With the support of Shibata Brewery and Okazaki Micro Hotel ANGLE, both in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, we held the Okazaki Slow-Life Photo Ride Tour!
Thanks to the help of local residents, this ride gave us a real sense of their connection to the community! Here's how it went!
Roads Surrounded by Nature
It's about 20 km from ANGLE to Shibata Brewery.
We enjoyed the ride while taking in Okazaki's beautiful natural surroundings.
Riding together really does bring smiles to everyone's faces.
The Art of Sake Brewing
Thanks to the kindness of Shibata Brewery, we got to tour the brewery during this ride.
It was a rare and memorable experience.
First, we were shown the source of the brewing water, the most important ingredient in sake. Called “Kanzui,” this water is drawn from a well.
The well was built around 60 years ago. Employees at the time worked together to carry and install 150 unglazed earthenware pipes, each about one meter in diameter. It gave us a sense of just how sincerely they approach sake brewing.
After that, they explained the steps involved in making sake and told us about the rice they currently grow.
The Best Bath
After touring the brewery, we headed to Goryosen, a miraculous hot spring that bubbles up within the grounds of Ichihata-san Yakushi Temple.
The temple is perched on a mountain, and the climb was seriously steep, haha.
It's a shame we can't show you photos of the bath, but the breeze coming in through the atrium was so refreshing. It was the perfect bath.
You can tell just by looking at everyone's faces how much they enjoyed it.
Delicious Eats
For breakfast, we had buckwheat galettes made with flour from écumer Hanare, which opens at ANGLE at 9 a.m.
The butter soaked into the galette, and the flavors of the butter and batter were a perfect match.
Honestly, if we'd had the time, I would have gone back for seconds about three times…
For lunch, we ate at Kura CAFE Ichigo, located on the brewery grounds.
This café is housed in a 140-year-old earthen storehouse that was carefully renovated over time.
It preserves the unique atmosphere of the storehouse while offering a cozy place to relax.
We tucked into yeast-made hamburgers and curry.
The hamburgers were great, of course, but the curry looked so irresistible.
After returning to the hotel in the evening, we walked over to the Kyushu Chinese Restaurant that Kei frequents. First off, the place has a wonderfully old-school vibe.
You have to try the garlic fried rice here.
We ordered a few other dishes, and everything was truly delicious.
It's the kind of place we'd definitely become regulars at if it were in our neighborhood.
An Evening Walk in Okazaki
We weren't ready to call it a night just yet, so we decided to head to one more place: Hasta Mañana, a craft beer shop just a short walk from ANGLE.
Okazaki at night is quiet, peaceful, and beautiful.
We spent the night at ANGLE and headed back to Nagoya the next morning.
Something to look forward to.
It sounds like Shibata Brewery and Hotel Angle are currently working together to build a hotel very close to the brewery.
It's scheduled to be completed around next summer, and it looks like there will be a sauna too!
Let's definitely ride out there for a visit next year!
To wrap up
Thank you to everyone who joined us!
We'd also like to sincerely thank Shibata Brewery and Okazaki Micro Hotel ANGLE for their support!
We'd love to hold another event, so we hope you'll join us again!
