Maskay guide

Where can you taste local sake in Hida-Furukawa and visit its breweries?

Two historic breweries a short walk from the station introduce Hida-Furukawa sake; here is what their shops offer and when a tour needs advance booking.

Maskay editorial team Updated
Hida-Furukawa is easy to explore on foot among wooden houses, white-plastered storehouses and the Seto canal, but its breweries add another layer to the old-town scenery: they show how mountain water, rice and the basin’s cold winters become sake. Watanabe Sake Brewery and Kaba Shuzōjō are both in Ichinomachi, a short walk from Hida-Furukawa Station, making it possible to compare two producers without leaving the centre. A normal visit is mainly to their shops; entering production areas requires separate arrangements. Watanabe makes Hourai and has been in business for more than 150 years. Its shop is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and offers tastings, some complimentary and others paid depending on the selection. The company also lists weekday brewery visits by advance reservation. The pages consulted give different tour fees, so confirm the price and date directly before booking. Visitors often mention the range of sake and attentive staff; remember that a tasting is not the same as a guided tour and does not guarantee access to working areas. Founded in 1704, Kaba produces Shiramayumi and Yanchazake. Its tourism listings differ on opening time—one says 8:00 am and another 9:00 am—although both give an afternoon closing time; check the start time before visiting. A regional guide says tastings may be offered to customers and brewery visits outside the brewing season require a reservation. Reviews value the chance to try local products and personal service, while some note that explanations may be in Japanese. Even when a tasting is unavailable, the shop lets visitors compare labels and styles. The route works as a one- to two-hour walk: start by the station, visit one brewery, follow the Seto canal and historic façades, then leave the second shop for after lunch. Both are in the same neighbourhood, so the order can follow confirmed opening hours. A protective bag for bottles and a check of train luggage limits are useful if continuing by rail. The profiles distinguish the character and conditions of each producer: Watanabe Sake Brewery and Kaba Sake Brewery.

Profiles of the recommended places: Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) · Kaba Sake Brewery (Shiramayumi)

Bottom line

Watanabe and Kaba make it easy to compare two nearby breweries, but production tours are different from visiting the shop: ask about tastings and book ahead.

Editorial selection

Options to compare

These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.

01
Sake brewery and tasting shop

Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai)

7-7 Furukawacho Ichinomachi, Hida, Gifu 509-4234, Japan

4.3 /5 390 reviews

Watanabe Sake Brewery makes the Hourai label in Hida Furukawa, a Gifu town framed by mountains and known for lattice-fronted merchant houses and white-walled storehouses along the Seto River. The company describes a brewing history of more than 150 years, while Hida’s tourism office identifies the s

Why it made the selection

Hida-Furukawa’s Hourai sake, tastings and a pre-booked brewery tour.

Hours: Shop 9:00 am–4:00 pm. Brewery tours are listed on weekdays and require advance booking; confirm the date and fee. Verified: October 12, 2026
View Maskay profile → Official website ↗
02
Sake brewery and shop

Kaba Sake Brewery (Shiramayumi)

6-6 Furukawacho Ichinomachi, Hida, Gifu 509-4234, Japan

5 /5 126 reviews

Kaba Shuzōjō is a family brewery in Hida Furukawa whose history dates to 1704. Its shop is in Ichinomachi, a five-minute walk from the station, in a district where traditional houses and canal-side storehouses make it easy to explore without long transfers. Shiramayumi is its best-known label; the b

Why it made the selection

Shiramayumi and Yanchazake, brewed in Furukawa since 1704.

Hours: Tourism listings give 8:00 am–5:00 pm; a regional guide lists 9:00 am–5:00 pm and New Year closure. Confirm before visiting. Verified: October 12, 2026
View Maskay profile → Official website ↗
Verification

Sources & references

Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.

  1. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Watanabe Sake Brewery · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  2. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Watanabe Sake Brewery · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  3. Official website of Kaba Sake Brewery (Shiramayumi) ↗ Primary source Hida City Tourism · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  4. Official website ↗ Primary source Hida City Tourism · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  5. Official website ↗ Primary source Watanabe Sake Brewery · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  6. Official website ↗ Primary source Hida City Tourism · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  7. Official website ↗ Primary source Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  8. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Official business website · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  9. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Official business website · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  10. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Official business website · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  11. Official website of Watanabe Sake Brewery (Hourai) ↗ Primary source Official business website · Accessed October 12, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

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