Japanese Cultural
Experience Tour
Premium Rice Ball and
Sake Brewery Experience Tour
Located in Bungo-Ōno City,
Oita Prefecture, surrounded by rich water
and UNESCO Eco Park-certified nature,
is the shochu brewery “Murezuru Shuzo.”
Here, you can experience savoring premium
rice balls cooked in a traditional Japanese
hearth, tour of shochu brewery,
and enjoy a delicious meal in a historic
Japanese-style house.
This tour offers a real experience of
Japanese culture, connection with the rich
local community and people.
Illuminating smiles
with
delicious Rice
at the
Shochu Brewery
The town of Asaji in Bungo-Ōno City,
Oita Prefecture where
Murezuru Shuzo is located,
has been certified as a
UNESCO Eco Park – it is where culture
and nature in its truest form coexist.
Simultaneously, it is a city also at risk
of disappearing by 2040.
Bungo-Ōno boasts various histories,
cultures, people, and nature,
all of which are treasures of Japan.
To preserve these valuable assets,
what we can do as a local historical
sake brewery is “to convey truly
good things properly”.
Preserving culture through
communication – as more people learn
about Bungo-Ōno, more people visit,
creating a rich region while weaving
many “smiles.”
Let’s begin by conveying truly
good things through food.
Experiencing Japanese culture,
encounters with friendly locals,
rice farmers of Asaji, the water and
air of Asaji that nurture rice and
shochu, are not just about
experiencing the past but also about
building connections with the people
living there today.
We wish you to experience the
tranquility and warmth unique to Japan.
Premium Rice
“Watada Rice”
The rice balls featured on the tour use Watada Rice cultivated in the Watada district of Asaji, Bungo-Ōno City, Oita Prefecture. Known as “Gozenmai” – premium rice – since the local feudal lord of the Edo period enjoyed it, it was also the Premium Rice of the former Okafu clan Nakagawa Official.
The Watada district is rich with terraced rice fields where delicious rice grows due to the high water retention capacity of the clayey soil. In addition to relying on the soil, organic fertilizer is made by sowing the seeds of lentils and adding them to the soil while cultivating around the time the flowers bloom. With reduced pesticides and chemical fertilizer cultivation, efforts continue to pass down the deliciousness of Watada rice to the present day.
Watada Gourmet Rice, enjoyed by the feudal lord exclaiming “umee, umee (yummy)”, is the pride of Asaji, grown abundantly in its rich nature.
The tour is
held throughout the year.
Please inquire about dates.
Tour Duration:
Approximately
2 hours
※Basic time slot is between
10:30 AM and 12:50 PM
Changes are possible
upon request.
Price:
Starting from
8,000yen per person
Capacity : 2-6 people
For families, groups of more than
6 people are also welcome
Highlights
of the Tour
Experience
Japanese culture
Cooking in “kamado”(traditional Japanese hearth)
At Murezuru Shuzo, there is a “kamado”
(traditional Japanese hearth) that was
used by brewery workers who lived in
during the Showa era.
You can experience cooking rice using
traditional methods, from starting the
fire to adding firewood. We especially
recommend the experience of
starting the fire yourself.
Getting to know
“shuzo”(sake brewery)
While the rice is cooking, we will
guide you through the brewery.
Inheriting a sake brewery originally
for manufacturing refined sake,
Murezuru’s shochu is made in the
process of making refined sake.
Witness, hear, and experience the
beauty of Bungo-Ōno Asaji’s nature
which is perfectly suited for
shochu-making – a unique culture of
fermentation in Japan.
Enjoying “onigiri”(rice ball)
We use the rice so firm that each
grain stands firmly from the
bottom of the kiln.
Watch the rising steam, smell the
aroma, receive the freshly made rice
ball right in front of you with your
hands while standing, then take a bite.
Experience the feeling of warmth
while savoring in your mouth.
The first one as it is,
the second one with a little salt.
Now, how many can you eat?
Surrounding
“food of Japan”
After enjoying freshly cooked
rice balls, sit on tatami mats and
calmly savor Asaji’s food.
While passing around a large plate
filled with freshly made rice balls and
various dishes made with
local vegetables from Bungo-Ōno,
experience the scene of
Asaji’s lively dining table
where voices call out, “Eat, eat!”.
Tour Details
|
Time |
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
|---|---|
|
Season |
Year-round except for Obon and New Year’s holidays. Held at any time upon request. ※Time changes are also possible. Please inquire. |
|
Price |
Adults (junior high school
students and above) : 8,000 yen per person Children (under junior high school age) are discounted. ※Group discounts are available. (Families of 6 or more members are also welcome) |
|
Capacity |
2-6 people |
|
Location |
Murezuru Shuzo 570 Ichimanda, Asajimachi, Bungo-Ōno City, Oita Prefecture 879-6201 |
| Time Schedule (Example) | |
| 10:30 AM | Doors open |
|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | Start – Greetings, explanation of purpose |
| 11:10 AM | Lighting the kiln |
| 11:20 AM | Shochu brewery tour |
| 11:40 AM | Handwashing preparation |
| 12:00 PM | Rice ball making experience |
| 12:25 PM | Seating at the table and dining together |
| 12:50 PM | Farewell and closing remarks |
●There are about 8 parking spaces in front of
the brewery. For large vehicles such as chartered
buses, please inquire.
●There will be moments where the kiln is used.
Please wear clothes that can possibly get dirty.
●Photography and posting on social media are
allowed.
Tour Guides
(5th Generation)
through the brewery.
We look forward to your visit.
rice together!
President of
Seikatsu koubou Togarashi Co., Ltd.
Inquiries
Murezuru Shuzo
Co., Ltd.
570 Ichimanda, Asajimachi,
Bungo-Ōno City, Oita Prefecture
879-6201
