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Discover the pleasure of sake in Saijo in both old and new ways
Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Saijo, in Higashihiroshima City, is known as the ‘City of Sake,’ and there are many sake breweries along Saijo Sakagura-dori Street to the east and west of Saijo Station. Along this street, you can see scenes unchanged from the olden days, with the elegant black and white patterns of the ‘namako-kabe’ walls of the breweries and their chimneys of red brick. Sake brewing began in Saijo around 1675, during the early Edo period (1603-1867), when Saijo flourished as the post town of Saijo Yokkaichi. The clear underground water from Mount Ryuo that feeds the springs, the climate, and the fertile land ideal for rice cultivation make the area perfect for sake brewing, and many sake breweries came into being in the Taisho（1912-1926） and early Showa （1926-1989） periods. These breweries, with their long histories, have maintained traditions while creating an original style of sake, and nowadays Saijo is a famous brewing region on par with Nada or Fushimi. Even now, each brewery continues to create its own sake full of character and appeal. Many of the breweries have their products for sale and also offer sake tasting and water tasting. Wandering around each brewery and comparing tastes is a wonderful way to enjoy Saijo Sakagura-dori.
How to get there
From Shin-Osaka Station, take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Hiroshima Station, then take the Sanyo Line to Saijo Station (about 2 hours).
17-1 Saijo Honmachi, Higashihiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken
