Duration: March 11th 2015 – March 19th 2015 Locations: Tokyo, Niigata, Yamagata and Iwate Japan

Our Japan Travel Map

Sake Journey’s Itinerary

March 11, 2015

Arrive in Tokyo and Experience a Welcome Dinner at a sake izakaya . Guest will arrive in Tokyo on a flight of their choice on this day or earlier. We’ll meet at our upscale Tokyo Hotel, located near Tokyo Station, and as a kick off to our Sake Journey, we will head to a secret, hidden izakaya to experience true micro brewed Japanese sake!

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March 12, 2015

Travel to Hakkaisan Sake Brewery. On the first full day on our tour, we will travel by shinkansen to visit one of the most famous Breweries in Japan: Hakkaisan Sake Brewery. After a tour of the sake brewery, we’ll lunch at Hakkaisan’s delicious Soba Restarurant and tour their beautiful and brand new sake snow storage facility. In the evening we’ll dine at a private dinner with the Executives of Hakkaisan, enjoying rare sakes not for sale to the general public. Later, we’ll relax in the evening at the beautiful and charming Hakkaisan Guest House.

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March 13, 2015

Hakkaisan Tour and travel to Niigata City. The second full day on our Journey has us starting our morning with a traditional kurabito breakfast at Hakkaisan Brewery. After breakfast, guests can join a cooking class or go snow shoeing in the snowy countryside. We’ll meet up for lunch at Hakkaisan’s new udon restaurant. Next, we’ll travel by train to Niigata City. Upon arriving in Niigata City, we will enjoy the “Ponshukan” – a heavenly spot for sake lovers.

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March 14, 2015

Sake no Jin Sake Festival. Today will be special as we will enjoy one of the largest sake festivals in the world, Niigata’s “Sake no Jin”. This festival was founded in 2004 and is based on the German Octoberfest, but sake flows instead of beer! This festival welcomes over 100,000 vistors and features 500+ sakes from the 90 sake breweries of Niigata. A once in a lifetime experience!

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March 15, 2015

Travel to Tokyo for a free day. On this day, you are free to roam far and wide and explore Tokyo at your leisure. Visit the Stunning Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, experience the thrill of the crazy Shibuya crossing or stroll the historic Sensoji Temple. This is your day for relaxing and shopping and taking in all the excitement of Tokyo.

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March 16, 2015

Travel from Tokyo to Iwate and a visit to Nanbu Bijin Brewery. Traveling deep into into Iwate prefecture takes us to the renowned Nanbu Bijin Brewery. This award winning sake maker will show us a true micro brewery experience and host us with a casual and fun dinner including all the brewery workers. Hang out and have fun with the workers making this delicious sake!

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March 17, 2015

Travel from Iwate to Yamagata and a visit to Dewazakura. We’ll travel by train from Iwate to Yamagata and visit one of the most prestigious breweries of this region Dewazakura. Experience a brewery tour and learn about the history of this truly delicious sake. We’ll experience and exciting evening of hospitality from our friends at Dewazakura.

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March 18, 2015

Travel from Yamagata for a final izakaya night in Tokyo. We’ll travel by bullet train from Yamagata to Tokyo and spend our final night together at a fun, hidden and local Tokyo Izakaya. Let us surprise you with some rare and hard to find sakes along with the best sake pub cuisine. It’s a wonderful way to cap off our tour!

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March 19, 2015

Enjoy a final relaxing morning in Tokyo. Breakfast is included at our hotel. You can travel more within Japan or elsewhere, or head back home. Either way, you’ll have wonderful memories of your Sake Journey!