Sakagura Hotel® KURABITO STAY
Kurabito Experience
Guest Feedback
Kurabito Experience (2 days, 1 night)
Learn all about Japan’s food culture! Experience traditional koji making in a 330 year old sake brewery
“I’ve never had such a wonderful stay and experience. I can’t wait to do it again! Everyone took such great care of us. It was such a relaxing stay, the hotel was lovely and the food was delicious. The experience packed in as much as you possibly could in 2 days and 1 night, and it was all incredibly valuable. I love koji, so I was overjoyed when we got to handle it! I could have sorted the finished koji forever. I was worried at first if I would enjoy the experience as I can’t drink sake, but it wasn’t a problem at all and I really enjoyed the stay. Thank you!”
“It was so much fun! There’s no other way to put it. Thank you for such a valuable experience. Marika and all the other staff members were so welcoming and really looked after us, making the stay really comforting. The two days went by so quickly – thank you!”
“The architecture of the guest rooms and the overall atmosphere were charmingly traditional, which was a nice change.”
“I was impressed by the passion of the head of the brewery family and the master brewer, who guided us throughout the experience. The staff photographed things for me, and the photos I received after the experience are filled with great memories. It was great to meet and talk with the other guests too.”
“I can’t believe I was able to experience making koji at a sake brewery, let alone with Kitsukura! Everything from arrival to departure was planned so that the guests worked together as a team, and I’m so grateful for the kindness and hospitality we were shown. It was such a valuable experience.”
“I had never done anything like this before, and I’ll never forget it! I want everyone to know about it!”
“It was a fantastic time from beginning to end! Everything was wonderful, all the staff, Tyler and Inoue from the sake brewery, and the time spent with the other guests.”
“Thank you so much for such a wonderful, valuable stay. Above and beyond the value of such a precious experience, I was struck by the passion of everyone involved for the Saku area and their commitment to the cultural aspect of sake, and left deeply moved by it. I would love to hear more about it if I have the chance. Kurabito Stay has become a precious place that I want to come back to. I will definitely be back. Thank you so much.”
“When I heard it was an ‘experience’ I imagined we’d only get to join in to a limited extent, but the work was much more involved than I thought and it was so much fun! There was lots to do, so you never get bored during the stay. The program is really well thought out. The photos were great, and it was a surprise to see the look on my own face at times! I came on my own but was well looked after and it was lots of fun right to the very end – thank you!”
Kurabito Experience (3 days, 2 nights)
Sake brewing experience
“At first I was worried about whether I’d enjoy being with a group of people I didn’t know, but the staff managed everything such that we all came together. A shared interest in sake will do that! We learned the phrase “wajo ryoshu”, which means that a group working in harmony makes good sake, and through this experience I strongly believe it also means that drinking great sake makes us good friends.”
“I was already interested in sake brewing, but struggled to remember how it happens. On this kurabito experience I did some of the work myself and finally remembered the process. On top of that, I smelled and tasted freshly steamed rice and touched it to feel its heat and softness, and heard the bubbling sounds of the starter, all experiences I’ll never forget… It made me fall even deeper in love with sake. I’ll continue enjoying sake with gratitude for these fond memories of Kurabito Stay, Kitsukura Sake Brewery and the wonderful town of Usuda.”
“The whole program, not only during the kurabito experience but from check-in to check-out, was delivered with the utmost care. It completely surpassed my expectations. Thank you for so many inspiring moments.”
“A huge thank you to Marika, Tyler and all the Kurabito Stay staff. This kurabito experience was more intensive, fun and valuable than I could have imagined. On top of the sake lectures and sake brewing experience, you get a unique opportunity to talk to people coming from different backgrounds but united by a common interest and enjoy the hospitality of the staff. The hotel is minimal but comfortable, you get to stay over at the brewery itself, the breakfast is delicious, and you have time to discover the Saku area. Every element had its own story behind it, and looking back it was an experience of almost absolute calm but also wonderfully warm and totally out of the ordinary. The schedule wasn’t too intense or too open, the pace was perfect to allow you to savor everything. It feels like I now have a second home, another place that I will always want to go back to. Thank you so much.”
“Thank you to everyone for the 3-day kurabito stay experience! I was so excited when I heard about this program as it takes you inside a working sake brewery, which is normally off-limits to the public, and provides so many valuable experiences. And the actual course blew my expectations out of the water – it is absolutely worth it and I could not be happier! You learn the process of sake making through your five senses, see the rice changing moment by moment over the three days, understand the amount of work involved, and it makes you love sake even more than you did already. Plus the support from the Kurabito Stay team is so warm and friendly, and interacting with Tyler (President of the brewery), master brewer Inoue and all the other guests on the program makes the three days even more meaningful. The hotel is relaxing (with all-you-can-drink sake!) and the meals were absolutely delicious. I’m normally surrounded by children and people who don’t drink at all, let alone drink sake, so I want to keep telling people about this effort by a grassroots movement. Thank you all so much! Looking forward to seeing you again next year for the advanced program.”
“I signed up by myself just because I love sake! I was nervous about whether I would be okay and enjoy it as I don’t know anything about sake, but I had so much fun on the first day that I completely forgot about those worries. The hotel has a calm, cosy atmosphere that makes you feel right at home, all the other guests were friendly and the staff were lovely. Tyler, the president of the sake brewery, was so attentive and gave so much detail when answering questions, it was amazing! And most importantly, I’ve visited breweries before but nowhere lets you experience what it’s like to be a kurabito! You’re taught by the master brewer himself and you get really attached to the sake you help to brew together with the other guests, it made me love sake even more. The experience was so valuable, a dream come true. Thank you so much. I will definitely be back!”
“From the abundant range of sake to try and the carefully thought out meals to the full range of amenities, it was a really pleasant stay.”
