Beginning of a Journey to Immerse Yourself in Niigata’s Sake Culture
Niigata Prefecture is known as one of Japan’s leading rice-producing regions, and the sake produced there is highly regarded worldwide. I myself will never forget the experience of visiting Niigata several years ago and touring sake breweries in the deep snowy winter landscape. The Ponshu-kan in Echigo-Yuzawa is especially recommended as a spot where sake tasting can be enjoyed. It is highly rated on TripAdvisor and attracts many foreign tourists. Here, you can easily try various brands of sake.
Sake in Niigata is made using melted snow water, which gives it a refreshing taste. For example, it is efficient to start from the Ponshukan location and go around the area.
Attraction of Niigata Sake and Recommended Brands
Niigata’s sake is mostly light and dry, and goes well with meals. On my trip, I tasted both standard brands such as Kubota andHakkaisan, as well as rare, locally produced sake. For example, at the Hakkaisan brewery, I was able to observe the brewing process and was impressed by the depth of the sake brewing process. TripAdvisor reviews show that these tours are popular.
On a related note, “sake pairings” are a recent trend. It is great when paired with Niigata’s local cuisine, such as hegisoba (buckwheat noodles) and nodoguro (freshly caught bluefin tuna) sashimi. I actually tried it and found that the dry sake complemented the sweetness of the seafood. If you are a wine lover, you will be amazed at the diversity of sake flavors.
Suggested Sake Brewery Tour Routes for Foreigners
For foreigners visiting Niigata, here is a route based on my experience. Start at Echigo Yuzawa Station. Go to Ponshukan, directly connected to the station, to taste more than 100 kinds of sake. From there, take a 20-minute bus ride to Hakkai Brewery. English-speaking tours are available.
If you want to go further afield, we recommend Imadaiji Sake Brewery in Niigata City. This brewery dates back to the Edo period, and you can feel the history of the brewery. If you search for “Niigata Sake Brewery Tour” on Google Maps, you will find such spots.
Sake Enjoyment and Manners
The key to drinking sake is to enjoy it at different temperatures. Sake is refreshing when served cold and mellow when served warm. What I learned at the sake brewery is that the choice of glass is also important. A thin glass glass makes it easier for the aroma to spread. As a foreigner, the alcohol content that concerns me is usually around 15-16%, but start with a small amount.
Also, “sake health benefits” are a hot topic, and polyphenols are said to be good for you if consumed in moderation. In my experience, the best part is talking to the people at the brewery. Even if they did not speak English, their gestures were enough for me to enjoy the experience. TripAdvisor is full of reviews of such exchanges.
Marriage with Niigata Gourmet
Not only sake, but also the best combination with local gourmet food. Pairing it with Niigata’s tare-katsu-don or Murakami beef steak doubles the flavor. At the restaurant I visited that specializes in tarekatsu, I was impressed by the harmony of the sweet and spicy sauce and the dry sake. If you look up “Niigata gourmet tours” in the related terms, you will find these combinations.
Furthermore, snow viewing sake is romantic in Niigata in winter. In my memory, heated sake while gazing at the snowy landscape was exceptional. For foreigners, I suggest these ways to enjoy the season.
Access and Tips for your stay
It takes about 2 hours from Tokyo to Niigata by Shinkansen bullet train. Echigo Yuzawa Station is easily accessible. Onsen (hot spring) accommodations are recommended for your stay, and there are many facilities in the Yuzawa Onsen area that cater to foreigners. At the inn where I stayed, there was a sake pairing menu for dinner, which was a luxury.
Budgets start at 5,000 yen per day, and sake tasting sets are reasonably priced at a few hundred yen. It’s also handy to look up brands on the app as a “Sake Beginner’s Guide.” Such tools were useful on my trip.
Private Wisdom-like Summary
A tour of Niigata’s sake breweries is a special experience, not only for drinking, but also for experiencing the culture. The hidden charms found by travelers like me will make you forget your everyday life. Why don’t you try this secret route on your next trip? It will surely be an unforgettable memory.
Comments