How It's Made: Industrial Tourism in Japan
Consumers have long been fascinated with the manufacturing process of the products we know, love, and use every day. There are even successful television shows dedicated to this interest and industrial tourism has come a long way from the stuffy museum style tours of the past. Particularly in Japan, industrial tourism has become a hands-on, up close and personal experience designed to appeal to visitors from all walks of life. Whether you're sipping spirits, painting porcelain, or rubbing elbows with robots, there's something to suit every interest. Here are just a few interactive and interesting industry visits one can enjoy in Japan.
Libations & Locomotives in Kobe
The bustling port city of Kobe is home to more than just the succulent beef that made it famous worldwide. A hub for modern industries as well as ancient crafts, Kobe is a perfect addition to any industry visit itinerary. Situated on the harbor inside of the Kobe Maritime Museum is Kawasaki Good Times World which showcases the technological advancements made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in the fields of air, marine, rail, robotics, and of course their trademark motorcycle. Visitors can even hop on a bike and experience the thrill of racing around the circuit in a high tech simulator.
Not far from the port lies the Nada District, the top producing sake region in the country. Industry giants such as Hakutsuru sit side by side with smaller venerable establishments such as the Kikumasamune Brewery with its 350 year history. Tours and tastings are available at many of the breweries, including the two mentioned above, and the close proximity to one another makes hopping from brewery to brewery a breeze.
For more information:
https://www.khi.co.jp/kawasakiworld/english/
http://www.visitkansai.com/sightseeing/nada-sake-brewery/
Tableware & Technology in Nagoya
Just an hour and a half west of Tokyo, the Noritake Company maintains the painstaking and delicate process of producing high quality, hand painted bone china. At Noritake Garden, visitors can not only learn about and watch the production process first hand, but they also create their own beautifully painted piece of china to be fired and shipped home to them. Stunning pieces from the Meiji era of production are on display in the museum and further sculptures and works of art can be enjoyed in the Noritake Garden Gallery. Finally a stroll through the namesake garden is a must in any season.
After exploring your artistic side, shift gears with a trip to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. The expansive facility features an automobile pavilion, metalwork exhibit, 100 year old working steam engine, as well as shops restaurants and even a library. Visitors can enjoy machinery demonstrations and even participate in workshops that utilize heavy machinery intended for manufacturing automobile components to create trinkets that can be taken home.
For more information:
http://www.tcmit.org/english/
https://www.noritake.co.jp/eng/mori/
Barrels & Brews in Hokkaido
Much to everyone's surprise, Japan has climbed to the top of the whisky industry in recent years, toppling Scotland to redefine itself as a whisky making champion. The demand for Japanese whisky has never been greater and whisky aficionados would be remiss if they didn't add the whisky that started it all to their travel list. Nikka Whisky, located on Japan's northern most island of Hokkaido, began with founder Masataka Taketsuru's visit to Scotland in 1918. Today visitors can tour the distillery and sample the Japanese whisky making waves across the world.
Once you've sampled one Japan's finest whiskies, journey east less than two hours for one of Japan's finest beers. At the Sapporo Beer Museum and Biergarten, visitors can learn about all about Sapporo beer and the brewing process, of course finishing off with a tasting. If you find yourself craving a bite, step on over to the "Garden Grill" inside the brewery's Biergarten for "Ghengis Khan Style" barbecue. The brewery's signature brick building and red star have become iconic, earning the facility a "Hokkaido Heritage" designation.
For More Information:
https://www.nikka.com/eng/distilleries/yoichi/
http://www.sapporoholdings.jp/english/guide/sapporo/
