Tanaka Sake Brewery, Kikkogura / Tanaka Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

Tucked into the port city of Otaru, Tanaka Sake Brewery (known by its brewery name Kikkogura) offers one of Hokkaido's most rewarding sake experiences. With over a thousand visitor reviews attesting to its appeal, this is a place where the craft of Japanese rice wine moves beyond the bottle and into something you can genuinely feel. The cool northern climate and clean Hokkaido water that define the region's brewing character are very much present here, making a visit as illuminating as it is enjoyable.

When to go

The brewery welcomes visitors every day of the week, opening just after nine in the morning and running through to just before six in the evening. Arriving early in the day tends to offer a quieter, more unhurried atmosphere, while Otaru itself rewards a leisurely autumn or winter visit when the city takes on a particularly atmospheric quality.

“The oldest and still running sake brewery in Hokkaido. It is walking distance from minami otaru station. They had a large variety of sake. Also offers free tasting”— Dr. Siddhesh Nar, Google review