Besides rice production, Niigata Prefecture’s abundant snowmelt also makes the region ideal for brewing sake.

Kikizake Bansho boasts an impressive collection of sake brands from 89 breweries in Niigata Prefecture. You can enjoy tasting sake brands from all the breweries across Niigata and experience the incredible depth and variety of Japanese sake. For 500 yen, you will receive five ochoko (small cup used for drinking Japanese sake) sized portions of the sake of your choice. In the old days, people used to drink sake while licking a bit of salt from the corner of the masu (square wooden measuring box). Today, salt is produced all over Japan, and you can enjoy the sake tasting accompanied by distinctive varieties of salt from different regions.