Immerse yourself in a story through a single cup of sake at Dogo Onsen. An unprecedented sake tasting experience begins.

• Table of Contents
• What is Dogo Onsen?
• A new "taste experience" begins in the hot spring town of Dogo.
• Audio guides open the door to Japanese sake.
• Borrowing Soseki's perspective, "A cup of coffee as a story"
• Facing each cup, open your five senses.

What is Dogo Onsen?

Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, is known as one of Japan's oldest hot spring resorts. Its history is so ancient that it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), and it has been a renowned hot spring that continues to soothe people for over 3,000 years. Throughout its long history, it is said that famous writers such as Natsume Soseki and haiku poet Masaoka Shiki have visited the hot spring, and it has been loved by many people, not just celebrities.

With its easy-to-walk cobblestone paths, shopping streets lined with souvenir shops, and landscapes showcasing cutting-edge art, Dogo is a town where a sense of nostalgia coexists with vibrant newness. Here, there's an atmosphere that makes you want to savor your travel time slowly.

In this hot spring town, where history and modernity intertwine, a new experience is beginning, one that focuses on the savoring each cup of coffee.

This article introduces a tasting experience featuring three types of sake and three types of craft beer from a long-established sake brewery in Dogo.

Dogo Onsen Main Building

5-6 Dogoyunomachi, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture 790-0842

A new "taste experience" begins in the hot spring town of Dogo.

The tasting experience that has just begun is available at Mizuguchi Brewery, a long-established sake brewery in Dogo. With over 130 years of history, the brewery has walked hand in hand with the history of Dogo Onsen. So what kind of experience has this long-established brewery started?

This tasting experience is more than just about enjoying alcohol. It's a unique drinking experience where you savor each drink while being guided by an audio guide, learning about its background, the brewer's intentions, and how to appreciate it.

The audio guide provides thorough and detailed support, explaining how to savor each drink and highlighting the unique characteristics and flavor differences of each beverage. It's like having your own personal tasting concierge. By enjoying the drinks while wearing earphones, your sense of taste and aroma will be heightened, allowing you to experience a deeper sense of immersion.

Setting up the experience is easy: simply scan the QR code provided by the store and download the audio guide app "ON THE TRIP." All you need is your familiar smartphone and earphones to instantly transform into an immersive experience.

Now, let's step into a whole new world of taste experiences.

Overview of the Sake Tasting Experience (3 types) and Craft Beer Tasting Experience (3 types)

Audio guides open the door to Japanese sake.

Even though we simply call it "Japanese sake," there are many types such as ginjo, daiginjo, and junmai daiginjo, and many people find it difficult to understand. In this sake tasting experience, an audio guide will carefully explain the nuances of flavor so that even those who are unfamiliar with sake can enjoy it with ease.

The sake tasting experience features three distinct sakes: "Usuzumi Sakura," "Sakurahime," and "NIKITATSU 2024." You can enjoy tasting these three sakes for 1,000 yen (tax included).

Now, with the earphones in place, let's start the audio guide. Beginning with the sound of water, which is the source of sake, the following sounds came from the earphones:

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There are a few tricks to enjoying sake. Instead of drinking it immediately, first take in the aroma. Next, once you have a sip, slowly swirl it around on your tongue and see which part of your tongue is responsible for which flavor. The way the aroma and flavor change depending on the temperature and the time it is exposed to air is one of the profound aspects of sake. Enjoy this moment, savoring it with all your senses. Now, let's begin with the first glass.

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Please try the "Usuzumi Sakura" first.

Bring the sake cup closer to your face and first check the aroma.

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Prompted by the guide, I first tasted the fragrance of the first glass of "Usuzumi Sakura." A delicate, elegant aroma rose up, and I felt the scent reaching me more directly than usual.

Because external sounds are blocked out by the earphones, your sensitivity to scents may be higher than usual.

In our busy daily lives, we often forget to take the time to slowly appreciate fragrances. However, this experience allows us to carefully engage each of our five senses, and the time itself feels luxurious.

The guide will continue to gently explain everything about the cup of sake before you, from how to savor each sip to the story behind the name "Usuzumi Sakura." For the full experience, be sure to try it yourself at the location!

Incidentally, "NIKITATSU 2024," the drink featured in this experience, is also offered at Yamadaya Manju's "Manju Tasting Experience," which started at the same time, allowing you to enjoy pairing it with Japanese sweets.

When you visit Dogo, be sure to try the slightly unexpected combination of sake and Japanese sweets.

[Insert link to article about the manju experience]

"A Story Residing in a Single Manju": A Manju Tasting Experience with Audio Guide at Dogo Onsen

Borrowing Soseki's perspective, "A cup of coffee as a story"

Next up is a tasting experience where you can sample three types of craft beer from Mizuguchi Brewery. This experience comes with a special guide: the renowned author Natsume Soseki. In fact, all the beers offered in the tasting are named after characters from Soseki's novel "Botchan." You can enjoy three different types of beer—"Botchan Beer," "Madonna Beer," and "Soseki Beer"—for 1,200 yen (tax included). What kind of experience awaits you as you are guided by Soseki?

Now, let's put on our earphones and start the audio guide. Accompanied by cheerful music, Soseki, resurrected in the modern age, begins to speak.

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First up is "Botchan Beer," which boasts a golden glow. As the name suggests, it's named after my novel "Botchan," but this beer is classified as a "Kölsch" style. First, I'd like you to smell it. What does it smell like?

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Prompted by Soseki's lively and engaging conversation, I first take a sip of the "Botchan Beer." It has a faint, fruity aroma. According to Soseki, this is the characteristic yeast aroma of "Botchan Beer" Kölsch. I take each sip, feeling as if Soseki is speaking to me beside me.

Mizuguchi Brewery describes its beer as follows: "Mizuguchi Brewery's beer is, first and foremost, a 'craft beer'."

These days, you often hear about local beers and craft beers. However, Mizuguchi Brewery has consistently called its beer "local beer" since it started brewing. This is because they want their beer to embody the local flavor and philosophy, carrying on the memories of the region.

If you approach this experience with the aspirations of Mizuguchi Brewery, which bears the name of Dogo, in mind, the words spoken by the guide may bring a different flavor to your mind.

If you're intrigued by Soseki's lighthearted guiding style, be sure to experience it for yourself when you visit the site.

Facing each cup, open your five senses.

With the audio guide by my side, I took the time to truly appreciate the cup of coffee before me. The guide's words helped to articulate the unconscious habits of smelling and tasting, opening up my five senses as if tracing the contours of the flavor. And it felt as if I was witnessing the story of the land of Dogo hidden within that single cup of coffee.

After rejuvenating your body in the hot springs, encounter stories with your five senses in a new way. Please try this luxurious experience in Dogo.

What is the audio guide app "ON THE TRIP"?

The audio guide app ON THE TRIP is themed around "turning every travel destination into a museum," allowing you to delve deeper into things that pique your interest at various travel destinations. From cultural sites such as shrines and temples, to accommodations such as hotels, hot spring resorts, and art festivals, to even cultural experiences like Zen, sushi, and drinking, it provides information about the history and background of the scenery before you with audio, text, and photos.

*There are two types of guide playback: an automatic playback type that uses GPS and a manual playback type.

Download the iOS app here.

Download the Android app here.