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 | Brewery Tours: Run between 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Please reserve at least one day in advance. By appointment on Sundays and national holidays. Booking Tours Contact Himonoya Sake Brewery at (+81) 243-23-0164 Or book via Nihonmatsu Tourism Association via their website, 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). |
Iino is known as the 'UFO no Sato' (UFO Village) for its track record of sightings of luminous or unexplained flying objects. The UFO Museum tracks some of that history, as well as the wider history of UFO sightings worldwide featuring photographs and historical documents.There are also speculative models of possible extraterrestrial life and their spaceships, and a 3D cinema showing a short film exploring the mysteries of the local area.The second floor of the building features relaxation rooms and a public bath.Across from the museum, there is a souvenir store with alien-themed merchandise, in addition to a ramen restaurant with a similarly-themed menu.Please be aware that most displays are in Japanese with only sporadic English.
Kyu Horikiri-tei is a property steeped in history. Built in 1775, the building has been preserved since the Edo Period thanks to wealthy farmers and merchants. The property contains a large kura (storehouse), called Jukken Kura, as well as a traditional Japanese manor house.There is a public footbath located onsite. Use of the public footbath - which gets its water from the nearby onsen hot spring source - is accessible for wheelchair users. Japanese-speaking volunteer guides, knowledgeable about the history of Kyu Horikiri-tei and the rest of Iizaka Onsen, are available upon request.
Visitors looking for a cool and adventurous experience should consider visiting the Irimizu Limestone Cave (入水鍾乳洞) in Tamura City.Perhaps less known than the nearby Abukuma Cave, the Irimizu Limestone Cave offers visitors the opportunity to venture into its depths—the narrow cave is 900 m in total and is divided into three courses (A, B and C), each more extreme than the previous one.Visitors should bring adequate clothing and shoes, as the inside of the cave is wet and slippery with irregular rocky ground and gushing streams.Course A is the least extreme, and the way into the cave is lit, although there are puddles and wet spots, and you will need to duck in some places since there are short and narrow spots. Course A is 150 m long and takes approx. 30 minutes to complete.Courses B and C go through an area of the cave where there is less conditioning. Visitors have to walk while having water up to their knees and go through slippery and narrow gaps by candlelight or flashlight.Course B is 450 m and takes about 60 minutes to complete, while course C is 300 m and takes about 90 m to complete. Visitors hoping to undertake course C, the most difficult of the three, have to make a reservation before their visit, as the course can only be completed alongside an experienced guide. *Course C is not available and is not taking reservations as of May 2023.The temperature inside the cave is typically between 10 and 15 degrees regardless of the season.There are candles, rubber shoes, flashlights and other items available for renting at the entrance.Prices are as of March 2023.The cave has been designated as a National Natural Treasure, and it’s easy to see why. You’re bound to become a geology enthusiast after experiencing the charms of the cave.
At Marusei Orchard, you can enjoy seasonal fruit picking as well as beautiful rural views. You can even treat yourself to delicious sweet treats made using fresh fruit at their onsite cafe! (The cafe menu changes by season).Fruit-Picking Experience Info & BookingSee more information about fruit picking in Fukushima City here.
The Kura Café Sen no Hana is located on the grounds on Kunitaya Miso Factory in a remodeled kura (storehouse). Try the local flavors of Fukushima cuisine with their lovely lunch items featuring locally Nihonmatsu-produced miso and soy sauce. There are also many other menu items to appreciate, such as amazake, Mongolian-style tea, and coffee. The inside of the shop is also calming and decorated with local pressed flowers.Open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (with a break from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.), the Kura Café Sen no Hana is sure to give your taste buds a treat. Their fair prices and delicious cuisine make them popular with locals and visitors alike.The amazake, a nonalcoholic drink made from koji, or fermentation starter, is popular with guests. As for food, the zaku zaku soup is a traditional soup of chunky cubed vegetables which is eaten on special occasions like festivals and ceremonies, it is a famous Nihonmatsu specialty. But if you’re wanting to go for dinner, make sure you’re there before the last order at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Sundays). Next door to the Kura Cafe Sen no Hana, guests can also visit the Kunitaya Miso Factory. The redwood lattice of the exterior is especially attractive. In addition to the tours, the Factory also sells miso, soy sauce, and koji, which is used to make Fukushima’s famous 'sagohachi' pickles.All the products for sale are made at the Kunitaya Miso Factory and use pure water from Mt. Adatara and locally grown ingredients. It’s a great way to get the fresh flavors of Fukushima Prefecture. There are also seasonal products available, so be sure to have a look!
Azuma Orchard is located along the Fruit Line (a road in Fukushima City which is surrounded by orchards). Here visitors can pick their own fruit, such as cherries from early June, peaches from mid-July, nashi (Japanese pears) and grapes from early September, and apples from October.The grounds of Azuma Orchard include a shop which has been recently renovated. Visitors can also enjoy soft-serve ice-cream in a range of seasonal flavors.
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
BRITOMART is a stylish and rural shopping and restaurant complex in Miharu Town, Tamura district. It makes for the perfect place for a pit stop, or to take a coffee or lunch break if you’re visiting nearby tourist attractions, such as the Miharu Takizakura or the Koriyama Museum of Art. Its many wooden storefronts blend wonderfully with the surroundings.BRITOMART includes a bakery, a coffee shop, an interior shop, a restaurant, a home and garden shop, and more. Relax and enjoy the natural environment in the heart of Miharu, a beautiful rural town in central Fukushima prefecture, known for having splendid displays of flowers in the spring, and thousands of sakura trees.
