Hakushika Memorial Museum of Sake

The Hakushika Memorial Museum of Sake, also known as the "Sake Museum," is located in Nishinomiya city within Hyogo Prefecture. The city occupies the eastern portion of Nadagogo, Japan's largest sake brewing region. Since the Edo period (1603-1867), Nishinomiya's prosperity has been intertwined with the sake industry. Sake brewers have not only contributed to the city's infrastructure but have also enriched its artistic and cultural landscape. In the distinctive sake-centric city of Nishinomiya, the Hakushika Memorial Museum of Sake was established on February 17, 1982, with the primary goal of preserving the heritage of traditional sake brewing for future generations.

The museum serves as a repository of history and culture, spotlighting the intertwining tales of sake and cherry blossom trees. It proudly exhibits pieces from the Nishinomiya City Sasabe Sakura Collection, which was entrusted to the museum by Nishinomiya City.

The museum complex comprises two buildings: the Kinen-kan and the Sakagura-kan. The Kinen-kan houses dynamic exhibition spaces that change in alignment with the ongoing displays. These exhibitions pivot with the seasons, showcasing an array of artworks associated with seasonal festivals, sourced from the sake brewing Tatsuuma family's collection. Carefully curated selections from historical documents, photographs, Japanese paintings, and sake vessels are chosen to complement each thematic presentation. Sake-related exhibitions are held biannually. The Kinen-kan also highlights materials connected to the deity Ebisu, enshrined in the nearby Shinto shrine Nishinomiya Jinja, along with local artifacts from the Horiuchi Ebisu Collection.

Meanwhile, the Sakagura-kan revives the essence of Nishinomiya's sake heritage by utilizing an old sake brewery. This section safeguards traditional sake brewing tools that are gradually fading from practice, along with historical materials linked to sake production. The exhibitions here are interactive, inviting visitors to engage with authentic traditional brewing tools, view videos depicting the sake brewing process, and even listen to the songs of sake brewing. Informative digital screens also illuminate the steps of traditional sake production.