Half-Day Saijo Sake Tasting & Inside Brewery Tour in Hiroshima

Perhaps because it was a weekday, I was the only participant that day, and luckily, I had a private tour. My guide, Isabella, was very friendly and explained everything in great detail. I learned a lot of basic knowledge about sake and the history of Saijo becoming a sake town. The first stop was Miken Shrine. Isabella reminded me of many etiquette points regarding shrines. Although I had visited shrines before, I had never really paid attention. The first sake brewery was Kirei. I tasted two types of sake and some sake by-products. The second was Saijo Tsuru. The guide, Ione, explained the sake-making process in great detail, and I learned a lot. The atmosphere of the tour was also very good. The third was the most famous, Kamotsuru. I tasted several types of Junmai Daiginjo and bought a few bottles of sake as souvenirs. Thank you to Isabella, Ione, and all the shop owners for their hospitality. I definitely want to come back to Saijo in the fall if I get the chance!

A very interesting and lovely afternoon that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was able to learn a lot about the production of sake. A positive aspect was that the brewery we visited had already started brewing sake, as brewing only takes place in the winter half-year, roughly starting in October. Because of this, I was able to see several intermediate steps firsthand. I was the only participant that day, so I had a very personal and informative tour. The tasting was also very interesting, showing just how different various types of sake can taste.

I had a fantastic time on this tour! The guide, Isabella, was incredibly knowledgeable and did a great job shepherding the group. I learned a ton about how sake is made, the history of the breweries we visited, and why Saijo is such a good place for sake making. I also greatly enjoyed the tasting, especially some of the exclusive sakes. I’d highly recommend booking this tour.

The tour was absolutely wonderful. We were lucky enough to be the only ones in our group. Our excellent guide, Isabella, explained the full history and production process of sake in simple, easy-to-understand terms. The tour itself was very pleasant and comfortable, despite the hot weather. The tastings were also interesting, as we were guided in identifying and appreciating the different sake flavors. Additionally, our guide shared a lot of fascinating information about the area around Hiroshima and Japan in general.

it's only been my husband and I on this tour with our guide. thus we had great experience. saijo is a small and rich in history town. the tour through one of the sake breweries was super interesting. our guide was a sweet and knowledgeable. so all in all one of the best experiences on our travels to Japan.

Isabella was amazing best guide ever! Deserves a raise and an extra week vacation time per year!