Rise-Producing Region Niigata

Learn more about rice than you ever thought possible, including why Niigata’s koshihikari rice is so celebrated.

In part, the rice grown in this area benefits from being irrigated by the pristine snowmelt from the Echigo Mountains. But there is more to it, as you will first discover at Imayotsukasa, a brewery established in 1767. The brewery produces 100% rice sake without any artificial ingredients, and the taste reflects that purity. You will also have the chance to sample sweet non-alcoholic rice beverages at Minemura-jozo, a storehouse for soybeans used to make miso paste through fermentation. The salty paste is a key ingredient in soups, salad dressings and marinades.

Following lunch at the North Culture Museum, which will include rice steamed in a traditional hagama pot, you will browse the museum grounds. The 19th-century villa there is particularly noteworthy as wealthy landowner Bunkichi Ito donated it after World War II, along with the rest of the museum complex.