Two-day KURABITO Experience (Koji making)
~ Learning Japanese food culture! Traditional “Koji” making ~

6th term: Sat. Sep. 13th ~ Sun. Sep. 14th  　8 to 10 People
7th term: Sat. Sep. 27th ~ Sun.Sep. 28th  　8 to 10 People
8th term: Sat. Oct. 4th ~ Sun.Oct. 5th  　8 to 10 People
9th term: Sat. Nov. 29th ~ Sun. Nov. 30th  　8 to 10 People
10th term: Sat. Dec. 6th ~ Sun. Dec. 7th 　8 to 10 People

Dietary education with your children!
Children over the age of 10 are able to participate.

*This KURABITO experience program will be making koji (rice with the mold that is the heart of the fermentation process) for amazake or sparkling sake.

Languages Supported

Japanese with additional support explanations in English.

Maximum Occupancy

We have 8rooms in total, 6 single rooms, 2 double rooms.

* If you are applying for 2 people, please let us know at the time of application which room type you would like. If there is no mention of it, we will contact you by email.

Minimum Number of Participants

5 people

*We reserve the right to cancel the event if we do not reach the minimum of 6 applicants. Furthermore, we will judge the feasibility of holding the event based upon the state of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, so please be aware that the event may be canceled at the last minute. We apologize for the uncertainty, and thank you for your understanding.

Fee

The price of 79,800 yen (per person, tax included)
Includes lodging for 1 night and 2 days, along with 2 meals (1 dinner, 1 breakfast)

Includes the Kurabito Experience (A hands-on Kurabito experience where you can take part in everything from rice washing and steaming to making koji and starting the fermentation process) and souvenirs: an original KURABITO STAY Tenugui (hand-cloth), one 720ml bottle of seasonal sake, one 900g bottle of Amazake and 200g of raw-koji. (*Please be aware that we cannot ship abroad.), English support

Children (over the age of six)
The price of 59,800 yen (per child, tax included)
For safety reasons, the child must be accompanied by a guardian.

Includes the Kurabito Experience (A hands-on Kurabito experience where you can take part in everything from rice washing and steaming to making koji and starting the fermentation process) and souvenirs: an original KURABITO STAY Tenugui (hand-cloth),  one 900g bottle of Amazake and 200g of raw-koji. (*Please be aware that we cannot ship abroad.), English support

If you are in need of boots smaller than 23cm or work clothes smaller than 160cm size, please bring your own boots (new or cleanly washed) / work clothes for the experience.

Special Presents

– All pictures taken during the Kurabito Experience will be made available for download. (For safety and hygiene concerns, please be aware that you will not be allowed to bring your camera or smartphone with you during the experience. Instead, KURABITO STAY staff will endeavor to take numerous and heartfelt photos of all of our participants.)

– At the end, you will be presented with a certificate commemorating your completion of the Kurabito Experience.

Also included in the fee:
Sake brewing lessons, rental boots to be worn during the experience, rental work clothes, Sake seminar fee (including course materials), one night’ lodgings, dinner on the first night at Cuisine Lemon (featuring a special menu for sake brewers and three varieties of sake from Saku, carefully chosen by the chef), and breakfast (a healthy meal for sake brewers) on the second day  and liability insurance.

“All you can drink” service while your stay！

KURABITO STAY has  installed the  “sake server”  on the first floor of our building. Guests can enjoy Kitsukura Shuzo’s limited sake and seasonal sake in the Saku area free of charge.

Schedule

=== Day 1===

Visitors should plan to arrive at KURABITO STAY by 13:45 (Check-in is possible from 13: 00 onward.)
※Please change into KURABITO STAY’s work clothes before the orientation.

14:00 – 14:45 Orientation

14:45 – 15:45 Sake seminar and a tour of the brewery facilities

15:45 – 16:00 A traditional purification ritual will be conducted before entering the brewery.

16:00 – 16:30 Sake brewing experience (washing rice)

16:30 – 17:00 Sake brewing experience (Sorting Koji)

17:00-17:15 – Break

17:15- 17:30 “Making Amazake with rice cooker” experience

We will give you an amazake recipe card (adequate temperature and tips on how to make it) made with a rice cooker!

*The demonstration will use a yogurt maker. The finished “Amazake” will be served the next morning.

After break, we will travel on foot to the restaurant for dinner. (a 10-minute walk)

18:00 – Dinner and socializing

Featuring a special menu for sake brewers and 3 varieties of sake chosen by the proprietor.

*This photo is for illustrative purposes.

Restaurant: Cuisine Lemon

Operated by an owner-chef who trained at high-end Japanese restaurants in Tokyo’s Ginza and Roppongi districts, Cuisine Lemon features locally sourced ingredients like Shinshu salmon, prunes and Saku carp all prepared masterfully into artistic, delightful dishes. Savor a gorgeous Japanese meal featuring tastes you can only find in Saku, paired with local sake for a singular experience.

* Food and drink orders in addition to the provided course will incur a separate fee.

After dinner, return to KURABITO STAY (10-minute walk)

Go to sleep for the next day’s work.

=== Day 2 ===

7:00 – 7:30 Breakfast (a healthy meal for sake brewers; with everyone together saying “Itadakimasu!”)

8:00 – 10:45 a.m.  Kurabito experience

(From rice steaming and carrying to the koji-muro, or koji room)

While the rice is being steamed, we will conduct a “koji seminar”, where you’ll learn all about this remarkable fermenting agent and its many health benefits.

10:45 – 11:15 Closing ceremony

A ceremony will be held where the brewer will give you a “certificate of completion of the experience”.

Checkout (payment)

The program will end at around 12 noon.

At Kitsukura Sake Brewing’s ”Shuraku” store, you’ll have the opportunity to buy souvenirs for the road.

For lunch, we encourage you to patronize another of the “Kurabito Friendly” shops in the area.

Information about preparation for Kurabito experience

To apply, click here

If you are applying for children, please make sure to put down the number of children and their ages.