The Otokoyama Sake Brewing Museum preserves the legacy of Otokoyama, a sake brand originating in the 17th-century Edo period and once favored by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Originally born in Itami (near Osaka)—one of Japan’s earliest sake-brewing centers—the Otokoyama name survived the closure of the original Kansai brewery. The Asahikawa brewery became the legitimate successor and guardian of the brand, carrying forward more than 350 years of brewing history.

In modern times, Otokoyama gained global recognition when it became the first Japanese sake to win the Monde Selection Gold Medal in 1977, firmly establishing its Junmai Daiginjo as an international benchmark for quality. Today, the museum connects classical sake craftsmanship with the cold-climate brewing excellence of northern Japan.

3rd Floor – Brewing Techniques & Tools
This floor introduces the technical foundations of sake making through traditional wooden fermentation vats, hand-crafted tools, and historical equipment. A multilingual video presentation (available in English and Thai) explains the brewing process and highlights why Asahikawa’s severe winters—often called the “Siberia of Japan”—are ideal for producing Otokoyama’s signature clean, dry (tanrei karakuchi) flavor profile.

2nd Floor – History & Ukiyo-e Art
Serving as both a museum and art gallery, this floor displays rare ukiyo-e prints by masters such as Katsushika Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting Otokoyama sake in everyday Edo-period life. Historical manuscripts and artifacts document the brand’s transition from Kansai to Hokkaido and its survival across centuries of change.

1st Floor – Tastings & Museum Shop
Visitors can enjoy sake tastings using complimentary coins for standard selections, while premium and award-winning labels—including the renowned Junmai Daiginjo—are available for a small fee (typically 150–200 yen per cup). The museum shop sells brewery-only limited releases (often marked with 「蔵出し」), seasonal bottles, Otokoyama merchandise, sake-infused skincare products, and Sake Kasu (sake lees)—a prized and nutritious ingredient used in traditional Japanese cooking and pickling.

Water of Longevity (Chōmeisui)
Outside the main building, visitors can freely drink and collect the “Water of Longevity,” sourced from underground flows of the Daisetsuzan mountain system, the same water used in Otokoyama’s brewing. Guests are allowed to take home up to 18 liters, and locals regularly line up with containers.

Otokoyama Sake Park & Café
The newest expansion of the complex features a café serving sake-based sweets, sake cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. Highlights include Sake Kasu soft-serve ice cream and amazake, making the area enjoyable for families and non-drinkers as well.

Seasonal Highlight – February Brewery Opening (Sakagura Kaihō)
Each February, the brewery hosts a rare Open Brewery event, allowing visitors into normally restricted production areas and offering tastings of shiboritate—freshly pressed, unpasteurized sake—at peak freshness.

• By Taxi / Car: Approximately 15 minutes from JR Asahikawa Station

• By Bus: Local bus routes 67, 70, or 71 to “Nagayama 2-jo 6-chome”, followed by a short walk

• Winter visits can be cold inside; keep warm clothing on

• Heavy bottle purchases can be shipped within Japan (international shipping is usually unavailable)

• Bring clean containers if you plan to take home spring water

• Photography is generally allowed, but check signage near historical documents on the 2nd floor

Admission Fee:

• Free admission (tasting fees apply for premium sake)

Opening Time:

• Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Last orders (tastings & café): Around 4:30 PM

• Closed: December 31 – January 3