A whole-house rental guesthouse, Guest House Kochikuan (ゲストハウス虎竹庵), is set to open on the grounds of KINTORA Brewery (金虎酒造), a sake brewery in Kita Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. KINTORA Brewery was founded in 1845 (Koka 2). Beyond brewing and delivering sake, the new venture aims to give visitors a place to stay at the brewery and experience its history and culture.
The guesthouse will be managed by ホイ・ナサニエル (known as Nate), a kurabito (sake brewery worker) from the United States who has worked in the travel industry and has also been involved in sake brewing at KINTORA Brewery. Drawing on both his travel and brewing experience, he will introduce sake culture and the appeal of Nagoya to travelers from Japan and abroad.
Preparations are currently under way to start accepting reservations in November 2026.
A Sake Brewery Founded in 1845 Ventures Into Lodging
KINTORA Brewery was founded in 1845 (Koka 2) in Yamada Village, along the 善行寺街道 road, in what is now Yamada-cho, Kita Ward, Nagoya.
The surrounding area was a farming village of rice paddies when the brewery was founded. It has since urbanized and is now a city district lined with homes and commercial facilities.
Even as its surroundings changed, KINTORA Brewery stayed rooted in the community and has continued brewing for more than 180 years.
Guided by its company motto, "Brewing Nagoya through its history, climate and the bonds between people" (歴史と風土と人の縁、名古屋を醸す), the brewery values traditional sake making. It also works to connect the community and people through sake, with activities such as brewery tours and brewery open-house events.
Guest House Kochikuan is a new base that develops those efforts further. Rather than just visiting a brewery, guests stay at one, with the aim of getting to know sake and Nagoya's culture more deeply.
From Sake Enthusiast to Brewer, an American Manager Takes On a New Challenge
Nate, the manager of Kochikuan, is from the United States. He came to Japan in June 2005 and moved to Nagoya in 2010 to study Japanese at Nanzan University (南山大学). He has been based in the Tokai region ever since.
Alongside his experience working in the travel industry, he is a devoted sake lover who holds several sake-related professional qualifications. To deepen his knowledge, he also worked as a part-time kurabito at KINTORA Brewery for about two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking part in actual sake brewing.
His passion for sake brewing did not fade afterward. In 2026 he decided to leave his previous job and pursue brewing in earnest, and he talked it over with the head of KINTORA Brewery.
At the time, KINTORA Brewery happened to be planning to open a guesthouse on the brewery grounds.
Combining travel industry experience, specialized sake knowledge and hands-on brewing experience, Nate was hired to serve as both a kurabito and the guesthouse manager, and he joined the company in September 2026.
Knowing both the brewing floor and the travel industry, he will act as a bridge between overseas travelers and a Nagoya sake brewery.
An American who loves sake will now share the appeal of sake and Nagoya with the world, both as a brewer and as a host welcoming travelers.
Guests-Only Tasting Set of Three "Kohen" Sake
From left: Junmai Ginjo Kohen (純米吟醸 虎変), Daiginjo Kohen (大吟醸 虎変), Tokubetsu Junmai Kohen (特別純米 虎変)
So that guests can enjoy KINTORA Brewery's sake, Kochikuan will offer a tasting set of the brewery's flagship brand "Kohen" (虎変). The set includes "Daiginjo Kohen," a gold prize winner at the Annual Japan Sake Awards (全国新酒鑑評会).
Three types of sake, 300 ml each, are provided free of charge, so guests can compare the aroma and flavor of each.
To make the sake easy to enjoy for people who are not familiar with it and for travelers from overseas, tasting sheets in Japanese and English will also be provided.
The house will also be equipped with sake vessels and equipment for warmed sake (燗酒), and will suggest ways of enjoying sake, such as how the flavor changes with the serving temperature.
The aim is a stay that goes beyond simply lodging, offering a chance to discover new sides of sake.
Sleeps Up to 6 in a Whole-House Rental for Families and Groups
Although it stands on the brewery grounds, Kochikuan is a whole-house rental that lets guests enjoy their own private time.
The second floor has two bedrooms, each with two single beds. Together with the sofa bed on the first floor, the house sleeps up to 6 guests.
Each floor has a toilet, and the house is equipped with facilities that are handy for longer stays, such as a dryer.
Check-in is self check-in, so guests can spend their stay at their own pace.
It suits groups of friends who love sake as well as family trips, and it can also serve as a base for sightseeing in Nagoya.
A New Way to Experience Nagoya, Starting From the Brewery
Nagoya has a fermentation culture nurtured over a long history, including miso, soy sauce and sake.
Through Kochikuan, KINTORA Brewery wants to offer a deeper way of enjoying Nagoya, one that lets visitors encounter the everyday life and culture of the area that sightseeing spots alone cannot show.
The brewery also values its ties with nearby restaurants, shopping streets and local tourism resources, starting with the Ozone (大曽根) area where it is located, and plans to share the appeal of Nagoya with travelers from Japan and abroad.
Sake, a traditional Japanese culture, serves as the entry point to meeting local people, food and history. Kochikuan aims to become a base for that kind of journey.
Comment From the Head of KINTORA Brewery
水野善兵衛, Representative Director of KINTORA Brewery and seventh-generation head of the brewery (七代目蔵元), says:
A sake brewery is a place where sake is made, and also a place filled with the history and culture of its land.
KINTORA Brewery has continued brewing sake in the middle of Nagoya for more than 180 years. With Kochikuan, we want guests to feel the appeal of a sake brewery in a way that is different from before.
We hope guests will spend a relaxed time enjoying sake and get to know the city of Nagoya more deeply. We would be happy if a stay at Kochikuan becomes a reason to come to love Nagoya and sake.
Comment From the Manager
Nate, the manager of Guest House Kochikuan, says:
I am very happy to be able to draw on my love of sake, my love of this area, and the experience I have built up supporting people traveling in Japan.
Making the most of Kochikuan's favorable location, I hope to be of use as a base for trips around Nagoya, Aichi, Gifu and the surrounding area, and as a place for people who want to learn about and taste delicious sake.
Facility Details
- Name: Guest House Kochikuan (ゲストハウス虎竹庵)
- Location: Kita Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture (on the grounds of KINTORA Brewery)
- Operated by: KINTORA Brewery (金虎酒造株式会社)
- Manager: ホイ・ナサニエル (known as Nate)
- Type: Whole-house rental
- Maximum guests: 6 (4 to 5 recommended)
- Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 4 single beds and a sofa bed
- Guest perk: Tasting set of three KINTORA Brewery "Kohen" sake, 300 ml each
- Reservations: Accepted through Airbnb
- Reservations open: November 2026 (planned)
- Rates: From ¥30,000 per night for 2 guests and from ¥40,000 for 4 guests (there are separate weekend rates)
