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Ayakiku Shuzo’s leading sake Ayakiku and Kunishige, which is named after the brewery’s top toji sake brewer. (Atsushi Yamanishi)
SETOUCHI: Pure water, great rice, Ayakiku brews the essence of Setouchi
For more than 200 years, Ayakiku Shuzo (Ayakiku Sake Brewing Co.) in the suburbs of Takamatsu has been brewing sake with pristine water drawn from the subterranean stream of...

(Ayakiku Sake Brewing Co.)

3393-1, Yamadashimo, Ayagawacho, Kagawa Prefecture

The brewery offers Kunishige and other lines including Ayakiku.

When the first sake of the new brewing season comes around, the brewery puts out some special limited edition sake such as “muroka nama genshu,” unfiltered, unpasteurized, undiluted sake. It is sake strictly for sake aficionados. Ayakiku also produces shochu and various fruit liqueurs, including umeshu plum liqueur.

http://www.ayakiku.com/ (Japanese only)

"Kaki no ha zushi"
NARA: Neighborhood offers pretty streets and stylish shops
Nara's Naramachi district is worth a visit. It has narrow, labyrinthine streets lined with traditional "machiya" townhouses.
Hiraso Nara Store

Imamikadocho 30-1, Nara

Tel: +81-742-22-0866

Fax: +81-742-22-2719

Ivory

Minamiichicho 23-1, Nara

Tel: +81-742-20-1210

Fax: +81-742-20-1215

Sake lees ice cream
NARA: Traditionally innovative sake brewer
As a sake aficionado, I was particularly looking forward to one stop on my trip: S. Imanishi Co., a Nara-based brewery of long standing. The company's Harushika (spring deer)...

Fukuchiincho 24-1, Nara

Tel: +81-742-23-2555

Fax: +81-742-27-3585

http://www.harushika.com/global/index.php

The brewery is open 8:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m.

Open except for the year end and new year (Dec. 31-Jan. 4) and “o-bon” season (four days around Aug. 15)

Yamato beef, produced in Nara, is grilled on an earthenware dish.
NARA: A taste of Nara's Japanese delicacies
While in Nara, I stayed at Hotel Nikko Nara, which is connected to the JR Nara Station. Just like New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto, it is a modern hotel conveniently located for...

Sanjohonmachi 8-1, Nara

Tel: +81-742-35-8831

Fax: +81-742-35-6868

http://www.jalhotels.com/domestic/kansai/nara/index.html

Tajima

Sanjosoegawacho 1-5, Nara

Tel & Fax: +81-742-93-3191

Closed Wednesdays

The entrance to Hiiragiya Bekkan
KYOTO: Stay in Kyoto the traditional way
If you want to experience lodgings with a flavor of Japan's old capital, try staying at a historical wooden townhouse known as a "machiya." Kyoto-style wooden townhouses are...

431 Yamamoto-cho, Gokomachi Nijo Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto

Tel: +81-75-231-0151

Fax: +81-75-231-0153

http://www.hiiragiya.co.jp/bekkan/en/

A tsukidashi starter dish
KYOTO: Authentic sukiyaki, Kyoto-style
When you get a hankering for really good sukiyaki or shabu-shabu beef dishes, it's always best to go right to the source. And you can't get much closer than Moritaya Shijo...
Moritaya Shijo Inokuma Honten

Nishiki Inokuma-cho, Inokuma-dori Shijo-agaru, Kyoto

Tel: +81-75-842-0298

There are Moritaya outlets in Kiyamachi and inside the JR Kyoto Isetan department store.

HOKKAIDO: Hokkaido Wine Co. and Kitaichi Glass Co.
Situated between 42 and 45 degrees north latitude and with a climate similar to that of northern Europe, Hokkaido has more areas for growing grapes for making wine than any...
HOKKAIDO: Sake brewery Otokoyama Co.
Asahikawa, known as Japan’s northernmost sake-producing region, creates the well-known Otokoyama brand, a drink not only loved by the locals but also a valuable export...

1-33, 2-jo 7-chome Nagayama, Asahikawa, Hokkaido

About 6 km from JR Asahikawa Station

19 km from Asahikawa Airport

Open except for year-end and New Year’s

Admission free

Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

URL: http://www.otokoyama.com/english/otoko_b/otoko_b2/index.html

Recommended souvenir

“Tokubetsu junmai otokoyama genshu” (1,560 yen for a 720-ml bottle) only available at the sake museum

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