Mameda Shopping Street: Hita City, Oita Prefecture

The Mameda Shopping Street is located in Hita City. This charming shopping street features an elegant and tasteful townscape lined with buildings that date back to the Edo period (1603 to 1868). The preserved atmosphere of old Japan creates scenes reminiscent of a bygone era. With around 100 shops, the street offers souvenir stores, cafés, and restaurants. In fact there is absolutely something here for everyone, with my favorite being the Local Sake Brewery selling incredible varieties of Japanese Sake and other types of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

For a special experience, you can stroll the streets in a rented kimono, or relax and take in the sights on a rickshaw ride. The area also includes museums and a Soy Sauce factory allowing visitors to casually explore Japanese history and culture. During the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) season, the street comes alive with splendid displays of traditional dolls, adding a festive and colorful touch to the entire town. 

On weekends the crowds can get somewhat busy but in comparison to Gion in Kyoto you will not have to fight the crowds to get to your locations of choice. On a weekday you will basically have the whole street to yourself and of course the local shop keepers will work extremely hard for your benefit to show you incredible hospitality and their extensive selection of local hand made artisan products.

It's a hidden gem alright and you will not be disappointed to visit, in fact you will not need or want to go back to Kyoto as there will be everything you need here.

Please check out the map below to see more about the Mameda Shopping Street.

Please click on these photos below to enlarge:

This is Mameda Street

How old is this building?

Traditions are everywhere

Lots to see and do

Rice Crackers

Wide streets

Traditional gifts

Old paintings anyone?

Historical significance

Japanese Sake galore

Old authentic buildings

Giant Japanese traditional footwear

Hina Matsuri Dolls

Please watch this video below to learn more about the Maeda Shopping Street in Hita, Oita Prefecture:

Dassai Sake Brewery- Iwakuni City: Yamaguchi Prefecture

Anyone who has ever drunk Sake, done some basic investigation and learnt about this very traditional Japanese alcoholic drink, knows that Dassai is a leader in its field and has taken Japanese Sake from a ho hum everyday product to a drink that is admired around the world. In many ways, it is the crem dela crem of Japanese Sake and as a result the reputation of Sake and also its profitability and popularity especially from a international customer perspective has reach atmospheric levels.

You see, sales and consumption of sake, traditionally regarded as Japan’s national drink, have been in decline for some time. From a peak of 1.675 million kiloliters in 1975, consumption had dropped to just 589,000 kL in 2010. Part of this decline can be attributed to the tendency among younger people to drink less, together with increased sales of alternatives like beer, whisky, and wine. Over this period, the number of sake breweries fell from more than 3,000 to around 1,500.

Dassai in some regard has reversed this trend. It has revolutionized the Sake Industry and brought it into the 21st century ready to compete with others within the Sake Industry and with its worldwide competitors selling other similar products like Gin, Whiskey, Wine, Vodka and Tequila.  Now in many regards around the world Dassai can compete and beat its international rivals with its appeal, marketability and overall image on a variety of levels.

I initially had my 1st Dassai drink 10 years ago and was immediately hooked. Don't get me wrong I have had many great Sake labels over the years but in truth none of them have impressed me as much as Dassai.  Of course Dassai is not considered an everyday Sake (unless you have the financial means) but without a doubt it is seen as a drink that needs to be brought out around close friends and family as well as for major celebratory events.

Dassai values quality over quantity and the President of the Company points out that the social role of sake has changed with time. What people are looking for today is not a cheap intoxicant but a quality product that can be savored for its taste. Sakurai says his key target market is not long-term drinkers but those who may be new to the pleasures of sake. “We are targeting the younger generation, who drink far less than their parents’ generation. Women are another major untapped market,” he says.

On this day, I headed to the factory with a level of nervousness/ excitement that I haven't had in quite a while. Once I arrived, I knew immediately that this location will be a hit with any Sake enthusiast. Whether or not we are able to secure a 1 hour Factory Tour entirely in English I am sure that the overall level of satisfaction will be achieved.  I was like a child in a candy store!  Of course there was no tasting on this day (no drink driving in Japan) but I did take a take home pack to share with my wife, who is also a Dassai fan like myself.

I did grab the sampler pack with the revered Dassai 23. This Sake has been polished down to 23%, in other words the rice has been dissolved thru fermentation to 77% of its original size. This Daijigo type Sake will impart silky smooth flavor and a fruity aftertaste with a nice aroma.  It is for these reasons that Dassai 23 is the flagship product and will continue to lure customers from within Japan and around the world.

I am sure I will be posted more and more about the Dassai scene as I visit the factory more and more over the coming months.

Please check out the Dassai Sake Brewery here on a map:

Please click on these photos below to enlarge:

Kuma San design

Background

The brand

Product display

Tasting menu

Sample packs

Special event corner

The BIG ONE

Ready to drink

Pretty landscape

Deliveries never stop

Tasting location

The lucky tour members

New supplies

My take home pack

Lots of Sake being made

Shidayaki Ceramic Museum- Shida Town, Saga Prefecture

The Shidayaki Ceramic Museum is a real find.  You don't even have to be a pottery freak to enjoy this place and on average customers will spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour at this location, slowly wandering around the course carefully laid out by the curator.  

This famous pottery region is located in Saga Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. Pottery first started in Japan not too far away in a more famous region called Arita in the 17th Century.  Shida Town only started producing ceramics in the 19th Century and their pottery style was definitely more for the common folk and not the elite class.

Today this museum is now used predominately to educate the public about the history of their works. They provide pottery classes to people of all ages to promote the cultural aspect of ceramic making, however, you will not be able to use these facilities unless you can come back multiple times to finish your project. Having said this, not everyone wants to visit a location like this to make their own masterpiece.  A short informative but educational and cultural experience for most people is something that ticks the box for an attraction.

Just to walk inside one of the massive kilns (one has been converted into a cafe) and to see the infrastructure needed to operate a community run ceramic factory is impressive in itself.  There is always a lot of positive feedback from clients and it is always rates highly as a speciality destination.

I am sure you will feel the same way.

Please look at the map below to see more about the location:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

Has great signage in English

A step back into the past

Village vibes

Inside an old Kiln

Feels very retro

Students work of art

Please click on the video to see more about the Shidayaki Ceramic Museum.