HOSTED BY KURABITO STAY

IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OKAZAKI BREWERY

ANNOUNCING SAKAGURA HOTEL® KIREI

An exclusive audience
with the makers of KIREI

An unforgettable experience for lovers of the Shinshu Kirei brand, meeting with the brewer in the KIREI Sake Ceremony Room

(Representative image)

Shinshu Kirei: A local sake deeply rooted in its community
Founded in 1665, the Okazaki Brewery boasts a long history. It was established around 360 years ago in Yanagimachi, part of the Ueda post town on the thriving Hokkoku travel and pilgrimage route connecting Kyoto and Osaka to Kanazawa and then to Tokyo (Edo). And today, despite the brewery’s small size and small-batch production, their Shinshu Kirei brand has become a collectors item among sake fans in Japan and overseas. They took the top spot in the closely contested tasting held by the Kanto-Shin’etsu Regional Taxation Bureau in 2015, ranked 3rd in the SAKE TIME app ranking of all sake in Japan, and were crowned best in Nagano Prefecture in 2024, cementing their position and reputation as a sake brewery punching well above its weight. They carefully and diligently employ traditional manual production methods, working with small batches to produce their signature elegant yet rich profile that has made their sake fly off the shelves (much to the despair of their long-time fans). But their rise to fame has not changed anything about the way owner Kenichi Okazaki runs the brewery-his feet remain planted firmly on the ground. He committed himself a decade ago to making authentic sake with its roots in the local community, including a focus on using locally-grown rice. He even introduced a system where he, as the owner of the brewery, grows rice developed for sake brewing in the old terraced rice fields of Ueda City, throwing the brewery’s strength behind local efforts to preserve the traditional landscape that has long sustained the people of the area. He has also worked tirelessly to revitalise the Yanagimachi area, recognising that his brewery exists and thrives in partnership with its natural and social environment.

The KIREI Sake Ceremony Room
The best way to truly enjoy local sake is with the people who brewed it. This underlies the concept of Sakagura Hotel® KIREI, due to open in spring 2025: creating an opportunity to immerse yourself in an environment where you can enjoy the aromas and flavours of Shinshu Kirei sake while gaining a deeper appreciation of its significance through seeing Kenichi Okazaki’s vision for the sake and the community over the next 50 or even 100 years. Made possible by a collaboration between the Okazaki Brewery and KURABITO STAY, who bring their experience in sake tourism, this new hotel in the Yanagimachi area of Shinshu Ueda is currently under construction as a conversion of a traditional home directly across from the brewery. The experience is based on the idea of an exclusive audience with the brewer, where a small group of Shinshu Kirei fans can take their time in a relaxed atmosphere to truly appreciate this fabulous local sake at its place of production and in the wider context of the community that sustains it, and that in return the brewery supports.

A special space to indulge in appreciation and enjoyment.
An opportunity to experience the essence of this serenely clear sake alongside the hopes and dreams of its makers.
Welcome to an exclusive audience with KIREI.

(Representative image)

Language
Japanese, English

Minimum number of participants
2
*The program may be cancelled if less than 2 participants sign up. Please be aware that factors outside of our control such as infectious disease or natural disaster may force the program to be cancelled at short notice.

Maximum number of participants
4 per program date

Dates
Friday January 31, 2025【Fully booked!】
Saturday February 1, 2025【Fully booked!】
Sunday February 2, 2025【Fully booked!】
Friday 7 February, 2025【Fully booked!】
Saturday 8 February, 2025【Fully booked!】
Sunday 9 February, 2025【Fully booked!】

Price
Per person
JPY 88,000 (tax included)

Included in the price:
Tour of the brewery (during morning working hours), KIREI Sake Ceremony Room experience, lunch (private small group audience with Kenichi Okazaki)
3 varieties of freshly produced Shinshu Kirei sake *Delivered after the event (price includes domestic shipping)
Priority booking rights for Sakagura Hotel® KIREI *Once the hotel is ready to open fully in April 2025, you benefit from a special early booking period before other guests have a chance to make reservations. (For one reservation, does not include accommodation fees)

*All participants must be over 20 years old as alcohol will be served during the program.

* No alcohol can be served to anyone who intends to drive after the program. We will provide non-alcoholic amazake to anyone driving after the event.

3 varieties of freshly brewed Shinshu Kirei sake delivered to your door after the event
1× Miyama Nishiki junmai daiginjo 720 ml

Made from Miyama Nishiki sake rice grown in Nagano Prefecture and polished to 39％. No time or effort is spared in making this outstanding sake, the pinnacle of the Shinshu Kirei series. Enjoy exquisite ginjo aromas alongside delicate and clear flavours in this top-quality sake.

1× Kinmon Nishiki junmai daiginjo 720 ml

Made from Kinmon Nishiki sake rice grown in Nagano Prefecture and polished to 39%. This fabulous junmai daiginjo is born from the extensive skill of Okazaki Brewery’s master brewer.

Its beguiling floral aromas and smooth, mild flavours make it the perfect companion for any dinner table.

1× secret sake 720 ml

Look forward to find out what it is when your delivery arrives!

*Delivery is planned for May 2025. Please be aware that we cannot ship outside of Japan.

*If you are not based in Japan and will not be back within 6 months, you can choose to receive the same products produced in the 2024-2025 brewing year on the day of the event instead of having them shipped later.

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Schedule

8:30 Meet at the Okazaki Brewery for an orientation

9:00-9:30 Tour of the Okazaki Brewery
An exclusive opportunity to see inside the Okazaki Brewery, which normally does not accept any visitors.Watch the brewing team at work in the busy morning period and enjoy this exclusive chance to experience the brewing process of Shinshu Kirei first hand.

* You will be provided with protective clothing and hair covering to wear while inside the brewery. (Please note that this is not a hands-on brewing experience.)

* The tour does not include entering the koji room.

10:00-11:30 KIREI Sake Ceremony Room (inside Sakagura Hotel® KIREI)
Be the very first to see Sakagura Hotel® KIREI, due to open in Spring 2025! The lounge on the ground floor of the hotel houses the KIREI Sake Ceremony Room, where you can sample and compare 5 varieties of Shinshu Kirei sake that are practically impossible to find outside the brewery, alongside special paired dishes. The lineup will be carefully selected by the brewery and revealed on the day of your visit, and tasting the sake directly across from the brewery means that you can experience a level of freshness impossible to enjoy anywhere else.

The paired dishes are designed by one of the brewing team who previously worked as a chef, and the sake will be further highlighted by very special sake cups from famed Ueda City ceramics artisan Haruya Abe, commissioned especially for this program.

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12:30-14:00 Lunch and private discussion with Kenichi Okazaki, owner of the Okazaki Brewery
Lunch must of course start with a toast made with Shinshu Kirei sake! Enjoy Shinshu Kirei direct from the brewery alongside fine Japanese cuisine made from seasonal ingredients. Your exclusive audience with brewer Kenichi Okazaki, limited to just four guests enjoying his sake with carefully selected dishes in the luxurious surroundings of the Kirei Sake Ceremony Room.

(Representative image)

Kisetsuse-an Koido
Founded in 2015, this reservation-only Japanese kaiseki restaurant is a closely guarded secret among Ueda residents. Dedicated to the pursuit of the finest flavours, the restaurant selects only the finest seasonal ingredients from the local area and around the world to create a unique experience tailored to the time and place.

Approx. 14:00 program ends
A free transfer from the lunch venue to Ueda Station is available on request.

Cancellation fees stipulated by KURABITO STAY
Program fees are payable in advance in order to confirm your reservation.
* If cancellation is made between the reservation date and 4 days before the program starts: 50%
* If cancellation is made from 3 days before the program starts to the day your stay starts: 100%
* If you do not participate without notice: 100%

RESERVE HERE (without accommodation)

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