As someone who has spent fifteen years working at Tsukiji Market, I know Japan's sake supply chain inside and out. Whenever a restaurant owner asks me which sake pairs best with seafood, I always recommend Hiroshima's Saijo. The soft water brewing technique here creates a smooth, refined "feminine" sake style that is a perfect match for the delicate seafood dishes we commonly handle.
Saijo, together with Kobe's Nada and Kyoto's Fushimi, is one of Japan's three major sake producing regions. However, compared to the commercial atmosphere of the other two areas, Saijo maintains a more authentic brewing tradition. The breweries are concentrated along Saijo Sakagura-dori (Sake Warehouse Street), where seven century-old establishments are gathered on a single street, forming a unique sake culture district. The Saijo Sake Festival in October attracts over 100,000 visitors annually, making it one of Japan's most important sake celebrations.
Highlights
The greatest characteristic of Hiroshima sake lies in the local soft water quality. The groundwater in the Saijo area has lower mineral content, resulting in sake with an exceptionally smooth and mellow texture, clear body, and subtle aroma. This quality makes it an excellent choice for pairing with sashimi and sushi—I often advise sushi chefs at Tsukiji to pair Saijo Junmai sake with winter kanburi (yellowtail) or autumn akisake (salmon), as the balance will amaze customers.
Another highlight is the preservation of traditional brewing methods. Most breweries still use wooden barrels for fermentation, adhering to manual operations that are becoming increasingly rare in the modern sake industry. Especially given the current rise in global logistics costs, these small traditional breweries are even more precious.
Recommended Places
Kamo Tsuru Brewery
4-31 Saijo-honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, 739-0011
Established in 1623, this long-standing brewery is the most representative in Saijo. Their Daiginjo "Shizuku" is priced at ¥4,400 (720ml) and is my top recommendation for high-end Japanese restaurants. The brewery houses a sake museum showcasing 400 years of brewing history, and in 2024 it was designated as a national historic site. Free tastings typically offer 3-4 different grades of sake, allowing visitors to fully experience the flavor progression from Junmai to Daiginjo.
Kamoizumi Brewery
2-4 Saijo-kamichō, Higashihiroshima City, 739-0011
Renowned as a Junmai specialist, they adhere to the traditional method of not adding酿造酒精. Their Special Junmai "Hime-ama" (300ml ¥600, 720ml ¥1,500) has a flavor profile particularly suited for female consumers and is very popular in the high-end restaurants I work with in Macau. The affiliated Sakura Spring Hall is open only on weekends and holidays (10:00-17:00), offering a deeper sake culture experience.
Fukubishou Brewery
6-21 Saijo-honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, 739-0011
This brewery's specialty is using Yamada-nishiki rice from local contract farmers, with fully traceable brewing processes. Their "Shizuku" series uses the bag-drip method (袋吊り), allowing sake to drip naturally, resulting in an exceptionally pure taste. As a seafood expert, I particularly appreciate their commitment to ingredient quality—this attitude is also most important in the seafood supply chain. Tasting prices start from ¥100, offering excellent value.
Shirakabotan Brewery
15-5 Saijo-honmachi, Higashihiroshima City, 739-0011
A historic house established in 1675, renowned for the traditional Yamahai brewing method. This fermentation technique gives the sake a unique acidity and complex layers, making it well-suited for pairing with rich, oily fish such as the oma tuna belly that we feature prominently in winter. Business hours are 10:30-16:00, and I recommend visiting early afternoon to avoid missing the tasting sessions.
Practical Information
Transportation
Take the JR Sanyo Main Line from Hiroshima Station toward Mihara, approximately 35-40 minutes to Saijo Station. All recommended breweries are within a 10-minute walk from the station, making this perfect for a day trip.
Cost Reference
- Sake tasting: ¥100-300 per small cup
- Tasting set: ¥500 (usually includes 3-4 sake varieties)
- Most breweries offer free tastings
- Sake Festival tickets: Pre-sale ¥3,900, at the venue ¥1,800
Business Hours
Most breweries are open weekdays 8:30-16:00, weekends 9:00-16:00. Note that starting June 2026, some products will increase by 8-10%, so I recommend purchasing collectible items early.
Travel Tips
Based on my many years of dealing with Japanese suppliers, I recommend visiting on weekdays for a more in-depth experience, as weekends tend to have more tourists, making it difficult to have deep conversations with the brewmasters. Remember to use the "Nogarigi Mizu" (water for palate cleansing) provided by each brewery to cleanse your palate, so you can accurately taste the subtle differences of each sake.
If you are a restaurant operator, I recommend directly inquiring with breweries about wholesale pricing and supply terms. With the current yen depreciation, direct imports offer better cost-effectiveness than going through agents. Finally, remember to bring a cooler bag—sake from Saijo is best stored at low temperatures, so you can maintain its optimal flavor when you return to Macau.
Japan Key Data
Japan 2023: 25.06M inbound, JPY 5.3T tourism, JPY 12.6T ag & fisheries.
| Indicator | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound | 25.06M | JNTO |
| Ag & Fish | JPY 12.6T | MAFF |
| Tourism | JPY 5.3T | MLIT |
