Ichiko’s trip to Oita for sake

Nestled between mist-shrouded mountains and rugged coastline, Oita Prefecture is often known for its hot springs, although there’s more to this vibrant prefecture than soothing baths. This region is home to stunning scenery, rustic religious sites, mysterious artifacts, and the best barley shochu in Japan.

It is home to several iconic soju brands and is the birthplace of the country’s most famous soju brands: A son. Known for its clean, smooth barley characteristics, A son Embodying the quiet precision and craftsmanship of Oita distillation tradition. On a recent trip to the county, we had the opportunity to observe this craft up close.

A son Soju tasting session

we start with A son Hita Distillery, a vast site run by renowned beverage company Sanwa Shurui, is especially stunning in the fall, when the ground turns to a stunning display of vibrant red, orange and gold foliage. Walking inside we were taken on a tour of the brewery (in Japanese) to witness Ichiko’s The famous brewing process uses only barley koji. We also visited the aging cellar where the soju is matured.

The tour ended with a tasting session of three types of Iichiko shochu, which we tried with and without water. Exclusively sold by Hita Brewery, the alcohol content (ABV) exceeds 40%, which is significantly higher than traditional shochu. The top pick of the three is arguably the long-storage wine, with its thick, viscous texture and whiskey-like flavor.

Our next tasting will be at Mugi no Kura, an elegant restaurant selling a variety of dishes and drinks, all made with local ingredients. It’s located inside Karashima Koku no Kura, a stylish sake experience facility opened by Sanwa Shurui in 2022, where visitors can learn, taste and even brew their own sake. There we sampled a refreshing microbrew line called “Wakabotan Rinso”, paired with some canapés with special miso and red vinegar.

local favorite

Muginokura’s snacks were a mouth-watering appetizer to our main meal at Kiippon, a casual izakaya with over 50 years of history. It is very popular with locals and is a great place to try Oita specialties such as crispy chicken tempura and Ryukyu fish (fresh fish cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sesame, ginger, etc.).

We ordered various drinks at Kiippon to digest our food, then ended the night with a few cocktails at a nearby sports bar called Bepper’s Tavern. It’s a trendy bar backed by famed bartender Shinichi Ikeda, who is credited with bringing Japanese cocktail culture to New York City. Bepper’s Tavern is a place with a real international feel, known for its burgers, although we opted for a side dish.

Feeling a little dizzy, it was time to head back to our overnight accommodation: Onyado Nono Dormy Inn. It’s an upscale version of the famous Dormy Inn chain, with modern yet traditional rooms with Serta beds on tatami floors, plus a separate hot spring bath overlooking Beppu Bay on the 18th floor of the building. Another attractive feature of the hotel is the breakfast buffet, which includes Western dishes and local specialties.

Liuxiang Manshan

Starting from the hotel, it took more than an hour to drive to Futokoji Temple, our first destination the next day. Located halfway up Mount Futago on the Kunisaki Peninsula, it is the central temple of Rokugo Manzan, a religious culture that combines three different spiritual paths: Buddhism, Shintoism, and ancient mountain worship. This mysterious and peaceful place, located deep in the forest, is the ideal place for deep thought and introspection.

The same goes for our next attraction, Usa Jingu Shrine, the spiritual birthplace of Rokugo Manzan. As the head shrine of approximately 44,000 Hachiman shrines in Japan, it enshrines this unity of divinity It is good at archery and warfare, has close ties with the royal family, and has a history of more than 1,300 years. Highlights within the shrine’s vast grounds include a sacred crimson bridge, a massive torii gate and a giant camphor tree, which is believed to answer inner prayers.

This tree is located in front of the main temple (Jogu). designated A national treasure, this striking building consists of two flush gabled buildings connected front to back. when a tourist You can pray outside the upper palace – the etiquette of Usa Jingu is two bows, four claps, and one bow – enter the inner palace It is prohibited in the main sanctuary. On this day, however, we were allowed in to witness the prayers and offerings.

Saiten Ichiko’s prayer and offering ceremony

The ceremony is held to pray for Iichiko Saiten’s continued success. High-quality, full-flavored barley Benge This soju with an alcohol content of 43% was jointly developed by American bartenders and the Iichiko team. It took two years and was launched in the United States in 2019. The drink finally arrived in Japan in 2025 and became an instant sensation. It’s a complex shochu designed for cocktails, with rich umami flavors, as well as subtle sweetness and bitterness.

Those who attended the ceremony and prayed for the success of the drink were Several highly respected figures in the beverage industry include Hidetsugu Ueno, president of the Japan Bartenders Association. In addition to the main bottle, three original cocktails made using Saiten Ichiko are also offered in front of the shrine. These include Shinkiku (featuring limited-edition Ajimu wine and grenadine) and Tenku no Koji (featuring blue mandarin, fresh lemon juice and black sambuca).

The best of the three, though, is the White Koji Lady, a reinterpretation of the classic White Lady cocktail that uses gin instead Ichiko string. This cocktail and two others were paired with a variety of light dishes, including wild boar pie and a delightful original wagashi (Japanese dessert) Ichiko string. While enjoying the food, we enjoyed a special taiko performance on the Noh stage in Dongchi. An audio-visual feast brought a successful conclusion to this unforgettable tour.

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