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Suehiro Sake Brewery in Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture, is one of the largest and most famous sake producers in the Tohoku Region. Founded in 1850, it has been a family owned business for eight generations. Suehiro's sake is famous throughout Japan and annually wins domestic and international awards. Their premium sake is produced using the traditional "Yamahai" method which utilizes slow open-fermentation to produce a full, complex flavor.

Besides traditional sake the brewery's extensive catalog also includes less conventional products such as sparkling sake and a sake bath extract.

While sake is usually aged less than a year before it is sold, Suehiro Brewery keeps a small number of bottles produced each year in reserve. These are allowed to further age in a temperature controlled environment, where the flavor continues to develop and mature.

Suehiro Brewery is the official sake supplier of Toshogu Shrine in Nikko and some sumo and kabuki events, and it has been featured in a number of movies and TV dramas.

Among the many important figures associated with the brewery is Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, whose picture is on the 1000 yen bill thanks to his groundbreaking achievements in medical research. He was close friends with Suehiro's owners and many of his letters and pictures can be viewed at the brewery.

Suehiro Brewery is open to visitors, and offers hourly guided tours (with a break at noon). The tour includes a walk through the brewing areas with explanations of the sake making process, a small museum with displays of the brewery's history and the history of sake making, and a visit to the factory store with a tasting bar where you can sample from and buy nearly their entire product line.

The brewery has a number of other attractions in addition to the tours. Among them is a nice cafe that features original desserts which incorporate sake in their recipes. The desserts are developed by the owner's wife. The sake jelly and sake infused cakes are particularly refreshing and recommended.

There is also a small concert hall at the brewery that occasionally hosts various performances, especially jazz, by Japanese and foreign artists.

Lastly, the brewery has a small museum that houses the largest private collection of film cameras in Japan. There are over 500 cameras displayed ranging from early medium format cameras to the first SLRs and modern point and shoots, including a few novelty cameras.

Getting there and around

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Hotels around Aizu

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    • Tagoto
      Mid-range
      Tagoto features a hot public bath, Japanese-style and Western rooms and Japanese cuisine, a 5-minute drive from Aizu Wakamatsu Station. It offers free Wi-Fi throughout the propert and free parking is on-site. Japanese-style rooms have a tatami (woven-straw) floor and traditional futon bedding, while Western rooms come with beds and an en suite bathroom. All rooms are air-conditioned and fitted with an LCD TV and a fridge. The restaurant offers local specialities, including the regionfs signature meppameshi rice dish and an Aizu Kaiseki multi-course dinner. Tagoto is a 7-minute drive from Tsuruga Castle and a 10-minute drive from Mount Iimori. The Noguchi Hideyo Memorial Museum is a 30-minute drive.
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    • Marumine Kanko Hotel
      Luxury
      Located in Ashinomaki Onsen, Œk’J”ü‚Ìh쉹 provides air-conditioned rooms with private open-air hot spring bath. The property is situated 16 km from central Aizuwakamatsu and Aizuwakamatsu Castle is 14 km from Œk’J”ü‚Ìh쉹. Ouchijuku, featuring traditional buildings is 14 km from the property. The ryokan features a public hot spring bath, open-air hot spring bath and sauna. Free shuttle service to Ashinomaki Station is available. Luggage storage is available for guest's convenience. The rooms in the ryokan are fitted with a flat-screen TV. Œk’J”ü‚Ìh쉹 offers certain units that feature a balcony, and every room comes with an electric kettle. All units will provide guests with a fridge. Certain rooms feature Simmons mattresses. A traditional kaiseki (multi-course) dinner is served at the dining area. A buffet breakfast or Japanese-style breakfast is served each morning at the property.
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    • Kutsurogijuku Chiyotaki
      Mid-range
      Boasting hot spring baths with mountain views, Kutsurogijyuku Chiyotaki is a 15-minute bus ride from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant and unwind in a private hot spring bath with views that was open in July 2017. Free WiFi is available in all rooms. All guest rooms have a flat-screen TV and an electric kettle. Slippers and a hairdryer are provided for guest's comfort. An on-site restaurant offers Japanese local cuisine and sake. There is a Japanese sake bar available on site from the evenings. You will find a shared lounge fitted with various books and complimentary tee and coffee. Guests can unwind in an open-air hot spring baths with mountain views on the top floor, and they can enjoy free access to hot spring baths at the sister property in the vicinity. Aizu Higashiyama Onsen is 100 metres from Kutsurogijyuku Chiyotaki, while Mount Iimori is 2.8 km from the property.
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    • Onyado Toho
      Luxury
      Set in Aizuwakamatsu, 500 metres from Aizu Higashiyama Onsen, Onyado Toho features free WiFi access and free private parking. Free shuttle service is available from Aizuwakamatsu Station to the hotel on a first-come, first-served basis. You will find a kettle in the room. All rooms are equipped with a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find slippers, free toiletries and a hairdryer. You will find shops at the property. Mount Iimori is 2.4 km from Onyado Toho, while Aizuwakamatsu Castle is 2.6 km away.
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    • Kutsurogijyuku Shintaki
      Mid-range
      Featuring 4 hot spring baths with free flowing spring water, Kutsurogijyuku Shintaki offers accommodation located a 15-minute bus ride from JR Aizuwakamatsu Station. Free WiFi and a restaurant are featured on site. Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV and an electric kettle. Slippers and a hairdryer are provided in guest rooms. All guest rooms are non-smoking, while there is a designated smoking area on each guest floor. There is room service at the property. Local cuisine and various local rice wine can be sampled at the on-site restaurant. A shared lounge has books and complimentary tea and coffee for guests' comfort. You can play table tennis at the ryokan free of charge. Guests have an free access to a hot spring bath of a sister property nearby. Aizu Higashiyama Onsen is 100 metres from Kutsurogijyuku Shintaki, while Mount Iimori is 3 km from the property.
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    • Shosuke-no-Yado Takinoyu
      Luxury
      Featuring an open-air bath and views of mountain, Shosuke-no-Yado Takinoyu is a ryokan situated in a historic building in Aizuwakamatsu, 3.4 km from Mount Iimori. This 4-star ryokan offers a 24-hour front desk and a lift. The accommodation offers a hot spring bath, spa facilities, family-friendly restaurant and free WiFi. The ryokan will provide guests with air-conditioned units with a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. There is a seating and a dining area in all units. At the ryokan, each unit comes with bed linen and towels. A minimarket is available at the ryokan. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. For guests with children, the ryokan provides a baby safety gate and a children's playground. Guests can relax in the garden at the property. Aizuwakamatsu Station is 4.6 km from Shosuke-no-Yado Takinoyu, while Kitakata Station is 25 km away. The nearest airport is Fukushima Airport, 73 km from the accommodation.
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    • Hotel Route-Inn Aizuwakamatsu
      Mid-range
      Only a 5-minute drive from JR Aizuwakamatsu Train Station, Hotel Route-Inn Aizuwakamatsu features simple modern accommodations and a free-breakfast for all guests. Free wired internet is available in all rooms and you can refresh in the spacious public baths. Contemporary rooms are furnished with amenities from a flat-screen TV and a fridge, to nightwear and toiletries. An air humidifier and an extra pillow are available on request. Laptops can be rented at the front desk and a coin-operated launderette is on-site. Guests can relax in the massage chairs and use the free-use computers. The free breakfast buffet is available from 06:45-09:00 at the dining area. Hana-Hana-Tei serves Japanese favourites and sake from 18:00-22:00 (last order at 21:30, closed Sundays). Aizuwakamatsu Route-Inn Hotel is a 10-minute drive from Tsururga Castle and a 30-minute drive from Lake Inawashiro. Sazaedo is a 5-minute drive away.
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    • Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel
      Mid-range
      A 5-minute walk from JR Aizuwakamatsu Train Station, Aizuwakamatsu Washington Hotel offers accommodations with free Wi-Fi. Massages can be requested for an extra cost and guests can enjoy refreshments at the hotelfs cafe. The air-conditioned rooms feature a flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge and an electric kettle with green tea bags. Japanese Yukata robes and toothbrush sets are provided for all guests. The en suite bathroom comes with a hairdryer. Luggage storage is provided at the front desk. Free parking is available and photocopying services are provided for an extra cost. Washington Hotel Aizuwakamatsu is a 10-minute drive from Tsuruga Castle and a 5-minute drive from Sazaedo Shrine. The foot of Mount Iimori is a 25-minute walk away.
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    • Higashiyama Park Hotel Shinfugetsu
      Mid-range
      3.5 km from Mount Iimori in Aizuwakamatsu, Higashiyama Park Hotel Shinfugetsu offers accommodation with access to a sauna, hot spring bath and public bath. This 3-star ryokan offers a 24-hour front desk and a lift. The ryokan features rooms with air conditioning, free private parking and free WiFi. All units at the ryokan are fitted with a TV and a safety deposit box. There is a private bathroom with bidet in some units, along with slippers, a hair dryer and free toiletries. The units will provide guests with a fridge. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. You can play table tennis at the ryokan. Guests can also relax in the shared lounge area. Aizuwakamatsu Station is 4.7 km from Higashiyama Park Hotel Shinfugetsu, while Kitakata Station is 25 km from the property. The nearest airport is Fukushima Airport, 73 km from the accommodation.
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    • Niko Ryokan
      Budget-friendly
      Located 3.8 km from Mount Iimori, Niko Ryokan offers accommodation in Aizuwakamatsu with access to a hot spring bath. This 2-star ryokan offers a 24-hour front desk and a shared lounge. The ryokan provides rooms with air conditioning, free private parking and free WiFi. At the ryokan, all units come with a desk and a TV. At the ryokan, all units are equipped with a shared bathroom with bathrobes and slippers. The ryokan is located in a geothermal area, with a number of hot springs nearby for guests to relax in. Aizuwakamatsu Station is 5 km from the ryokan, while Kitakata Station is 26 km away. The nearest airport is Fukushima Airport, 74 km from Niko Ryokan.
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