Kinryo Sake Museum

Local sake from Kagawa with 300 years of history

The origin of Kinryo sake dates back to 1616. In that period there were several sake makers. One of these was Tsuruhaya, followed by Haneya who changed the name of the sake to Tsurutaya. The brewery of this sake maker was later bought by the eighth generation Nishino Kaemon in 1789, at the end of Edo period. This was the birth of the famous Kinryo sake.

The headquarters of Kinryo sake in Kotohira was made up of three breweries. One of the breweries, called Dainiko (“second sake brewery”), faced the main street. With an area of approximately 2,916 square meters, this brewery was opened as Kinryo Sake Museum in 1988. At the entrance to the building is a sugidama, a ball made from sprigs of Japanese cedar, traditionally hung in the eaves of sake breweries to indicate that sake has been freshly brewed. The original white walls of this historic brewery have been preserved since it was first established. Visitors to Kinryo Sake Museum can learn about how sake was produced in the past, view old sake-making tools and scenes that depict the sake-making process, while enjoying the audiovisual information provided.

At Kinryo Sake Museum, you can learn about Japanese sake culture and discover Kagawa’s famous sake in a laid-back environment. Please enjoy some sake while having a relaxing rest under the shade of a 900-year-old sacred camphor tree.
 

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Culinary Adventures