Tanaka Sake Brewing Kikkogura｜What to See & Do｜HOKKAIDO LOVE! -Hokkaido Official Tourism Site

Tanaka Sake Brewing Kikkogura

Delicious Local Sake in a Historic Building

Opened in 1899, this historic brewery makes delicious sake from 100% Hokkaido-grown rice with groundwater from the melted snow of Mount Tengu. Unlike most sake breweries, brewing takes place all year round due to the cool climate of Hokkaido. The brewery’s stone warehouse building is designated as a historic building by the Otaru City government. You can watch the brewing process through free tours offered throughout the year, and sample fresh sake. If you visit in the summer, be sure to try the special freshly made undiluted sake! For non-drinkers, the brewery also has delicious senbei (rice crackers) made from sake lees and popular sake manju (steamed bun) as well as black bean tea available during the tastings.

The sake brewed at Tanaka Shuzo is hard to purchase outside of Otaru since it is produced in small quantities and made exclusively with Hokkaido rice. The Tanaka Shuzo Kikkogura location is a rare type of brewery, even in Japan, as it brews sake all year round. Visitors can tour the brewery any time of year, free of charge. The complimentary taste-testing corner of the brewery has unprocessed sake, as well as many other seasonal varieties that patrons can only enjoy at this location.