KOBE, Japan – The Nadagogo area, one of the most renowned sake production areas of Japan, is beefing up its promotion of sake to foreign visitors.
While the sales volume of sake in Japan has been on the decline, a boom in popularity for washoku Japanese cuisine has encouraged interest in the liquor around the world. More and more foreigners visit tourist facilities on the grounds of sake breweries, and sake brewers are making efforts to expand their sales with the government’s support.
“I have long been interested in the traditional Japanese product of sake,” said a 44-year-old South Korean company president when he visited the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum.
Smiling while holding a bottle of the liquor, he added, “It’s really nice that we can understand its manufacturing method in detail and also enjoy tasting sake.”
At this museum, brewing processes are displayed using models and videos. A translation system has also been introduced so that when visitors use their smartphones or other devices to read QR codes, which are all around the museum, they can read explanations in 15 different languages.
In fiscal 2017, 40,000 foreign tourists visited the museum, about 30 percent of a total of 140,000 visitors, and there is not a day when foreigners do not come, according to the museum.
An official at Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co. said, “I want as many foreigners as possible to become our fans, and I want to increase our sales.”
At the Kobe Shu-Shin-Kan Brewery in Higashinada Ward, there are staff members who can speak English and French. A free internet connection is available to make it easy for visitors to immediately post about their experiences on social media.
The Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewery Museum in the same ward said that tasting freshly pressed, undiluted sake attracts…