Fushimi Sake District is in southern Kyoto and is known throughout Japan for producing high quality sake. Best of all, is that some of the breweries, many of which have been operating for hundreds of years, allow visitors to try some of their amazing sake! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s explore this sake paradise!
All About Fushimi Sake District
Fushimi is known as the south gate of Kyoto, and three main rivers run through it; namely the Uji-gawa, Katsura-gawa, and Kamo-gawa. Blessed with good water quality which is essential for making sake, Fushimi became one of the most popular places for sake production. The streets with rows of sake breweries with their distinctive white earthen walls are a sight to behold.
It is believed that sake making in Fushimi started in the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1558-1600), when Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi built Fushimi castle and developed the water and land transportation system.
About the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
Gekkeikan Sake Company is a sake brewery founded in 1637. The museum building is the old brewery built in 1909, and exhibits include tools used for drawing water, rice washing and soaking, and koji (yeast for alcohol brewing) making, allowing visitors to get an idea about sake brewing in the early 20th century. After the museum tour, visitors can have a free tasting of three types of sake, and buy sake, Narazuke pickles, Manju, and original goods from the museum store.
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum Admission and Hours
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is open to the public from 9:30 am to 4:30 am every day and is closed during the New Year’s Holiday period, from December 28th to January 4th, and during the O-bon season, from August 13th to August 16th.
Admission is 400 yen for adults, 100 yen for children aged 12 through 17, and free of charge for those 11 and younger. Visitors will also receive a choice of a 180ml bottle of Junmai Ginjo sake or a postcard as a souvenir. Brochures are available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
Information
- Name: Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
- Street address: 247 Minamihama-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto 612-8043
- Access: A 8-minute walk from the Fushimi-Momoyama Station on the Keihan Main Line
How to get from Fushimi Inari Shrine to Fushimi Sake District
If you want to head over to the Fushimi Sake District after spending some time exploring the beauty of Fushimi Inari Shrine, it is best to head back to the entrance of Fushimi Inari Shrine and go towards Fushimi-Inari Station, not to be confused with Inari Station.
From Fushimi-Inari Station, you can take the Keihan Main line south and get off at Chushojima Station. From here, it is a five-minute walk to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum where you can begin to explore the Fushimi Sake District.
How to get to Fushimi Sake District from Kyoto Station
To get to the Fushimi Sake District from Kyoto Station itself, it take the Kintetsu Kyoto Line and get off at Momoyamagoryo-Mae Station. From here, head west and you will be in the Fushimi Sake District in a couple of minutes.
You can enjoy the atmosphere of the area and check out some of the many sake shops as well, but if you want to head to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, it is about an eight-minute walk from the Momoyamagoryo-Mae station.
Comments