- A Journey of Torii Gates and Sake Cups: Savoring Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi, and the Five Ashigara Breweries!
- What Is Sake Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail?
- Recommended Breweries Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
- 1. Inoue Shuzo Co., Ltd. | “Hakoneyama,” Brewed with Hard Water of the Sakawa River System, and “Yume Takao,” Made with Terraced-Paddy Rice
- 2. Ishii Jozo Co., Ltd. | “Soga no Homare,” Made by Four-Stage Brewing with Glutinous Rice
- 3. Seto Shuzoten | A Brewery Founded in 1865 and Revived in 2018, Crafting 22 Labels in Small Batches: “Setoichi”
- 4. Kawanishiya Shuzoten | “Tanzawasan” and “Takashi,” Brewed with Tanzawa Water for Harmony with Food
- Recommended Sake Selection Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
- 1. Inoue Shuzo “Hakoneyama” “Junmai Yume Takao” | Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
- 2. Ishii Jozo “Soga no Homare” “Junmai Four-Stage Brewed” | Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
- 3. Seto Shuzoten “Sakatanishiki” “Junmai Nama-chozo” | Kaisei-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
- 4. Nakazawa Shuzo “Matsumidori” “Ryo Junmai Ginjo Brewed with Kawazu Cherry Blossom Yeast” | Matsuda-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
- 5. Kawanishiya Shuzoten “Takashi” “Tokubetsu Junmai Omachi 60” | Yamakita-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
- Model Itinerary for the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
- ① | Hakone Shrine and Two-Brewery Tasting Sacred Mountain & Lakeside Light Course
- ② | Hakone Checkpoint and the Ashigara Sake Trail Historic Sites & Four-Brewery Full Course
- Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
A Journey of Torii Gates and Sake Cups: Savoring Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi, and the Five Ashigara Breweries!
Table of Contents
- What Is Sake Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail?
- Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail’s“Recommended Breweries”
- Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail’s“Recommended Sake Selection”
- Tour the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail and Breweries “Model Itinerary”
Introduction
This guide covers a trip from Hakone Shrine and the Heiwa no Torii on Lake Ashi to five sake breweries scattered across the Ashigara Plain. The Ashigara breweries brew with groundwater that originates in the Tanzawa, Fuji and Hakone mountains, and make use of local rice and a flower yeast found on Kawazu cherry blossoms in Matsuda Town.
Whether you can tour or taste varies a great deal from brewery to brewery. This article sums up each brewery’s tour and shop details, plus two model courses you can follow by public transport.
What Is Sake Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail?
1 | What Is Sake Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail?
Each brewery has its own water. Inoue Shuzo draws the “mineral-rich hard water” of the Sakawa River, which rises at the eastern foot of Mt. Fuji, from the well it has used since its founding. Ishii Jozo pumps Tanzawa groundwater from 50 m underground and describes it as “slightly hard.”
For rice, the breweries use Gin no Sato, a sake rice grown on the Ashigara Plain (used in Inoue Shuzo’s junmai ginjo “Sagan,” among others), and rice from the terraced paddies of the Takao district of Oi Town (used in the brewery’s “Yume Takao”).
As for yeast, a natural “flower yeast” that the 11th-generation head of Nakazawa Shuzo in Matsuda Town found on Kawazu cherry blossoms is used in the brewery’s “Ryo.”
2 | A One-Day Model Route: From Hakone Shrine and Lake Ashi to the “Five Ashigara Breweries”
In the morning, photograph the Heiwa no Torii (Torii of Peace) on the shore of Lake Ashi, then climb the stone steps through the cedars to worship at Hakone Shrine. Next, take the pirate ship from Moto-Hakone to Togendai (about 40 minutes).
From Togendai, change buses and trains to reach Kami-Oi Station or Shin-Matsuda Station on the Ashigara Plain. This is where your local sake journey begins.
Near Kami-Oi Station are Inoue Shuzo and Ishii Jozo, known for its rich four-stage-brewed sake. At Seto Shuzoten in Kaisei Town, you can enjoy a paid tasting flight at Sake Terrace, the brewery’s garden opened to visitors. Kawanishiya Shuzoten in Yamakita Town does not offer tours or tastings, so look for its “Takashi” made with different rice at nearby liquor stores. Finish at the direct shop of Nakazawa Shuzo in Matsuda Town, where you can look for local sake including “Ryo,” brewed with Kawazu cherry blossom yeast.
From the observation area of Matsudayama Herb Garden (Nishihirabata Park), you can look out over the Ashigara Plain and Sagami Bay.
3 | Sake Events Featuring Ashigara Breweries and Recent Developments
In Matsuda Town, the Sake Tasting Bar in Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival, held for the third time in 2025, took place during the festival, with five breweries from western Kanagawa taking part.
In summer, Ashigara breweries also exhibited at YOKOHAMA SAKE SQUARE at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (held July 12–13 in 2025, with 22 breweries in total).
Seto Shuzoten, which resumed brewing in 2018 after 38 years, placed 8th in the 2024 sake brewery ranking. Inoue Shuzo works with local farmers on products made from rice grown on reclaimed abandoned farmland.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Hakone Town to Ashigarakami District (Oi, Kaisei, Matsuda and Yamakita towns), Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Main Attractions | Hakone Shrine (Heiwa no Torii), Lake Ashi sightseeing cruise, Old Tokaido cedar avenue, Hakone Checkpoint, Matsudayama Herb Garden |
| Sake Spots | Inoue Shuzo (Hakoneyama, Yume Takao), Ishii Jozo (Soga no Homare), Kawanishiya Shuzoten (Tanzawasan, Takashi), Seto Shuzoten (Sakatanishiki, Setoichi), Nakazawa Shuzo (Matsumidori) |
| Annual Events | February–March: Sake Tasting Bar (Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival) / July: YOKOHAMA SAKE SQUARE (2025) / Autumn: Kanagawa 12 Breweries Autumn Thanksgiving Festival (Yokohama) |
Recommended Breweries Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
Rain and snow falling on the Hakone outer rim mountains and the Tanzawa range travel underground for a long time and emerge as subsoil water on the Ashigara Plain.
The breweries combine this water with local ingredients such as Gin no Sato (Yamadanishiki × Saikai No. 222), a sake rice also grown on the Ashigara Plain, and the “flower yeast” Nakazawa Shuzo found on Kawazu cherry blossoms, and each brewery’s sake has its own character.
1. Inoue Shuzo Co., Ltd. | “Hakoneyama,” Brewed with Hard Water of the Sakawa River System, and “Yume Takao,” Made with Terraced-Paddy Rice
Founded in Kansei 1 (1789). The brewery draws mineral-rich hard water of the Sakawa River, which rises at the eastern foot of Mt. Fuji, from its own well, and brews mainly its “Hakoneyama” series using Ashigara Plain–grown Gin no Sato (junmai ginjo “Sagan”) and rice from the terraced paddies of the Takao district of Oi Town. “Yume Takao” is a junmai sake made with 100% Oi Town rice. Brewery tours (normally free, about 60 minutes, reservation required) are suspended for the time being (as of September 2026).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Inoue Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Year Founded | 1789 |
| Main Brands | Hakoneyama, Yume Takao |
| Tours | ○ Reservation required (currently suspended) |
| Tasting | ○ Free during tours |
| Direct Sales | 552 Kami-Oi, Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun |
| Access | JR Gotemba Line Kami-Oi Station, 5-minute walk |
2. Ishii Jozo Co., Ltd. | “Soga no Homare,” Made by Four-Stage Brewing with Glutinous Rice
Founded in Meiji 3 (1870) in Oi Town, near the Soga Plum Grove. Using “four-stage brewing,” which adds glutinous rice, the brewery makes full-bodied sakes such as “Soga no Homare” and “Hakone Kaido.” Fully reservation-based brewery tours (1 hour / from 1,100 yen, ages 20 and over) are held during the winter brewing season (around February) (as of September 2026).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Ishii Jozo Co., Ltd. |
| Year Founded | 1870 |
| Main Brands | Soga no Homare, Hakone Kaido |
| Tours | ○ February only, reservation required |
| Tasting | ○ Tour participants only |
| Direct Sales | 954 Kami-Oi, Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun |
| Access | JR Gotemba Line Kami-Oi Station, 4-minute walk |
3. Seto Shuzoten | A Brewery Founded in 1865 and Revived in 2018, Crafting 22 Labels in Small Batches: “Setoichi”
Opened in Keio 1 (1865), the brewery restarted in 2018 after 38 years of dormancy. Though small, it makes 22 different sakes. In the 2024 brewery ranking (World Sake Brewery Ranking), it placed 8th. Visitors can relax at Sake Terrace, the garden opened to the public (free admission), or book a guided tour through the experience site “Otonami” (reservation required).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Seto Shuzoten Co., Ltd. (Kabushiki Kaisha) |
| Year Founded | 1865 (brewing resumed in 2018) |
| Main Brands | Sakatanishiki, Setoichi |
| Tours | ○ Via experience booking site |
| Tasting | ○ Sake Terrace (paid) |
| Direct Sales | 17 Kanaijima, Kaisei-machi, Ashigarakami-gun (shop 10:00–18:00, closed Mon–Wed except holidays) |
| Access | From Odakyu Line Shin-Matsuda Station, Hakone Tozan Bus bound for Sekimoto to “Yotsukado,” then a 20-minute walk (about 40 minutes on foot from Kaisei or Shin-Matsuda Station) |
4. Kawanishiya Shuzoten | “Tanzawasan” and “Takashi,” Brewed with Tanzawa Water for Harmony with Food
Founded in Meiji 30 (1897). Under the motto “Tanzawa water as father, Ashigara rice as mother,” the brewery’s creed is “oneness with food”: sake that draws out the flavor of a dish rather than standing out on its own. “Tanzawasan” is known for the mellow depth that comes with aging, and “Takashi” for its lineup of versions made with different rice such as Omachi. Brewery tours and tastings are not offered, but the sake can be purchased at nearby liquor stores and online.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Kawanishiya Shuzoten (Goshi Kaisha) |
| Year Founded | 1897 |
| Main Brands | Tanzawasan, Takashi |
| Tours | × Not available |
| Tasting | × Not available |
| Direct Sales | 250 Yamakita, Yamakita-machi, Ashigarakami-gun |
| Access | JR Gotemba Line Yamakita Station, 18-minute walk |
Recommended Sake Selection Along the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
Here is one bottle from each of the five breweries introduced above. Specifications and descriptions are based on information published by the breweries; the food pairings are our own suggestions.
1. Inoue Shuzo “Hakoneyama” “Junmai Yume Takao” | Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
Founded in Kansei 1 (1789). An “all-Oi” junmai sake (released in 2018) made with mineral-rich hard water from the brewery’s own well and 100% Oi Town rice, including rice from the terraced paddies of the Takao district. The brewery describes its character as “the umami of rice and a sharp acidity.”
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Junmai (100% Oi Town rice) |
| Flavor | Rice umami and sharp acidity (brewery’s description) |
| Serving | Chilled ◎ / Room temperature ○ |
| Food Pairing | Soshu beef grilled on magnolia leaf, horse mackerel nanban-zuke, Hakone foothill pork sauté |
| Where to Buy/Drink | Official online shop, liquor stores in Odawara and Hakone that carry it |
2. Ishii Jozo “Soga no Homare” “Junmai Four-Stage Brewed” | Oi-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
Founded in Meiji 3 (1870). This brewery in Oi Town, near the Soga Plum Grove, preserves the traditional four-stage method, which adds glutinous rice at the final stage. The brewery says this method gives the sake its full-bodied character and recommends it with strongly seasoned dishes, especially shuto (salted, fermented bonito innards).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Junmai (glutinous-rice four-stage brewing, made with Nagano-grown Miyamanishiki) |
| Flavor | Full body from four-stage brewing with glutinous rice (brewery’s description) |
| Serving | Room temperature ◎ / Lukewarm ○ |
| Food Pairing | Shuto (recommended by the brewery), miso dengaku, dried horse mackerel |
| Where to Buy/Drink | The brewery (direct purchase available), official online shop, authorized dealers in the prefecture |
3. Seto Shuzoten “Sakatanishiki” “Junmai Nama-chozo” | Kaisei-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
Founded in Keio 1 (1865), the brewery restarted in 2018 after 38 years of dormancy, and this is its signature traditional label. It was revived using the house yeast that had survived in the old brewery together with Association No. 10 yeast, with Yamadanishiki (polished to 60%) as koji rice and Gin no Sato (67%) as kakemai. Seto Shuzoten placed 8th in the 2024 sake brewery ranking.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Junmai Nama-chozo (polishing ratio 60/67 %) |
| Flavor | Sake Meter Value +2, acidity 1.3 (brewery figures) |
| Serving | Chilled ◎ / Lightly chilled (hana-bie) ○ |
| Food Pairing | Shirasu with grated daikon, shijimi clam soup, Sagami Bay octopus carpaccio |
| Where to Buy/Drink | On-site “Sake Terrace,” online direct sales, retailers in the prefecture |
4. Nakazawa Shuzo “Matsumidori” “Ryo Junmai Ginjo Brewed with Kawazu Cherry Blossom Yeast” | Matsuda-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
Founded in Bunsei 8 (1825). An “all-Kanagawa” brand combining Tanzawa groundwater, rice grown in the brewery’s own paddies (Wakamizu and Kinuhikari), and the natural flower yeast that the 11th-generation brewer found on Kawazu cherry blossoms in Matsuda Town. Production is small and distribution is limited.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Junmai Ginjo (Wakamizu) / Tokubetsu Junmai (Kinuhikari); Kawazu cherry blossom yeast |
| Flavor | Small-batch sake brewed with flower yeast (ask the retailer about its taste) |
| Serving | Chilled ◎ |
| Food Pairing | Sakura shrimp kakiage, salt-seasoned fried chicken, rare cheesecake |
| Where to Buy/Drink | Authorized liquor stores (not sold online; ask the brewery for stockists) |
5. Kawanishiya Shuzoten “Takashi” “Tokubetsu Junmai Omachi 60” | Yamakita-machi, Ashigarakami-gun
Founded in Meiji 30 (1897). A tokubetsu junmai from a brewery that pursues “sake that enhances food” with Tanzawa water, made with Okayama-grown Omachi polished to 60% (Sake Meter Value and other specs vary by batch). It is distributed in limited quantities, mainly through authorized dealers.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Tokubetsu Junmai (polishing ratio 60 %) |
| Flavor | Omachi polished to 60% (character varies by batch) |
| Serving | Room temperature ◎ / Lukewarm ◎ |
| Food Pairing | Miso-braised pork belly, seared bonito (tataki), smoked cheese |
| Where to Buy/Drink | Authorized liquor stores |
Model Itinerary for the Hakone, Lake Ashi & Ashigara Sake Trail
Here are two courses linking Lake Ashi’s vermilion torii with the Ashigara breweries in a single loop: Light Course ①, with a lake cruise and two breweries, and Full Course ②, which adds historic sites, the sea and a hot spring. Both use public transport, so no one has to drive.
① | Hakone Shrine and Two-Brewery Tasting Sacred Mountain & Lakeside Light Course
🕒 Duration: approx. 8.5 h | 🧭 Difficulty: ★★☆ (slopes + stone steps) | 🍶 Tastings: approx. 2 breweries
Visit the Heiwa no Torii on Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine, then view the outer rim mountains from the lake on the pirate ship. After moving to Ashigara, have lunch with a view at Matsudayama Herb Garden, then taste local sake at Nakazawa Shuzo “Matsumidori” and Seto Shuzoten “Sakatanishiki.” Seto Shuzoten’s shop closes Monday to Wednesday and the herb garden on Mondays and Tuesdays (both open on public holidays), so plan this course for Thursday to Sunday or a holiday.
| Time | Spot & Experience |
|---|---|
| 08:00 | On the shore of Lake Ashi, photograph the reflection on the lake at the Heiwa no Torii (Torii of Peace), then climb the stone steps along the cedar avenue to Hakone Shrine to worship. |
| 09:40 | Cruise by pirate ship from Moto-Hakone Port to Togendai Port (approx. 40 min), with a sweeping view of the outer rim mountains from the lake. |
| 10:20 | Togendai Port … Hakone Tozan Bus (Route T: Togendai Line) to Odawara Station … Odakyu Line to Shin-Matsuda Station. Walk about 25 minutes up the slope to Matsudayama Herb Garden (Nishihirabatake Park, free admission) and enjoy lunch with panoramic views of the Ashigara Plain and Sagami Bay. Open 9:00–17:00 (until 16:00 in winter), closed Mon and Tue (open on holidays) |
| 13:30 | Head down the slope to the direct shop of Nakazawa Shuzo “Matsumidori” near Shin-Matsuda Station, which offers displays, tastings and sales (10:00–12:00 / 13:00–16:00, open daily). “Ryo,” brewed with Kawazu cherry blossom yeast, is produced in small quantities, so check availability with the brewery |
| 14:30 | From Shin-Matsuda Station, take the Hakone Tozan Bus bound for Sekimoto to “Yotsukado,” then walk about 20 minutes (a taxi is also convenient) to Seto Shuzoten “Sakatanishiki”. Enjoy a paid tasting flight at Sake Terrace + buy a small bottle (shop 10:00–18:00, closed Mon–Wed except holidays) |
| 16:30 | Return from Shin-Matsuda Station to Hakone-Yumoto on the Odakyu Line; tour ends. |
② | Hakone Checkpoint and the Ashigara Sake Trail Historic Sites & Four-Brewery Full Course
🕒 Duration: approx. 10 h | 🧭 Difficulty: ★★☆ (walking + train + bus) | 🍶 Tastings: 1 brewery (purchases at the others)
After visiting the Hakone Checkpoint, tour Inoue Shuzo, Ishii Jozo, Kawanishiya Shuzoten and Seto Shuzoten to buy Ashigara sake. Stop for a local-fish lunch at Odawara’s Hayakawa Fishing Port on the way, and finish at Hakone Yuryo, a day-trip hot spring in Hakone-Yumoto.
Summary
This article introduced a trip that starts at the Heiwa no Torii on Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine and visits five breweries on the Ashigara Plain by public transport. Each brewery uses local resources in its own way, from its brewing water to Gin no Sato, Oi Town rice and Kawazu cherry blossom yeast.
Tour and shop arrangements differ by brewery: Inoue Shuzo has suspended tours, Kawanishiya Shuzoten offers no tours or tastings, and Ishii Jozo’s tours are held only around February by reservation (as of September 2026).
Temporary closures and changes to opening hours also happen, so check each brewery’s official website before you go.
