Sake Cup Making & Wakatsuru Brewery
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Port
Kanazawa, Japan
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$300
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 8½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Takaoka city has been famous for casting since 1609, when it was the center of the copper industry in Japan. Casting is a manufacturing process in which liquid metal is poured into molds. Today, learn about the art of casting a Japanese guinomi -- a traditional cup used to serve sake (rice wine).
At the Nousaku factory, all products are made with a sand mold before undergoing several processes to reach the finished product. You will watch the advanced casting techniques of Nousaku's master craftsmen and have time to browse and shop for Nosaku products in the company store.
Visit Zuiryuji -- an exemplar of Zen Buddhism architecture representing the early Edo period. Many of the buildings here are registered National Treasures of Japan, including the Main Gate (Soumon), the Temple Gate (Sanmon), the Buddhist temple (Butsuden), the Public Hall (Houdou), the Meditation Hall (Meiowadou) and the corridor.
Visit the Wakatsuru Sake Brewery in the Toyama Prefecture, founded in 1862. You will learn how it has produced sake (pronounced sah-kay) -- Japanese rice wine -- for more than 150 years. A brewer offers an overview of the brewery's surrounding environment, and you will watch a DVD about how sake is made here. Through the video, you will discover the brewing process from beginning to end, from the steaming of rice to the pressing of the final product. Afterward, you can enjoy a sake tasting.
Wakatsuru also runs the Saburomaru Distillery -- the only whisky distillery in the Hokuriku Region of Japan. They use heavily-peated malt here, making for a rich taste and high-quality Japanese whisky.
A Japanese set menu seafood lunch is served along the way.
Please Note:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Dust, odd scents and loud noise may be present in the factories. Substitutions cannot be made to the lunch menu; this tour is not advisable for guests who do not eat seafood. Participants can opt to pay extra on site to sample higher-grade sakes. The sake brewery visit does not allow guests to view the live manufacturing of sake. Bring local currency, as many vendors do not accept credit cards or US dollars. The Nosaku factory is closed on Sundays; a video presentation about the molding process will be substituted before the casting experience.