🗺️ Hizenbama-juku Sake Brewery Street

Hizenhamashuku in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture, was a prosperous area from the Edo period to the Showa period, known for its thriving brewing industry, including sake and soy sauce. With the clear water sources from the Taradake mountain range, rice from the Shiraishi Plain, and maritime routes through the Ariake Sea for transporting sake to Nagasaki for sale, it has historically flourished in sake production. Before the war, there were more than ten breweries, but today only four remain. The roads lined with white-walled buildings, breweries, and samurai residences, registered as Important Cultural Properties, are referred to as Sakagura Street. Some sake retailers offer tours of the breweries, free tastings, or evaluations of various sake, attracting tourists from both domestic and international locations in search of unique local sake. The area also retains a building known as "Tsugiba," which was used to transport travelers' luggage from one post town to another, a characteristic of Hizenhamashuku on the Taradakai Road during the Edo period. It now serves as a tourist information center. Local guides are available, and it is recommended to listen to their introductions about the history and culture of Hizenhamashuku.

Buy a bottle of sake that reflects the dedication and craftsmanship of the brewery. Some liquor retailers offer tours of the sake brewery and free tastings. If you can't drink sake, that's okay! Enjoy the pleasure of strolling through the nostalgic streets. On the fourth Saturday of every month, there is an event called "Sake Brewery Relay Drinking" where three izakayas operate simultaneously.