Japanese Sake of Nada

  Nada-gogo is the popular sake brewing area between the Nada ward of Kobe city to Nishinomiya city. The five sake brewing districts of Nishi-go, Mikage-go, Uozaki-go, Nishinomiya-go, and Imazu-go, have many sake breweries. Nada-gogo has a 30% share of all Japanese sake sold in Japan, which is the biggest share in the country. 

 Sake Brewery of Nada Gogo

Nada's Sake

  Nada’s sake is known for its dry taste, especially if the sake is freshly brewed. Because of its bold, dry taste with a bite, it is called otoko-sake, or men’s sake.

In contrast, sake brewed in Fushimi in Kyoto is very sweet. Because of its sweet, smooth flavor and how easy it is to drink, it is called the onna-sake, or women’s sake.

 The factors that determine the flavor of sake are the water, sake rice, skill of the toji (sake brewers), and the weather conditions. Miyamizu, water from a spring in Nishinomiya is rich in potassium and phosphorus, which are important for the fermentation process, and low in iron, making it the perfect water for sake brewing. No wonder Nada’s sake continues to have a great reputation.

 

Miyamizu

　Top quality sake rice called Yamadanishiki from the Harima region (southwest Hyogo) and the Settsu region (southeast Hyogo) are used to create Nada sake.

The cold wind blowing down from Mount Rokko during winter and the humidity from the ocean during summer gives Nada Sake its clean, dry, full-bodied flavor.

Yamadanishiki Rice

 Nada-gogo has many facilities where they will give you a quick tour of the brewery, and you can watch the process of sake making. Don’t forget about the delicious sake tasting!

Brewery Tour

 

Sake Tasting

Going on a sake brewery tour and enjoying delicious sake is a very fun way to spend you summer vacation!

Sake Breweries offering a tour/ sake tasting

Kikumasamune Sake Brewery Museum

A 10 minute walk south from Hanshin Uozaki Station.

A two minute walk north from Rokko Liner Minami Uozaki Station

Fee: Free

http://www.kikumasamune.co.jp/kinenkan/ (Japanese)

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum

A 5 minute walk south from Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station.

Fee: Free

http://www.hakutsuru.co.jp/shiryo/ (Japanese)

Sawanotsuru Museum

A 10 minute walk south from Hanshin Oishi Station

Fee: Free

http://www.sawanotsuru.co.jp/siryokan/index.htm (Japanese)

Kobe Shushin-kan Breweries

A 8 minute walk southwest from Hanshin Ishiyagawa Station

Fee: Free

http://www.enjoyfukuju.com/english/our_brewery/index.html (English)

（Spots）

Nada Gogo (Nada Sake)

http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/spot/4_nadasake.html

Sake Brewery Tour and Sake Tasting

http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/spot/36_sakebrewery.html

Japanese Sake

http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/special/japanese-sake.html

  That’s it for the Gourmet series. Starting next issue is our new series, Summer Events! The next issue will be on Firework festivals. There are many firework festivals in Hyogo, but they are all unique in different ways. Come back for our next issue to find out!

Ping (Hyogo Tourism Association)