Aichi and Gifu: 10 Places to Experience Fermented Food Culture with Miso, Sake, Soy Sauce, and Mirin

• Table of Contents
• 1. Sawada Sake Brewery: Brewery Tour in Tokoname, Aichi
• 2. Mizkan Museum: An Interactive Museum in Handa, Aichi
• 3. A Vinegar and Sushi Lunch Experience in Handa, Aichi
• 4. Sato Brewery: Miso Brewery Tour + Shippo Miso Ball-Making Workshop (Ama, Aichi)
• 5. Kokonoe Mirin: Factory Tour, Lunch, and Shopping (Hekinan, Aichi)
• 6. Kakukyu & Maruya: Compare Hatcho Misos at Two Breweries (Okazaki, Aichi)
• 7. Sekiya Brewery: Sake Brewing Experience & Tour (Toyota, Aichi)
• 8. Hirata Sake Brewery: Tour + Tasting (Takayama, Gifu)
• 9. Yamakawa Brewery: Tamari Soy Sauce Brewery Tour (Gifu, Gifu)
• 10. Shiraki Tsunesuke Shoten: Aged Sake Tasting Experience (Gifu, Gifu)
• Book Experiences and Journey Into Fermentation!

*Please be sure to check each spot’s respective websites for reservations and the latest information.

1. Sawada Sake Brewery: Brewery Tour in Tokoname, Aichi

Founded in 1848, this historic sake brewery is located on the Chita Peninsula in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, and has been in business since the late Edo period. Its signature brand is Hakuro.

Using traditional wooden tools, they continue to brew sake using local sake rice and spring water from a hill two kilometers from the brewery. Guided by the belief in "bringing out the rice’s delicious flavor without introducing any off-notes," they create a rich, full-bodied local sake packed with concentrated flavor.

Sake Brewery Tour + Tokoname Sake Cup Tasting Experience

You can learn about the traditional sake brewing process by taking part in a guided tour of the brewery, which also includes tastings. You can also try pairing sake with different flavor profiles with four special sake cups called Sasarake, created in collaboration with Tokoname ceramic artists. We recommend taking home your favorite Hakuro sake together with a Tokoname sake cup as a souvenir of your trip.

Make a reservation for a tour at Sawada Sake Brewery

2. Mizkan Museum: An Interactive Museum in Handa, Aichi

Located in Handa, Aichi Prefecture, this is an interactive museum where you can learn about the history of Mizkan’s vinegar production and the appeals of food culture while having fun.

You can experience the "spirit of craftsmanship" that has been passed down through the generations while observing vinegar production methods from the Edo period and modern brewing. This facility allows you to fully enjoy the vinegar culture of the Chita Peninsula and the story of the birth of kasu vinegar, which spread nigiri sushi around the world.

Edo-period Vinegar-making Tour + Hands-on Attractions + Shopping

In the hands-on experience corner, you can enjoy attractions showcasing the wisdom and ingenuity of Edo-period craftsmen. You can choose between a guided course or a self-guided course, but advance online reservations are required for both.

In addition, the on-site shop sells vinegar produced in limited quantities and original merchandise only available here.

Mizkan Museum

475-8585 2-6 Nakamuracho , Handa City, Aichi Prefecture

This is an experiential museum where you can have fun learning about the history of Mizkan's vinegar production and the appeal of food culture. By seeing vinegar production in the Edo period and brewing today, you can enjoy the spirit of manufacturing that has been passed down through the generations. In the experience corner, you can enjoy attractions that allow you to experience the wisdom and ingenuity of Edo period craftsmen and Mizkan's commitment to vinegar production. In the shop, you can purchase limited-edition vinegar that is only available here, as well as fun original goods as souvenirs.

Make tour reservations at Mizkan Museum

3. A Vinegar and Sushi Lunch Experience in Handa, Aichi

Handa, Aichi Prefecture is known as the "home of brewing," where brewing culture has flourished since the Edo period. In Handa, the city of vinegar, there is a special lunch package where you can experience fermented food culture while tasting and comparing the differences between kasu vinegar and rice vinegar.

Vinegar Workshop + Bento Lunch Featuring Sushi Rice Tasting

"Go by Meitetsu Train! Vinegar and Sushi Lunch Experience" is a great value package that includes a round-trip train ticket to Handa, about 30 minutes by train from Meitetsu Nagoya Station (4,500 yen for both adults and children).

At the Brewing Lab Su in the Oguri Family Residence, a nationally designated important cultural property, you will experience a workshop using five types of vinegar (kasu vinegar, pure rice vinegar, grain vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and black vinegar). You will then enjoy a special bento lunch from Uotaro, where you can taste and compare two types of sushi rice (rice vinegar rice and kasu vinegar rice).

Conveyor belt sushi Uotaro Handa branch

475-0873 1-33-2 Nakamuracho , Handa City, Aichi Prefecture

Because we are a fishmonger with auction rights at four fishing ports on the Chita Peninsula, we pay particular attention to freshness, which determines the deliciousness of the fish, and immediately prepare freshly caught fish and shellfish on the premises to make sushi. With the careful skill of our craftsmen who take advantage of the freshness of our sushi, and with the lively spirit of our fishmongers, we create exceptionally delicious sushi. Another charm of this restaurant is the sushi made using local ingredients, such as the "Akazu Sankan Mori," which uses red vinegar in the sushi rice, represented by Mitsukan's first branded vinegar, "Mitsuban Yamabuki," from Handa. On the first floor, you can enjoy extremely fresh sushi on a rotating sushi bar. The 2nd floor sushi kaiseki offers private rooms of various sizes. It can be used for a wide variety of occasions, including memorial services, celebrations and condolences, business events such as entertainment, and dinners at local gatherings.

Let's travel! Make a reservation from Aichi here

4. Sato Brewery: Miso Brewery Tour + Shippo Miso Ball-Making Workshop (Ama, Aichi)

Sato Brewery is a long-established brewery in Ama, Aichi Prefecture (Owari Shippo), founded in 1874. It is the only miso and soy sauce brewery in the Owari Bishu region that continues to produce Shippo Miso.

They do not use any genetically modified soybeans and instead brew soybean miso and tamari soy sauce using yeast that has lived in the brewery for many years and the skills of their artisans. They are committed to traditional wooden barrel brewing methods.

Miso Brewery Tour + Shippo Miso Ball-Making Workshop + Shopping

You can deepen your knowledge of fermented foods while touring a charming miso brewery that uses traditional wooden barrels. In the "Shippo Miso Ball-Making Workshop," you can take home miso balls decorated with dried ingredients that you’ve rolled yourself. After the workshop, you can purchase a variety of products at the direct sales store, including sweets made with Shippo Miso or soy sauce miso.

*Please check Sato Brewery’s official website or KKday for details, prices, and reservation information for workshops and tours.

Sato Brewery

2743 Yasumatsu Agata, Shippo-cho, Ama, Aichi Prefecture, 497-0011

Founded in 1874, this long-established miso and soy sauce brewery in Ama, Aichi Prefecture, preserves the traditional wooden barrel brewing method and continues to produce soybean miso and tamari soy sauce that takes advantage of the "brewery’s unique microbial character" created by the yeast and lactic acid bacteria that live in the brewery. You can learn about fermentation culture and miso-making while touring the charming brewery, and also enjoy a miso ball making workshop. After the workshop, you can purchase fermented products such as Shippo Miso and soy sauce at the direct sales store.

Amanokura

2743 Yasumatsu Agata, Shippo-cho, Ama, Aichi Prefecture, 497-0011

This direct sales store is run by Sato Brewery, which produces Shippo Miso and soy sauce. They sell freshly made unpasteurized miso by weight, as well as a wide variety of seasonings and processed products made with Aichi's specialty tamari, miso, and other soy sauces. In recent years, they have also leveraged their accumulated fermentation knowledge and techniques to produce and sell bread and sweets made with miso and soy sauce. Among these, the “Misofuto” is especially popular. You can also consult with knowledgeable staff when selecting your products, making this a place where you can readily purchase the brewery’s unique flavors.

Book the experience on KKday

5. Kokonoe Mirin: Factory Tour, Lunch, and Shopping (Hekinan, Aichi)

Founded in 1772, this brewery is based in Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture and is the birthplace of Mikawa Mirin. For over 250 years, this long-established brewery has produced hon mirin (a sweet rice wine with higher alcohol content used in cooking) using traditional methods and was the first to introduce mirin to the world at the 1900 Paris Exposition.

Kokonoe Sakura, their flagship brand, is the only hon mirin in Japan awarded the Honorary Grand Prize. The elegant black-walled Kokonoe Mirin’s Main Warehouse is a nationally registered tangible cultural property.

Mirin Brewery Guided Tour (Reservations) + Lunch + Shopping

On the Mirin Brewery Guided Tour, expert staff will guide you through part of the brewery (the tank area) for approximately 45 minutes. You can learn about the traditional methods of making hon mirin through panels and videos while experiencing 250 years of history.

After the guided tour, you can enjoy a Japanese meal and dessert made with mirin at K-An Restaurant & Cafe, a converted residence of the founding family. Lunch from 11:00 a.m. requires advance reservations. Ishikawa Hachiroji Shoten, the on-site direct sales store, offers a selection of products that are perfect as souvenirs, such as foods and sweets made with mirin and mirin lees.

Kokonoe Mirin

447-8603 2-11 Hamaderacho , Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture

Founded in 1772, this brewery is the birthplace of Mikawa mirin, with over 250 years of history. They continue to make mirin using traditional methods from the past. It also has a history of introducing mirin to the world for the first time when it was exhibited at the Paris World Exposition in 1900. The Kokonoe Okura , with its distinctive black walls, is a registered tangible cultural property. You can learn about the depth and enjoyment of mirin by visiting the Kokonoe Mirin Historical Museum, which exhibits ancient documents and tools related to Kokonoe , or by taking a guided tour of the mirin brewery, where expert staff will give you a tour of part of the brewery. (Guided tours of the mirin brewery are held three times a week, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10:00. Reservations are required.) After the guided tour of the mirin brewery, you can enjoy mirin tasting at the " Ishikawa Hachiroji Shoten" located on the premises, and take out the store-exclusive mirin soft serve ice cream. The wide variety of mirin products, including the carefully crafted Hon Mirin made at the mirin brewery where Mikawa Mirin originated, are sure to make an exceptional souvenir.

Make a factory tour reservation (held irregularly)

6. Kakukyu & Maruya: Compare Hatcho Misos at Two Breweries (Okazaki, Aichi)

In Hatchocho, Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, two of Japan's most famous Hatcho Miso breweries stand side by side along the Old Tokaido Road. They are located eight cho (approximately 870m) west of Okazaki Castle, the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

■ Kakukyu Hatcho Miso (Hatcho Miso Village)

Although founded in the early Edo period, its history is said to date back to the Sengoku period. Using only soybeans and salt as ingredients, they continue to uphold the method of natural fermentation for over two years in massive cedar barrels, approximately 2 meters in diameter and height, with 3 tons of stone weights piled on top in a conical shape. It is, in a sense, a theme park dedicated to Hatcho Miso, complete with an archives museum, a brewery tour, and the restaurant Hatchomura.

■ Maruya Hatcho Miso

Founded in 1337, this long-established shop, also located along the Old Tokaido Road, has been in business since the Edo period. It is a historic storehouse that has inherited the traditional method of making Hatcho Miso using only soybean koji, salt, and water. The direct sales store is where you can buy a wide variety of products, including desserts made with Hatcho Miso and regular miso paste.

Brewery Tour + Miso Tasting + Shopping

The two establishments are adjacent to each other, so you can take a tour of both and compare the different flavors of Hatcho Miso in the same visit. At the end of the tour, you’ll also sample some Hatcho Miso. After the tour, you can look forward to purchasing souvenirs at the direct sales store.

Kakukyu Hatcho Miso (Hatcho Miso Village)

69 Hacchocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, 444-0925

While it was founded in the early Edo period, its history is said to date back to the Sengoku period. As a long-established Hatcho miso store, it continues to use traditional methods to preserve the flavor of Hatcho miso to the present day. In addition to touring the storehouse to see how it is made, there is also a restaurant where you can taste dishes made with Hatcho miso on the spot.

Maruya Hatcho Miso

52 Hacchocho, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture 444-0925

Founded in 1337, it is located approximately 870 meters west of Okazaki Castle along the Tokaido road. The traditional techniques and manufacturing methods of Hatcho miso, which began in the Edo period, continue to be strictly followed to this day. This has allowed the deep, historic, and original flavor of Hatcho miso to be passed down to the present day. There is a direct sales store where you can purchase a wide range of products, including Hatcho miso and sweets made with miso. You can also take a tour of the brewery to learn about the traditional miso manufacturing methods.

7. Sekiya Brewery: Sake Brewing Experience & Tour (Toyota, Aichi)

Founded in 1864, this sake brewery is based in Shitara, Kitashitara District, Aichi Prefecture (Ginjo Kobo is located in Toyota), and is a representative sake brewery of Higashi-Mikawa. Horaisen, its flagship brand, is a famous sake beloved throughout Aichi Prefecture. It is a truly local sake brewed using ultra-soft water (3 - 5 mg/L hardness) from Shitara and Yumesansui, a sake rice cultivar grown in the brewery's own rice fields (approximately 42 hectares).

■ Houraisen Ginjo Kobo (Inabu Factory): Tour and Tasting Experience

Opened in 2004, the brewery offers a guided tour (reservations required in advance) where you can see the moromi (main mash) being made up close and even try mixing it yourself. Tastings for three varieties are typically free. They also sell sake exclusive to the Ginjo Kobo like Ichinen Fudo. You can even create your own custom-made sake from 60 kg of rice.

■ Houraisen Sake Lab (inside Michi no Eki Shitara): Sake Brewing Experience

Opening in 2021, this unique "science lab" uses equipment from a closed junior high school and offers a hands-on experience of the sake brewing process, from basic lessons to rice washing, steaming, and preparation (2 - 5 people, reservations required). All participants will receive a bottle of original sake. This is a popular place for hands-on experiences among international travelers.

Houraisen Ginjo Kobo

713 Minamimizuwakare, Kuroda-cho, Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, 441-2524

Houraisen Ginjo Kobo is a sake brewery that opened in Toyota City (formerly Inabu Town) in April 2004, with the desire to promote the appeal of Japanese sake in a multifaceted way. For employees, it is a place for training and preserving sake brewing techniques, and for the general public, it is a place where they can experience the joy of brewing their own sake through sake brewing experiences and custom-made sake brewing.

Houraisen Sake Lab

17-7 Nakada, Kiyosaki, Shitaracho, Kitashitara, Aichi Prefecture, 441-...

Houraisen Sake Lab is a facility where visitors can experience sake brewing that opened inside Michi-no-Eki Shitara in May 2021. Using locally harvested rice, Houraisen Sake Lab allows visitors to experience everything from washing and steaming the rice to preparation and pressing. By experiencing the sake brewing process while getting hands-on with traditional techniques, visitors are given the opportunity to experience the profound depths of sake culture. Through this experience, visitors will gain a real sense of the joy and difficulty of sake brewing, as well as learn about the traditions of Sekiya Brewery, the local climate, and its history. The facility also holds amazake (sweet sake) classes and workshops, offering a wide range of programs where visitors can deepen their understanding of sake culture through a variety of experiences.

8. Hirata Sake Brewery: Tour + Tasting (Takayama, Gifu)

Founded in 1895, this sake brewery is located in Hida Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, near the World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go.
With the motto "Sake is something that is nurtured rather than manufactured," they continue to brew sake carefully, with a focus on handcrafting, using underground water from the Northern Alps and Hidahomare, a local rice ideal for sake brewing.

SUIO is a masterpiece that won a trophy in the aged sake category at the IWC 2014 Sake Divisions. In recent years, the company has also launched new brands such as Shoryu no Mai, Takayama, and HIDA, striving to balance tradition and innovation.

Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting (English Available)

Located along the picturesque Sanmachi Street in Hida Takayama, this brewery is popular with international visitors as somewhere they can easily drop in. Explanations are available in English, so it caters to inbound visitors. You can enjoy tastings and experience the world of local sake brewed in the cold climate of Hida.

Hirata Sake Brewery

60 Kamininomachi, Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, 506-0845

Hirata Sake Brewery's brewing concept is that sake is something that is nurtured. The Hirata family, under the trade name Utsuboya, began manufacturing and selling hair wax and candles in 1769. They began their sake brewing business in 1895. Since their founding, they have continued to hone their skills, focusing on handcrafting based on the concept that "sake is something that is nurtured rather than manufactured." Their company motto is "quality first," and they brew sake taking advantage of the cold Hida region and techniques cultivated through tradition. Their flagship brand is Shoryu no Mai.

Reserve a Hirata Sake Brewery Tour

9. Yamakawa Brewery: Tamari Soy Sauce Brewery Tour (Gifu, Gifu)

Founded in 1943, Yamakawa Brewery is located on the banks of the Nagara River in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. Since its founding, the company has been committed to producing Tamari soy sauce, one of the rarest soy sauces in Japan.

Tamari soy sauce, made using the "wooden barrel brewing" method, accounts for only 1% of domestic production. It is prepared using underground water from the Nagara River, and after a skilled artisan’s kumikake process, it is fermented and aged for over two years. It is also gluten-free (made only from soybeans and salt), and is a seasoning that has attracted attention around the world.

Brewery Tour (Reservation Required) + Shopping

By making a reservation in advance, you can receive an explanation on how tamari soy sauce is made and tour the brewery. You can experience the charm of fermentation with all your senses, from the mellow aroma of soy sauce aging quietly in the brewery to the kibiki process of extracting the soy sauce through wooden barrels, which can only be experienced on a brewery tour.

The shop space next to the brewery is lined with products perfect for travel souvenirs, including the classic Nagara and Minobi varieties, as well as rice crackers and madeleines made with soy sauce.

Yamakawa Brewery

1-9 Nagara Aoicho, Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture

Founded in 1943 during wartime, Tamariya Yamakawa Brewery began with the goal of alleviating food shortages. Since its establishment, the brewery has been dedicated to producing tamari soy sauce, a rich and flavorful local specialty. Soy sauce in Japan is generally classified into five types: dark, light, tamari, saishikomi (double-brewed), and white. Among these, tamari soy sauce is the richest and most concentrated. Yamakawa Brewery continues to make it using the traditional wooden barrel fermentation method, a process so rare that it accounts for only 1% of all soy sauce production in Japan. From start to finish, the making of tamari soy sauce takes over two years. The process begins with creating koji, followed by brewing with underground water from the Nagara River. A technique called “kumikake” circulates the contents within the wooden barrels, encouraging natural fermentation and aging. With each step, the craftsmanship of skilled brewers brings the soy sauce to completion. For those curious to learn more, brewery tours are available by reservation. Visitors can experience the unique atmosphere of the brewery, savor the deep aroma of soy sauce aging in the barrels, and observe the “namahiki” process, where the raw soy sauce is slowly drawn from the vats. It's an opportunity to witness fermentation in its most authentic form. Adjacent to the brewery, you’ll find a shop where visitors can purchase Yamakawa’s signature products, including “Nagara” and “Minobi” tamari soy sauce. Additionally, there are a variety of soy sauce-inspired treats like rice crackers and madeleines. After immersing yourself in the world of tamari soy sauce, the products on the shelves will feel even more special. Feel free to ask the friendly staff for recommendations based on your cooking style and preferences to find the perfect soy sauce for your needs.

Click here to make a tour reservation or contact us

10. Shiraki Tsunesuke Shoten: Aged Sake Tasting Experience (Gifu, Gifu)

Founded in 1835, Shiraki Tsunesuke Shoten is a sake brewery in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, born in the same year as Sakamoto Ryoma and Princess Atsuhime. As a specialist in aged sake, the brewery produced Daruma Masamune, which is renowned both domestically and internationally.

The previous head of the brewery tasted a 1.8-liter bottle that had been resting in a corner of the brewery for many years, realized the depth of aging, and through continued research established their style of producing matured aged sake. Rather than simply leaving it to sit, the sake is brewed under strict temperature and humidity control, resulting in the sugars and amino acids to develop into a rich, complex flavor.

Aged Sake Tasting Experience + The Secrets of Sake Production + Aged Sake Shopping

If you make a reservation in advance, you can experience a tasting of aged sake with different maturation periods while listening to explanations of the production process and behind-the-scenes stories. There are four tour courses in total that can be reserved by phone or email as listed on the official website. The changes in sweetness and depth that occur with aging are truly the product of fermentation and time. The staff also carefully explain which snacks and drinking methods pair well with each aged sake.

After the experience, you can also shop for meticulously matured aged sake. Choose a sake from the year you were born or find a gift for a special someone. Enjoy discovering your special bottle

Daruma Masamune

61 Kadoyamon , Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, 501-2528

Founded in 1835, the same year that historical figures Sakamoto Ryoma and Atsuhime were born, Shiraki Kosuke Shoten is a long-established sake brewery that has been producing sake in Gifu for generations. Today, Daruma Masamune is renowned as an aged sake, but according to Shigeri Shiraki, the current seventh-generation brewer, it was still relatively unknown when she was young. “It was my father who first recognized the potential of aged sake,” Shiraki explains. “After discovering a forgotten bottle in a corner of the brewery that had aged for several years, he was amazed by its rich flavor. That moment inspired him to begin crafting aged sake intentionally.” At the time, the concept of aging sake was unfamiliar, and Shiraki’s father faced criticism for storing sake instead of selling it. However, through years of research, he confirmed that aged sake is naturally rich in sugars and amino acids. By studying historical records and refining the aging process, the family established the signature Daruma Masamune aged sake. Aging sake doesn’t simply mean leaving it untouched. Every step of the process requires expertise, from carefully adjusting fermentation to meticulously controlling temperature and humidity to ensure the sake develops its signature deep flavor. For those curious to learn more, the brewery offers tasting experiences by reservation through their website. Visitors can explore the sake-making process, hear behind-the-scenes stories, and compare the distinct flavors of aged sake by vintage. The taste of the sake evolves with each passing year, and the brewery’s staff provides personalized recommendations on the best food pairings and serving methods for each vintage. After the tasting, guests can browse the brewery shop, where aged sake crafted with exceptional care is available for purchase. Many visitors enjoy selecting a sake from their birth year or choosing a bottle as a thoughtful gift. Why not step into the world of aged sake and discover its deep, complex flavors?

Book your aged sake tasting experience here

Book Experiences and Journey Into Fermentation!

How did you like these 10 places to experience fermented food culture in Aichi and Gifu? Sake, miso, vinegar, mirin, and tamari soy sauce are all unique fermentation cultures in Japan, each backed by hundreds of years of history and artisanal techniques.

Experience-based travel where you can taste, see, touch, and smell will bring you emotions you cannot get from text or video. Due to the popularity of each spot, making reservations in advance is recommended, especially for guided tours and hands-on programs, which may have a limited capacity. Prepare well for your trip and enjoy a wonderful journey into the world of fermented foods!