Introducing Tsujun Shuzo Kanseigura

Hello, this is Aikero, a writer for [SaruKuma].
Do you enjoy factory tours? I used to work in a factory myself, so I absolutely love them ♡

This time, it’s not exactly a factory — it’s something even better: a sake brewery tour! (^^)/

Today I’m introducing Tsujun Shuzo Kanseigura, located in Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District.
【Tsujun Shuzo Kanseigura】
Nestled in the lush countryside of Yamato Town, Tsujun Shuzo is one of Kumamoto’s most beloved sake breweries.
Did you know they have a charming café on-site where you can enjoy sake tasting flights, delicious lunches, and sweets made with sake lees (sakekasu)?
There’s even an adorable kids’ menu, making it a fantastic family-friendly destination ♪
The parking lot is right in front of the Tsujun Shuzo building.
You’ll need to cross a road without a marked crosswalk, so please hold your children’s hands tightly and watch for traffic.
Walk through the entrance and head toward the back, and you’ll see this striking white storehouse — that’s Kanseigura.

Heartbreakingly, the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake destroyed more than 10 of the brewery’s buildings, including Kanseigura — the oldest sake storehouse in the prefecture. At one point, they considered shutting down for good.
But thanks to support from people across Japan, they rebuilt — and today, the storehouse thrives as a buzzing sake brewery café.
The kids couldn’t take their eyes off the koi swimming in the pond ♪
Tsujun Shuzo is fully accessible.
There’s a multipurpose restroom, and the entrance to Kanseigura has a ramp.
Wheelchair users and visitors with strollers can both enjoy the space with peace of mind.Inside, the atmosphere is calm and spacious.
The wooden beams of Kanseigura are the oldest in the entire brewery — beautifully preserved during the renovation, they give the space an unmistakable sense of history.
Seating includes regular tables, sofa seats, and traditional engawa (veranda-style) seats.
With warmer weather on the way, dining at the engawa with a view of the koi pond sounds wonderful ♫
＼Family-Friendly Highlights／
・One free drink for preschool-age children
・Diaper-changing space available
・Private nursing room available
・Picnic mats and toys provided
・Free Wi-Fi
During my visit, my son was the only small child there, so we let him play right by our table.
If other little ones are around, please share the toys kindly!
〈Lunch Menu〉
・Tsujun Lunch — ¥1,750
Menu rotates between winter/spring and summer/autumn seasons.
Includes drink and dessert.

・Veggie-Packed Mild Kids’ Curry — ¥800
For elementary-aged children and younger only.
Includes drink and jelly.

※ Lunch is available on weekends and holidays only.
※ Served while supplies last.
※ Seat and lunch reservations available via the online reservation form.
〈Café Menu〉
・Yabe Tea Affogato — ¥990
・Sake Lees Cheesecake — ¥880
・Waffle — ¥880

※ Café menu is available on weekdays as well.
※ Seat reservations only via the online form.

〈Drink Menu〉
・Sake Tasting Flight (3 varieties) — ¥1,100
・Ginjo Sake Tasting Flight — ¥1,300
・Non-Alcoholic Set — ¥1,100
・Amazake (sweet sake) — ¥500

※ Non-alcoholic drinks available.

Tsujun Shuzo Kanseigura — Recommended Menu Items

For a little treat, we ordered the Tsujun Lunch and the sake tasting flight ♫
The winter/spring main dish was kakuni — slow-braised pork belly.
Melt-in-your-mouth tender, deeply flavored, and a perfect partner for rice!
The dago-jiru (Kumamoto’s classic dumpling soup) was packed with vegetables — wonderfully hearty!
The carrot rapée had a hint of sake lees aroma, giving it that one-of-a-kind sake-brewery-café flavor ♪

Dessert was ice cream.
For your set drink, you can choose coffee, Japanese black tea, café au lait, a glass of sake, or — for an extra ¥200 — a glass of beer or umeshu (plum wine) soda!
Just make sure to decide who’s the designated driver before you order, ha! Σ(･ω･ﾉ)ﾉ
The kids’ curry is so adorable you almost don’t want to eat it!
Its charming presentation captures little hearts at first glance.
As part of Yamato Town’s sustainable community initiative, local shops have collaborated to develop and serve “Yamato Marugoto Curry” — and this charming dish is one of them.
It was created with the wish that “children can enjoy a meal together with their parents.”

“We want families with kids to feel completely welcome here ♫”

Those words came from Mr. Yamashita, the brewery’s owner (pictured on the right).

My daughter and son shared the kids’ curry.
The rich, vegetable-infused sauce had them both happily devouring every bite — what a relief for a parent ♪Since I was driving, my husband enjoyed the sake tasting flight.
He sipped each one carefully while reading the description card — though I’m not sure if he could really tell the differences, haha!
Tasting flights are always so tempting — they really make you want to try every variation ♫
Since the kids ate the lunch ice cream, I ordered a sake lees cheesecake instead!
The blueberry sauce comes on the side, so you can drizzle as much as you like.

The aroma of sake lees comes through beautifully, transforming a moist, classic cheesecake into something delightfully grown-up.
The tartness of the blueberry sauce paired with it perfectly — a flavor I absolutely loved ♡

Tsujun Shuzo Brewery Tour

Before lunch, we joined a brewery tour!
They’ll teach you about the brewery’s history and architecture ♪To reach the upper room, you have to climb this old wooden ladder.
“Want to climb up a little?” he offered, and my daughter went for it — heart pounding the whole way Σ(･ω･ﾉ)ﾉ
Our wonderful guide was Mr. Yasuo Yamashita, the 12th-generation owner of Tsujun Shuzo.
He mentioned that more international visitors have been joining tours recently — and they especially love when he wears traditional Japanese attire (^^)

This is the room where koji and yeast cultures are made.
The rich, fragrant aroma of yeast filled the air. “What does this smell remind you of?” he asked my daughter.

She gave her answer, and he beamed: “Wow, exactly right! That’s the sign of a really good yeast culture. The brewer in charge will be so happy to hear that.” (●＾o＾●)

What does sake yeast actually smell like, and what does it remind you of? You’ll have to take the brewery tour yourself to find out ♫
Tours are tailored either for older children (around 4th grade and up) or for adults.
Since our kids were small, we asked for the adult-level tour.

The toys you see here actually belong to Mr. Yamashita’s grandchildren.
He kindly lent them to us so the kids wouldn’t get bored.
If you’re visiting with little ones, just ask — they’re happy to help.
You’ll get a rare look inside a working sake brewery.
They explain everything — the brewing process, the history, the building — in a clear, easy-to-follow way ♪

How long has Tsujun Shuzo been around?
What’s the difference between sake rice and eating rice?
What distinguishes ginjo from daiginjo?

Sake is so familiar yet incredibly deep.
After learning about it, you might just taste it differently the next time you sip.
Don’t hesitate to join — it’s open to everyone (^^)/

〈Brewery Tour〉
Fee: Free
Available: Year-round
Duration: About 30 minutes
Tour hours: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Closed: New Year’s holidays, every Tuesday (open if it falls on a national holiday), and the 2nd and 4th Sundays during the Tsujun Bridge water-release off-season (occasional irregular closures may apply)
Group size: 1 person and up
Reservations: Not required, but recommended.
※ You can book through the reservation form on the Tsujun Shuzo website or Instagram.

On the way out, stop by the gift shop to pick up sake or amazake as a souvenir — it’s all part of the fun.
You’re sure to find a bottle that suits your taste ♪
Tsujun Shuzo has something for everyone — kids and adults alike.
We highly recommend pairing your lunch or café visit with the brewery tour for a truly unforgettable experience.

Yamato Town also has plenty of fun spots for kids ♪
Mr. Yamashita kindly told us about the [Yamato Town General Gymnasium Pasrel].
We stopped by after the interview, and our kids had a blast ♫

By now, the adjacent park should also be complete — definitely a place to keep on your radar!

【Yamato Town General Gymnasium Pasrel — Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District】Try bouldering! A perfect drive-by stop for active fun ♫

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Frequently Asked Questions

※ Information was current at the time of the visit. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before visiting.