Kikumasamune Sake Brewery Museum is located in Higashinada Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The museum introduces the history and traditions of Kikumasamune, one of Japan’s best-known sake producers, and showcases the heritage of sake brewing in the Nada district. Its collection includes 566 tools and other objects designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan, offering visitors a fascinating insight into traditional Japanese brewing techniques.
The present museum was rebuilt following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of January 17, 1995. The original museum opened in 1960 after a sake brewery dating back to 1659 was relocated from the Hon-Kano family’s estate in Mikage to its current site. For many years, it welcomed approximately 40,000 visitors annually and displayed traditional brewing equipment, including items later designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan.
The original building was completely destroyed in the earthquake. Fortunately, staff and others carefully recovered the collection by hand, and many objects were found intact or could be restored. A new, fire-resistant and earthquake-resistant, two-story building was subsequently constructed, and the museum reopened on January 25, 1999.
The rebuilt museum draws inspiration from traditional sake brewery architecture. Its roof is covered with traditional Japanese tiles, while the exterior walls and boundary walls are finished with charred cedar boards. Some structural components, including pillars and beams salvaged from the former building, were incorporated into the new museum, preserving a tangible connection with its past.
The museum displays traditional sake-making equipment designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan. These tools illustrate the stages of sake production and explain the skills and knowledge that brewers developed over generations.
One of the museum’s highlights is its display explaining kimoto, a traditional sake-brewing method that Kikumasamune continues to value. Rather than relying on a modern shortcut, this method encourages the natural development of yeast through a labor-intensive process. It takes longer than many contemporary techniques but helps produce sake with depth, richness, and a distinctive character.
A video library introduces visitors to sake appreciation, including ways to enjoy the drink and appropriate drinking etiquette. The museum also offers tasting opportunities and sells Kikumasamune products, allowing visitors to experience the brewery’s sake as well as learn about its history.
The museum shop offers sake and related goods, including products available exclusively at the museum. These make appealing souvenirs for visitors interested in Japanese brewing traditions and the distinctive flavors of Nada sake.
Kikumasamune Sake Brewing Company is headquartered in Higashinada Ward, Kobe, and is based in Mikage-go, one of the five traditional sake-producing districts collectively known as Nada Gogo. Founded in 1659, the company has more than 350 years of brewing history and is widely known by the nickname “Kikumasamune” or “Kikumasa.”
The Kano family, which established the brewery, played an important role in improving sake quality and spreading the reputation of Nada sake throughout Japan. Members of the wider Kano family also made significant contributions to other fields, including the founding of Hakutsuru Sake Brewing, the establishment of Kodokan judo by Jigoro Kano, and the development of boxing in Kobe by Kenji Kano.
Kikumasamune is particularly known for its commitment to the kimoto method. This traditional technique encourages the natural cultivation of yeast and requires time and careful attention. The resulting sake is known for its firm, full-bodied character.
The brewery’s dry style is especially popular in the Kanto region around Tokyo and pairs well with a wide range of dishes. Kikumasamune is also a leading producer of taruzake, sake aged or stored in wooden casks to develop a distinctive woody aroma.
The name “Masamune” is said to have originated when the sixth-generation head of the Sakuramasamune brewery, also in the Nada Gogo area, chose the name from a Buddhist scripture. After Kikumasamune became popular in Edo, the former name of Tokyo, many other breweries began using “Masamune” in their own brand names. The character “Kiku,” meaning chrysanthemum, was added to distinguish Kikumasamune from other brands.
In 1659, the Kano family began brewing sake in Mikage, Kobe. By 1814, the brewery was producing approximately 11,000 koku of sake, equivalent to around 1,980 kiloliters. In 1877, the company exported sake to the United Kingdom, demonstrating its early connections with overseas markets.
In 1908, the business was reorganized as Hon-Kano Shoten, a partnership, and it became a joint-stock company in 1919. In 1927, the Kano family joined other prominent Nada sake-brewing families in supporting the establishment of Nada Junior High School. In 1947, Emperor Showa visited the company’s headquarters.
The company adopted the name Kikumasamune Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. in 1965. In 1971, 505 traditional Nada sake-brewing tools were designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan. In 1981, the company became an industry pioneer by completely discontinuing the production of sanzo-shu, a category of sake associated with the addition of distilled alcohol and sugars to increase volume.
In 2009, marking its 350th anniversary, Kikumasamune announced its “True Dry Sake Declaration” and adopted the kimoto method throughout its production. In 2012, all of its ginjo and junmai ginjo sake varieties were also made using the kimoto method. In 2016, the company introduced its premium sake brand, Hyakumoku.
Kikumasamune is also familiar to many Japanese people through the advertising jingle “Yappari Ore wa Kikumasamune,” meaning roughly, “After all, I choose Kikumasamune.” The song is associated with “Hajimete no Machi de,” written by lyricist and broadcaster Rokusuke Ei, composed by Hachidai Nakamura, and sung by Sachiko Nishida.
The song first became familiar through radio commercials in the 1960s and returned in television advertising in 2008. It remains a recognizable part of the brand’s cultural identity.
Kikumasamune Sake Brewery Museum is approximately a four-minute walk from Minami-Uozaki Station on the Rokko Liner and about a seven-minute walk from Uozaki Station on the Hanshin Railway.
The museum is located in Nada Gogo, one of Japan’s most celebrated sake-producing regions. Several other breweries and sake museums can be found nearby, making it an excellent destination for visitors interested in Japanese sake culture. Exploring the surrounding area offers a broader look at the brewing traditions that have made Nada famous throughout Japan.
Kikumasamune Sake Brewery Museum combines historic brewing tools, traditional techniques, and the remarkable story of a brewery that rebuilt after the devastating 1995 earthquake. Visitors can learn how sake has been produced for centuries, discover the distinctive kimoto method, and sample or purchase Kikumasamune products.
For travelers exploring Kobe, the museum offers a rewarding opportunity to understand the cultural heritage behind Japanese sake and the long-standing brewing traditions of the Nada district.