AKITA -- Six sake producers in Akita Prefecture have renovated their breweries and other facilities to make them a tourist hub through the use of the prefecture's traditional culture of fermented edible products such as fragrant sake and flavorful miso and soy sauce.
This is part of the prefecture's fermentation tourism project that has been in the works since fiscal 2017. Visitors can enjoy brewery tours, tasting events and workshop to experience the manufacturing process.
The six locations that have been renovated are the Akita Shurui Seizoh Co.in Akita City; the Kodama Brewing Co. in Katagami; the Saiya Shuzoten in Yurihonjo; the Shunsai Miso Chaya Kurao in Yokote and two Yuzawa-based companies Ishimagohonten and Yamamo / Takamo & Corp.
The need to store food amid the prefecture's deep snow and harsh winter and an abundance of locally produced rice have brought about a diverse culture of fermented comestibles.
A variety of fermented food-related products are popular across the prefecture, such as sake, which has a unique flavor at each brewery, a shottsuru fish sauce made from hatahata sailfin sandfish from the Sea of Japan, and miso made from rice malt.
To use this culture to its advantage regarding tourism, the prefectural government has been promoting the creation of base facilities since fiscal 2018 by subsidizing half of the required renovation costs.
Kodama Brewing, which brews miso, soy sauce and sake, renovated a 100-year-old warehouse that had been used as a shop and installed a sampling counter and shelves for products. A wooden tool used to extract sake out of ingredients is also on display at the facility, and the old-fashioned ceiling and beams create a nostalgic atmosphere, allowing visitors to understand the sake making in olden times.
"We hope visitors will enjoy the traditional culture of fermented food with both their eyes and taste buds," said Kodama Brewing President Shinichiro Kodama.
Ishimagohonten, established in 1855, also reopened on June 20 after its refurbishment with the launch of a tour within the soy sauce manufacturing warehouse. Visitors can enjoy a close look at the maturing process of soy sauce in a barrel from above it, take part in the soy sauce extracting experience and even try sherbet made of amazake, a sweet drink made from fermented rice.
"We'd like visitors to enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional miso and soy sauce production," said a director of the company.
The prefectural government plans to continue to support the project.
"Fermented food is representative of Akita's culture. We hope to see [this movement] take off throughout the prefecture and make it a tourism resource to invigorate the region," said a prefectural official.
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