Momo Rabi Kids Park, which has many cute wooden toys and structures for children to play at as well as an indoor sandpit.We recommend trying the unusual ice-cream flavors at ‘yukiusagi’, a sweets shop that sells delicious parfaits and desserts using local produce. They sell rice-flavored ice-cream, as well as a special flavor called “Fukushima’s Sky Milk”（ふくしまの空ミルク）, which has a salty milk flavor!
