Sake was commonly stored in wooden casks in the past
Kobe's Nada () district is Japan's top sake producing region. It has long been famous for its sake due to the availability of high quality rice, suitable water and favorable weather conditions in the area. Its proximity to Kobe Port and Osaka has also facilitated physical distribution since olden times.
Many sake breweries operate in the Nada district, which stretches approximately three kilometers east to west. Some open stores and/or exhibition rooms to the public and allow guests to taste their sake. A couple of them also maintain a museum introducing the process of sake brewing.
The district makes for a good half-day walk exploring its nice mix of older buildings and modern breweries. If time is limited, we recommend visiting the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum: its well-presented exhibits have comprehensive English coverage and sake tasting is available, too.
Sawanotsuru Sake Museum
Hours: 10:00 to 16:00 Closed: Wednesdays, Obon and New Year holidays Admission: Free
Sawanotsuru Sake Museum was opened in 1978 with the aim of commemorating the sake-brewing heritage of the Nada district. It was destroyed by the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 and was subsequently rebuilt in 1999. Visitors can learn about traditional brewing methods and the ingredients involved. English pamphlets are available.
Kobe Konan Muko no Sato
Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (Shop opens from 9:30 to 18:30) Closed: December 29 to January 5 Admission: Free
Rather than sake itself, foodstuff, condiments and pickles that are made with sake lees (sake leftovers after filtering) are the focus here. Kobe Konan Muko no Sato has a small museum which showcases different varieties of pickles and their making process. It also has a couple of restaurants and a big shop which sells a huge range of food which make good sake accompaniments.
Kobe Shushinkan Brewery
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 Closed: New Year holidays Admission: Free
Shushinkan has a large shop selling sake and sake-related products, as well as a restaurant serving Japanese cuisine in combination with sake. Free guided tours of the sake warehouse are available except in December and include sake tasting.
Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum
Hours: 9:30 to 16:30 (entry until 16:00) Closed: Obon and New Year holidays Admission: Free
Good exhibits with life-sized replicas and models are presented at the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, a traditional building on the large grounds of a modern sake factory. The museum maintains a nice ambience and offers good English pamphlets and video clips explaining the sake brewing process. Sake tasting is available at its shop.
Kikumasamune Sake Museum
Hours: 9:30 to 16:30 (admissions until 16:00) Closed: New Year holidays Admission: Free
Kikumasamune Sake Museum is housed in a nice wooden-plaster building. Wooden tools, containers and machinery are exhibited in a room accompanied by atmospheric lighting and traditional music.
Sakuramasamune Sake
Hours: 10:00 to 19:00 Closed: Tuesdays Admission: Free
Sakuramasamune has a small exhibition space which showcases some tools and simple machines used in the past for sake production. There is also a video presentation showing clips of its traditional brewing process. Sake tasting is available at a shop selling its sake brews. There is limited English information at this location.
Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Brewery
Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 Closed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a national holiday) Obon and New Year holidays Admission: Free
Hamafukutsuru has won several awards for its high-grade "ginjo" sake. The exhibition space on the second level of the building explains to guests their sake brewing process through diagrams and written information (English available). Visitors are also able to peer through windows to look at brewing machines as they are being used.
Getting there and around
Hanshin Railways, Hankyu Railways, and the JR Tokaido Line run parallel north of the Nada district, offering connections to both Kobe and Osaka. The stations on the Hanshin Line are the closest to the district and its attractions.
You may choose to start exploration of the district from any of the stations along it. The Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum can be reached in five minutes on foot from Sumiyoshi Station on the Hanshin Railways Line (10 minutes, 190 yen from Sannomiya Station). Japan Rail Pass holders may want to alight at JR Sumiyoshi Station (8 minutes from JR Sannomiya Station), from where it is a 15-20 minute walk to Hakutsuru.
Galo Hostel Kobe is located within a 3-minute walk from JR Shin-Kobe Station. Free WiFi is available throughout the property. There are 2 different bus stops within a minutes' walk from the property, each with buses departing to Sannomiya, Motomachi and Maya Cable Station. All rooms have air conditioning. Bathroom and toilet facilities are shared. There is a shared lounge area at the property. There are several convenience stores and a small-scale supermarket within a 2-minute walk from the property. Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum is just a 2-minute walk from the property. Nunobiki Herb Garden Ropeway, Bottom Station is a 10-minute walk from Galo Hostel Kobe, while Nunobiki Falls and Kitano Ijinkan-Gai are a 15-minute walk away.
Located at the waterfront of Kobe Harborland, Hotel La Suite offers spacious rooms with ocean views and a spa bath. It features concierge service, a French restaurant and massage treatments. Free Wi-Fi/wired internet and free videos on demand are available in the rooms. This hotel was selected as one of Top 25 Hotels in Japan by TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award 2013. Luxurious rooms come with a large flat-screen TV, a DVD player and extra long beds. Bathrooms have a TV and a hot tub, some with sea views. Amenities include a bathrobe, a humidifier with aroma diffuser and Phytomer brand bath salt. Guests at La Suite Kobe can lounge on comfortable sofas on the rooftop terrace. The hotel offers laundry and baby-sitting services. Bicycle and laptop rentals are available, and a free internet-PC is provided at the lobby. Creative French cuisine is presented in a decor of soft carpeting and wide windows at restaurant Le Coeur, while cafe Grand Blue serves a wide range of drinks and light meals. Restaurant Kokoro offers contemporary Japanese cooking inspired on traditional dishes. Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland is a 4-minute walk from Minato-Motomachi Station. It's only a 3-minute walk from Kobe Tower, and a 6-minute stroll from Meriken Park. Kobe Airport is a 15-minute drive away.
Set in the Arima Onsen district of Kobe, Nakanobo Zuien (Adult Only) is 9 km from Mt. Rokko and 21 km from Mount Maya. Popular points of interest around the property include Kinsengen and Kittebunka Museum. Guests can make use of massage services. Free shuttle service to and from Arima Onsen Station is available. An Asian breakfast is served daily at the property. Guests can enjoy a meal at the in-house restaurant, which specialises in Japanese cuisine. Spa and wellness facilities including a hot spring bath and a sauna are at guests' disposal during their stay at the ryokan.
Taketoritei Maruyama is a non-smoking Japanese-style accommodation featuring natural hot spring baths for private use and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. From its hilltop location a 15-minute walk from JR Arima Station, it offers sweeping views of Arima Onsen. Guests at Maruyama Taketoritei can privately unwind in a hot spring bath, or relax with a massage treatment. Facilities include a souvenir shop and drinks vending machines, while a free shuttle service is available to/from Arima Station. Air-conditioned rooms feature a seating area with a tatami (woven-straw) floor and a low table with seating cushions. Some rooms offer beds, while others have traditional futon bedding. All rooms are equipped with an LCD TV, yukata robes and a fridge. Guests can choose a Japanese or Western breakfast, while a Japanese course is served for dinner. All meals are served at the dining area. The property is a 10-minute walk from the Arima Onsen area. Osakafs Umeda station is a 55-minute bus ride away.
Offering air-conditioned rooms in the Nada Ward district of Kobe, Kobe Guesthouse MAYA is 3.6 km from Kobe Center for Overseas Migration and Cultural Interaction. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a shared lounge, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The property is set 21 km from Mount Rokko and 23 km from Onsen-ji Temple. The units feature a shared bathroom, a hairdryer and bed linen. The area is popular for hiking, and bike hire is available at the hostel. Noevir Stadium Kobe is 9 km from Kobe Guesthouse MAYA, while Emba Museum of Chinese Modern Art is 15 km away. The nearest airport is Kobe Airport, 10 km from the accommodation.
Overlooking the beautiful Kobe Harbour, Oriental Hotel offers luxurious accommodation in the heart of the historic Kyu-Kyoryuchi area. Guests can work out at the free-use fitness centre, or relax with beauty massages at the on-site salon. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Rooms with chic d?cor are fitted with stylish furnishings, and feature a flat-screen TV, a fridge and an electric kettle. The en suite bathroom includes a bath tub and free toiletries. Most rooms boast views of either the harbour or the city. The 24-hour front desk at the Hotel Oriental offers luggage storage services for free. In-room massages can be arranged at an extra charge. A range of items like a DVD player, humidifier and iron can be borrowed from the reception. A laptop can be rented for a fee. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from both JR Sannomiya and Motomachi stations. Shin-kobe Shinkansen (bullet train) Station is a 5-minute drive away. Kobe City Museum is situated right next to the hotel, and Meriken Park can be reached within a 5-minute walk. Main Dining by the House of Pacific serves sophisticated Western dishes, while Kanbe offers delicately prepared sushi. Teppanyaki can be enjoyed at Steak House Medium Rare, and The Bar J. W. Hart lets guests savour cocktails with the gorgeous harbour views.
Boasting large open-air hot-spring baths, Hyoe Koyokaku is only a 6-minute walk from Arima Onsen Train Station. The traditional rooms at Hyoe Koyokaku Hotel feature Japanese futon beds, tatami (woven-straw) floors and shoji paper screens. Each comes with a satellite TV and private bathroom. The hotel is a 15-minute drive from Rokko Mountain. The Takarazuka Revue and Kobe Sanda Premium Outlets are a 30-minute drive away. In addition to its various shared-use 'kinsen' red-water hot-spring baths, the ryokan offers 2 'kinsen' red-water hot spring baths that can be reserved for private use at a fee. Balinese massages, aromatherapy and facial treatments offer further relaxation. A Japanese multi-course meal is served in either the guestrooms or at the restaurant for dinner. Guests can start their day with a buffet-style breakfast at the on-site restaurant, which features various dishes and soft drinks.
Boasting an open-air hot springs bath and spacious garden, Arima Grand Hotel is located a 10-minute walk away from Arima Onsen Station. Free WiFi is available in all rooms. Free private parking is also available on site. The entire property is non-smoking, while guests can smoke in the designated smoking area. All air-conditioned rooms come with a flat-screen TV, hairdryer and a mountain view. For guests' comfort, slippers and free toiletries are provided. Some rooms include a private bathroom. A seasonal outdoor pool, various spa and wellness facilities are available at a surcharge. Guests can enjoy the public hot springs bath free of charge. There is also a hot springs bath that is available for private use upon prior reservation at an additional fee. Arima Grand Hotel is situated a 40-minute car ride away from Kobe city and a 25-minute car ride away from Rokko Mountain Snow Park. This accommodation can be reached from Kobe Airport by a 30-minute drive. Mt. Maya is a 35-minute car ride away.
Conveniently located in the Arima Onsen district of Kobe, Koki is located 2.5 km from Mt. Rokko, 8 km from Mount Maya and 17 km from Noevir Stadium Kobe. This property is situated a short distance from attractions such as Kinsengen and Kittebunka Museum. The property is 13 km from Kobe Chinatown and 14 km from Kobe Port Tower. Guest rooms in the ryokan are equipped with a kettle. Each room is fitted with a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer. At Koki each room comes with air conditioning and a flat-screen TV. The property boasts 4 private-use hot spring baths which guests can use free of charge. Meriken Park is 14 km from Koki. The nearest airport is Itami Airport, 17 km from the ryokan.
Offering stylish rooms with shoji paper screens and Western beds, Hotel Hanakoyado is only a 6-minute walk from Arima Onsen Train Station. It features hot-spring baths and a massage service. The air-conditioned rooms at Hanakoyado Hotel include a fridge and tea maker. Each has an attached toilet, and bathing facilities are shared. Arima Toys and Automata Museum is just 100 metres from the ryokan. JR Sannomiya Train Station is a 35-minute train ride away. Reservable baths for private use are available 24/7. Guests can take a break from the baths to go fishing or hike along one of the areafs trails. Meals are served at Shunju Dining Room and feature grilled fish and meats.
