Go through the tunnel of cherry blossoms by a Fushimi Jikkoku-bune!

The land of Fushimi, which we will introduce in this article, is a place where high-quality underground water springs up.
Sake brewing is very active in Fushimi, and it is said that one of the main reasons why the area became one of Japan's leading sake breweries was because of the availability of natural, famous water. Here is a plan to enjoy the cherry blossoms and deepen your understanding of delicious sake while riding on a boat called "Jikkoku-bune," which is rarely experienced anywhere else in Fushimi. 

Fushimi was once a prosperous port town area. Jikkoku-bune served as transport boats to carry sake, rice, and other commodities out of Fushimi and to transport passengers to and from Osaka. Let's take a ride on a Jikkoku-bune while thinking about the history of Fushimi, where people's lives in Kyoto were supported by water transportation. Visitors can enjoy the emotional atmosphere of Fushimi and the view of cherry blossoms at the same time.

As you ride on a Jikkoku-bune, your view is filled with more than a hundred cherry trees blooming on both sides of the river. The appearance is like a tunnel of cherry blossoms. There are not many places in Kyoto where you can see such a powerful row of cherry trees. Unlike trains and buses, the boat moves at a slower speed, so you can take in the cherry blossom scenery as much as you like. It would be nice if you could go just when the flowers are in full bloom, but even if the flowers start to fall later than when they are in full bloom, it is not a problem because you can still see a blizzard of cherry blossoms. The fluttering petals and the view of petals floating over the river and turning pink are different and fascinating. 

After a soothing view of cherry blossoms, visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where you can learn about sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from the famous water of Fushimi. At the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, visitors can learn about the history and culture of sake and the sake production process. If you have come all the way to Fushimi, why not learn more about sake? 

Visitors can not only learn by looking at the materials, but also actually taste the famous Fushimi water and sake, Gekkeikan's product. The tasting corner is a great place to try the "seasonal" sake of the day. In addition to Gekkeikan-brewed sake, including some limited editions for the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, visitors to the store corner can also buy pickles, manju (Japanese sweet buns), and other souvenirs.

After learning about sake in a fun and tasty way at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, visit Fushimi Yume hyakushu for souvenirs! This quaint building is housed in the former head office of Gekkeikan. With a variety of about 80 brands of sake from 16 breweries in Fushimi, we are sure you will find something you like.

If you are not sure what kind of sake to buy, you can compare sake at the coffee shop space in the store, so you may want to try it and then decide.

When you are moderately hungry, have lunch. A one-minute walk from Fushimi Yumehyakushu is a restaurant called Unagi -KURO-. The eels at "Unagi -KURO-" are different from eels at other restaurants because the smell of the eels is eliminated by letting them swim in the mildly flavored spring water of Fushimi.

The interior of the store, which was renovated from the warehouse used by Gekkeikan, as we mentioned earlier, is lined with a variety of interior decorations related to Japanese sake, as is typical of Fushimi. The restaurant is fun and comfortable while waiting for your meal.

When your stomach is full, go shopping for souvenirs again. At Kitagawa Honke Okinaya, you can buy sake, which is rare even in Fushimi. Okinaya is run by the Kitagawa Honke, which has been making sake using Fushimi water since the early Edo period. Here you can purchase "Tomio," the most famous sake of the Kitagawa Honke, as well as rice shochu and plum.

Of particular note is that it sells sake by weight. Here, the staff will pour special sake from the tap, which is only sold at the Okinaya storefront for a limited time only. It is not easy to see the process of filling sake into containers, so it is exciting just to watch. You can choose the size of container you want.