Iwakuni has five sake breweries, a remarkable number for a city of its size. The best known abroad is Asahi Shuzo, maker of Dassai, whose brewery sits in a mountain valley in the Shuto district, well away from the centre. Closer to town are Sakai Shuzo, founded in 1871, whose Gokyo — “five bridges” — is named after Kintaikyo; Murashige Shuzo, brewer of Kinkan Kuromatsu; Yaoshin Shuzo, known for Gangi; and Horie Sakaba in the upper Nishiki valley, which makes Kinsuzume and dates back to the 18th century.
What they share is soft water from the Nishiki River system, which tends to give gentle, rounded sake. You do not need a car to taste them: shops and visitor facilities near the bridge pour all five.
Top things to do: Sake Breweries of Iwakuni
Taste the five breweries by the bridge
Several liquor shops and a visitor centre in an old merchant house near Kintaikyo offer paid tasting flights of local sake. It is the easiest way to compare Dassai, Gokyo, Kinkan Kuromatsu, Gangi and Kinsuzume side by side — and to buy a bottle.
Visit a brewery — by arrangement
Some breweries have shops and accept visitors, and Asahi Shuzo has offered tours of its Dassai brewery by reservation. Arrangements differ and change, so contact the brewery or ask at the tourist office first. The Dassai brewery is about forty minutes by car from the bridge.
Drink it with dinner
Ryokan and izakaya in Iwakuni list local sake as a matter of course. Ask for a recommendation to go with Iwakuni-zushi or grilled ayu.
How to get there
- Tastings: at shops around the eastern end of Kintaikyo, a short walk from the bus stop.
- Breweries: spread across the city; the ones in the hills really need a car or taxi.
- Organised alternative: the brewery town of Saijo, east of Hiroshima, has a bookable guided sake walk.
Insider tips
- Never drink and drive — Japan’s limit is effectively zero. Use the bus or a taxi.
- Small bottles make better souvenirs than large ones if you are travelling on.
- Dassai is exported widely; Gokyo and the smaller labels are the ones you are less likely to find at home.
- An evening bar-hopping tour in Iwakuni is another way to taste local sake.
Best tours & tickets: Sake Breweries of Iwakuni
These experiences are the easiest way to see Sake Breweries of Iwakuni and the rest of Iwakuni:
Evening tour from €113 Yamaguchi Bar-Hopping Tour in Iwakuni
An evening out in Iwakuni with a guide who knows which doors to open. You move between small bars and izakaya over about three hours, with help ordering and plenty of opportunity to taste the sake that this corner of Yamaguchi is known for. New on GetYourGuide and not yet reviewed.
- Small local bars you would not find alone
- A guide to order and translate
- A chance to try sake from Yamaguchi
Private food tour from €83 Iwakuni: Food and Drink Tour with a Local Guide
A short private tour for eating and drinking your way into Iwakuni with someone who lives there. What you try depends on the day and the guide, but the town’s specialities — pressed Iwakuni sushi, lotus root, local sake — are the obvious candidates. No reviews on GetYourGuide yet, so read the listing carefully.
- Local dishes and drinks chosen by a resident guide
- A relaxed two hours on foot
- Private: your party only
Tasting tour from €79 Hiroshima: Guided Saijo Sake Tasting Tour at 7 Breweries
Iwakuni’s own breweries mostly need a car or an appointment. If you want an organised sake day instead, this guided walk through the brewery district of Saijo, east of Hiroshima, is the bookable alternative: seven breweries, tastings and the stories behind them in two hours.
- Seven breweries within walking distance
- Guided tastings
- An easy train ride from Hiroshima
