Honke Matsuura Sake Brewery, established in Tokushima Prefecture in 1804, has been well known for the Narutotai sake brand and liqueur Sudachi-shu which is sake mixed with local citrus sudachi. The brewery is located by the old Muya Kaido, which flourished as a commercial road during the Edo period (1603-1867), and has been producing sake for centuries by using local high-quality water and rice.
You can take a tour inside the brewery with an appointment. The tour does not only take you to the actual brewery which has been evolving over time, but also to the original classic building which is now registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. There, you can see valuable historical items including a screen painted by the Southern School in China during the late Edo period and also a hanging scroll of "Narutotai" painted in the Meiji period (1868-1912).
After the tour, you can stop by the Narutotai Store in the brewery. The shop sells a variety of sake, including Narutotai sakes, Sudachi-shu, and other rare sakes, all made by their brewery. Sake tasting is available at the shop. Compare brands and take your favorite sake home!
In addition, they also organize a Sake Terakoya lesson which comes with sake tasting and delicious snacks, and teach you how to make sake. In addition, a course is offered demonstrating the actual production procedure of sake and taught by the 10th generation owner. Require pre-booking.
Highlights
-
An interesting tour of a long-established brewery.
-
You can see valuable historical items in a building registered as Tangible Cultural Property.
-
After the tour, taste or buy sake at the Narutotai store.