Recommended length: 1 day
Take a detour from the crowded city center and come experience the laid-back atmosphere of Fushimi. Enjoy a one-day stroll through its historical streets and gaze at the canals that wind through the district, carrying small boats back and forth. As a world-renowned producer of high-quality sake, Fushimi boasts numerous local breweries and shops where you can enjoy this national drink.
The mineral-rich natural water is what makes the local sake well-balanced, smooth, and perfect for pairing with food. Many breweries offer public tasting sessions – it’s a great opportunity to sample and appreciate the subtle flavors of Fushimi’s sake! (Be advised, though: in Japan the legal drinking age is 20!)
Sake Bar ＆ Store "Abura-cho"
This inviting liquor store stocks over 80 varieties of Japanese sake, including most of Fushimi’s locally-produced brews. But even more notable than its enormous selection is the counter at the back of the store, where customers can drink kikizake— tasting paddles of up to three types of sake. Just inform the store manager of your favorite styles, and he’ll come up with recommendations for you. All sake is available for purchase directly from the store. It’s a place where people come for the wonderful sake and conversation, and one popular with locals and foreign tourists alike. (Available in English)
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Walk 6 minutes
Terada-ya
History buffs shouldn’t miss the Terada-ya Inn, a site of interest not far from Fushimi’s main street. Originally a lodging house for boat crews, this was where revolutionary hero Sakamoto Ryoma was nearly assassinated in 1866, as he stayed at the inn during his campaign against the Tokugawa shogun. There are several conflicting theories as to the authenticity of this building, since the original Teradaya Inn was supposedly burnt down in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868. The current building is said to be a reconstruction, complete with bullet holes and swords nicks recreated in the wooden door frames to remind visitors of Ryoma’s brush with death.
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Walk 5 minutes
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
This fascinating museum is run by one of Fushimi’s largest and oldest sake breweries, Gekkeikan, which was founded in 1673. Richly evocative of the town’s history, the museum is housed in a renovated sake storehouse dating from 1909. Discover the wells that provided the quality water for many a famous sake brew, and the array of tools and equipment used by brewers to extract every drop of flavour. Also available, and perfect for souvenirs, are special edition brews from among the countless varieties of Gekkeikan sake.
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Walk 1 minutes
Scenic canal views from the Benten Bridge on the Hori River
With its network of transportation canals flowing from the mighty Uji River, Fushimi once thrived as a river port town and place of lodging on the doorstep of the ancient capital. From the Benten Bridge it’s possible to catch glimpses of this historic riverside ambience even today. In spring and autumn, boats fill the canals, giving the neighborhood the lively atmosphere of a traditional waterfront community.
Jikkokubune canal tour boats are inactive during the winter months.
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Walk 3 minutes
Okobu Kitase
It might surprise you to learn that Fushimi was also a port town—a river port, that is. During Kyoto’s thousand-year reign as imperial capital, goods and supplies that shipped from all over Japan arrived in the town by boat. One of these foods was dried kelp from Hokkaido, which for over a century has been processed by local merchant, Kitase Konbu. In 2017, the manager of the company opened a cafe and bar next to the store, named Okobu Kitase. The menu is based around home-style obanzai dishes made with kelp stock and paired with local sake. The predominantly young clientele enjoy mini-concerts and other regular events.
