Exploring Shiga: Breweries, Izakaya, and other Sake Travel Tips

This week, Cindy Bissig and Frank Walter sit down with Takashi Eguchi , better known in the sake world as Umio , to explore Shiga Prefecture’s vibrant sake scene and its potential as a sake tourism destination Together, they discuss breweries across the region that welcome visitors, from formal tours to shops and lively brewery festivals, along with practical tips on how to visit. Umio shares some of his favorite breweries to visit, including ​​ Uehara Shuzo in Takashima City, along with two izakayas located in Otsu City: Nao and Hanabi . While Cindy adds Okamura Honke , makers of Shinkame (the golden turtle), and Happy Taro , in Nagahama, one of her favorite doburoku makers. The conversation also ventures into sake vessels as Shigaraki , Shiga’s renowned pottery town, is a must-visit for anyone trying to get their hands on some beautiful sake cups. As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or send us a message on our Instagram , Facebook, or Substack ! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai ! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo . Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

You can listen to Exploring Shiga: Breweries, Izakaya, and other Sake Travel Tips online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Exploring Shiga: Breweries, Izakaya, and other Sake Travel Tips is an episode from Sake On Air by Sake On Air.

This episode is 39:43 long.

This episode was published on Mar 14, 2026.

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