Itami’s walking route to learn, drink and eat Japanese Sake at the birthplace of Sake

Located in the southeastern part of Hyogo Prefecture, Itami City is said to be the birthplace of Japanese sake. In particular, ‘Itami Gocho (伊丹郷町)’ near Hankyu Itami Station was used to be flourished by brewing sake. Between the 1600s and 1800s, it seems that sake produced in this town had been presented to a general of Japan. This time, we focused on “Itami Sake Brewery Street (伊丹酒蔵通り)” with nostalgic scenery, two sake breweries and lots of eateries offering sake in various styles. We’d like to suggest a walking route including a museum run by sake brewery, a restaurant making creative cuisines using sake and a souvenir shop directly managed by a long-established sake brewery.

All of them are within 10 minutes’ walking distance from JR Itami Station which is 3 stations away from JR Takarazuka Station on the Takarazuka Line.

“Shirayuki Brewery Village Chojugura Museum” telling the history of Japan’s oldest sake brand ‘Shirayuki’ through interesting exhibits

Reference from Tripadvisor

Having been located on this street since 1550, ‘Konishi Sake Brewery’ created Japan’s oldest sake brand ‘Shirayuki’ using rice and water from Itami. Anyway, they run a facility consisting of a museum, a restaurant and a shop which allow us to know sake’s history and attractions with our five senses. Your eyes will be caught by its dignified warehouse-style building. The highlight is ‘Museum’ on the 2nd floor. There are many exhibits where we can learn about beer and sake while playing. For example, more than 200 tools of 130 types that had been used since the year of its foundation. They are arranged in the order of making process. Moreover, you can find a diorama that reproduces the sake brewery in the 1600s, photo spots where we can take 3D art photos against the background of sake brewery tools and something like that.

Opening Hours	11:30AM – 5:00PM　Closed on the 2nd Tuesday and New Year’s Holidays
Address	3-4-15 Chuo, Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture
Access	A 5-minute walk from JR Itami Station
URL	https://choujugura.com/museum.html

“ENCHANTE” offering Western-style cuisines using plenty of local ingredients such as Itami vegetables and bread kneaded with sake lees

“ENCHANTE” features its retro and modern appearance with a beautiful contrast between bricks and white plaster. They offer creative Western-style cuisines using local seasonal vegetables, water that had been used around the 1700s when making sake, sake lees and so on. Our recommended course is ‘Itami Gocho Story (伊丹郷町物語) created by the chief chef who is fascinated by charms of this town. You can savor Itami vegetables as salad and garnish for steak, flavorful bread kneaded with sake lees, rice cooked with water that we mentioned above and something like that. Besides, having a great variety of booze is also one of their attractions. Their original cocktail blending Itami’s unrefined sake and wine or liqueur has a good reputation. Why not enjoy the marriage of cocktails and cuisines?

Opening Hours	11:30AM – 4:30PM, 5:30PM – 9:30PM　Closed on Monday
Address	3-2-27 Chuo, Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture
Access	A 3-minute walk from JR Itami Station
URL	https://tabelog.com/en/hyogo/A2803/A280306/28018414/

Get various sake and food made from sake, liqueurs and sake lees! “Itami Oimatsu Sake Brewery” that used to present sake to generals of Japan

After filling your stomach, head to the long-established sake brewery ‘Itami Oimatsu Sake Brewery (伊丹老松酒造)” founded in 1688. Apparently, their sake had been presented to generals of Japan between the 1600s and the 1800s. Inside this shop with a very Japanese atmosphere, there is so much sake that those who love one are sure to be excited. Among them, ‘Oimatsu (老松)’ is one of two major sake of Itami and the most luxury brand. How about looking for your favorite flavor while tasting? In addition, there is also ‘liqueur’ made by soaking fruits including mango, peach and lemon etc in sake. The most popular item is ‘Nama Shibori Yuzu Sake (生しぼり柚子酒)’ with a rich fragrance of yuzu and refreshing taste. Furthermore, unique food products using sake lees such as curry and sweet jellied adzuki‐bean paste (called Yokan) are also on sale.

Opening Hours	9:30AM – 7:00PM　Closed on Public Holiday
Address	3-1-8 Chuo, Itami City, Hyoto Prefecture
Access	A 5-minute walk from JR Itami Station
URL	http://www.oimatsu.biz/