Private Tour & Exclusive Sake-Tasting Session at a Century-Old Brewery in Nara

Umenoyado: A Century-Old Local Brewery in the Land of Sake

At the foot of Mt. Katsuragi in Nara Prefecture — said to be the birthplace of refined sake — is the long-established Umenoyado Brewery, which has been proudly brewing local sake for over 130 years. In an environment blessed with abundant nature and pure water from Mt. Katsuragi, the brewery uses carefully selected sake rice and brews sake through a combination of traditional methods and modern technology.

At historic Nara, Japan's imperial capital in the 8th century., Umenoyado Brewery has excelled in innovatively brewing sake for over 130 years

Aiming to expand the possibilities of Japan's unique sake culture, Umenoyado Brewery has come up with creative new liquors in recent years. Examples include umeshu (plum wine) based on sake, Japanese craft gin, and sake-based liqueurs. Praised for their innovation and refreshingly new tastes, Umenoyado has gained a devoted fan base, both in Japan and overseas.

At the brewery's entrance is a monument inspired by the plum tree that gave Umenoyado its name

The name "Umenoyado" is an homage to an old plum tree on the brewery's grounds when it was established. ("Ume" is the Japanese word for "plum.") A bush warbler would often fly into this tree and chirp elegantly.

Even after relocating and opening a brand-new version of its brewery in 2022, Umenoyado continues to stay true to its aim of brewing sake in harmony with people and nature.

Experience the Sake-Brewing Process with All Your Senses on This Tour

This plan starts with a tour of the brewery guided by a staff member of Umenoyado Brewery. Step into the world of sake brewing, which entails microorganisms that ferment rice, water, and rice koji. In the past, it was the norm for breweries to use wooden barrels and buckets. However, Umenoyado values ​​tradition while innovating to keep up with the times, so it also uses modern tools and equipment.

At Umenoyado, sake brewing is done in a bright and clean environment

Umenoyado's tours do not just take you around the brewery to observe the sake-brewing process. Instead, the brewery offers interactive tours that allow you to not only see how sake is brewed, but also experience the process with all your senses.

For example, if you crawl into a large barrel, you can hear the sound of bubbles produced as the moromi (the fermented mash that will become sake) ferments. You can also smell its aroma wafting through the air. By engaging with sake-brewing culture in a hands-on way, you can gain a deeper understanding of the process, especially steps that may not be sufficiently conveyed through words alone.

Observing the sake-brewing process and feeling the brewers' passion for their craft will surely heighten your excitement for the tasting

Taste a Variety of Sake and Sake-Based Liqueurs in a VIP Room

Once the tour is done, enjoy a tasting session featuring Umenoyado Brewery's signature sake and sake-based liqueurs in the privacy of a VIP room. As this room is not accessible to participants of Umenoyado's regular brewery tours, this is an exclusive experience. Focus on the taste and aroma as you thoroughly savor five of Umenoyado's representative sake brands, followed by a variety of sake-based liqueurs.

The VIP room, which overlooks Nara’s beautiful nature

Before the tasting, your guide will provide some explanations about sake. For example, one crucial point in sake brewing is the rice-polishing ratio — the extent to which rice is to be polished. The outer layer of rice has a lot of umami-rich components, but it can lead to the sake having odd flavors. Polishing the outer layer makes the sake taste clearer, but too much polishing will cause the sake to be less umami in flavor. Balancing polishing and retention is a key to good sake.

The aroma diffuses even when the sake is poured

Through this session, you will understand that quality sake is the result of an exquisite balance made possible by the delicate sensibilities of skilled brewers.

Discover the Factors that Affect Sake’s Taste and Aroma

During the tasting, you will also find out for yourself how the taste and aroma of sake can drastically change depending on factors such as the sake vessel and temperature. For example, chilling sake brings out its refreshing aroma and clear taste, while warming it enhances its rich aroma and umami taste.

Choose a sake vessel of your liking to find out how it affects the sake’s taste

Following the tasting, it's time to pair sake and liqueurs with some light snacks. You will have the opportunity to try snacks unique to Japan like edamame beans, as well as Nara's finest specialties such as narazuke (literally, "Nara pickles") — pickled vegetables salted and soaked in sake lees, which also contain alcohol.

The snacks served for this article were as follows: narazuke pickles with cream cheese, edamame beans, and dried ray. Please note that these are for reference only; actual snacks served may vary

Snacks are served alongside alcohol to draw out and enhance its flavor and taste. Please try observing the changes in taste and flavor before and after you enjoy your snacks.

Encounter the Spirit of Japan Through Sake

Throughout sake's very long history, it has always been a significant part of Japanese culture. It was originally considered an offering to the gods in gratitude and prayer, but even today, sake is served during celebrations and for purification — a uniquely Japanese custom. As you experience Japan's culture of sake, made possible by objects of nature such as rice and microorganisms, you'll feel the Japanese spirit of respecting and coexisting with nature.

Sake is one of the ways of conveying the Japanese spirit

Come to Umenoyado Brewery to experience the refined and profound nature of sake. Here, where the Japanese tradition of sake brewing has been passed down across generations, slip away from the hustle and bustle of daily life as you refresh and enjoy yourself.