Sonmin Shokudo in Karuizawa's Hoshino Area is holding a two-day sake event, "Karuizawa Sake Terrace," on September 18 (Fri) and 19 (Sat), 2026, inviting visitors to taste-compare sake from 13 breweries in the Saku region as they make their way around the venue. Nurtured by the rich nature and cool climate of the Chikuma River basin, Saku is one of Shinshu's leading sake-producing areas, home to a range of distinctive breweries. At the event, guests can sample each brewery's recommended autumn sake, and a different set of brewers visits each day to share their thoughts on sake-making and what sets their sake apart. Visitors can record their impressions in an original "sake brewery tour notebook," get advice from Shinshu's sake PR ambassador on choosing a favorite, and search out the pour that suits them best. Sonmin Shokudo is also selling tasting sets and single-glass options from the 13 breweries through the end of October.
Background
To mark September 9's Choyo no Sekku festival, sake breweries across Nagano Prefecture release hiyaoroshi — sake that has mellowed over the summer into a smooth, rounded flavor — all at once. With so much autumn sake on hand at this time of year, Sonmin Shokudo wanted to create a chance for visitors to enjoy the range of sake from the Saku region in one place and get to know its character. The event brings the sake and sake makers of Saku to autumn Karuizawa for a rich, relaxed time.
Feature 1: Taste-Compare Sake From 13 Breweries While Talking With the People Who Make It
Visitors purchase a "Sake Terrace Passport" and tour the venue with an original sake cup in hand, tasting small pours from Saku's 13 breweries one by one. Brewers visit on a rotating daily schedule, and guests can hear directly from them about their approach to sake-making and what makes their sake distinct. Tasting notes and impressions go into the "sake brewery tour notebook," whose flavor chart helps visitors compare tendencies across the sake they've tried and find the pour that matches their taste. Any sake a guest particularly enjoys can also be purchased to take home.
Sake Terrace Passport
- Price: ¥3,000 in advance, ¥3,500 at the door (tax included)
- Includes: Tasting tickets (6 pours*), an original sake cup, and the sake brewery tour notebook
*Each pour is approximately 50 to 60 ml
Advance Ticket Benefits
- 20% off Sake Terrace's special snack plate
- Priority booking for the "Sake Selection Consultation"
The special snack plate features tsukemono pickled nozawana greens, Shinshu salmon, and Shinshu miso cream cheese — normally ¥1,000, tax included.
Feature 2: Find Your Favorite Pour at the "Sake Selection Consultation"
Shinshu sake PR ambassador Shiori Yui hosts a "Sake Selection Consultation" during the event. Designed for guests who enjoy sake but aren't sure what they like, the session uses the sake brewery tour notebook to sort through each visitor's impressions and preferences, then suggests how to choose sake suited to them. The consultation runs in small groups, with tips tailored to each participant's own palate to help them enjoy sake even more.
- Time: About 20 minutes per session
- Price: Free
- Eligibility: Paid ticket holders (advance ticket holders can book priority slots)
Feature 3: A 13-Brewery Tasting Menu Available Beyond the Event Dates
From September 16 (Wed) through the end of October 2026, Sonmin Shokudo sells recommended autumn sake from Saku's 13 breweries. Alongside a three-sake tasting set, a single-glass menu lets guests enjoy just their favorite pick. The menu is available both to those who couldn't make it to the event and to those who found a brewery they liked there and want to keep exploring Saku's sake.
- Period: September 16 (Wed) to the end of October 2026 (subject to change based on stock availability)
- Location: Sonmin Shokudo
- Menu: Three-sake tasting flight, ¥1,800 (tax included); single glasses priced individually by brand
Karuizawa Sake Terrace Overview
- Date: September 18 (Fri), 2026, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM; September 19 (Sat), 2026, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Venue: Momi-no-ki Plaza, Karuizawa Hoshino Area (next to Sonmin Shokudo)
- Admission: Free (Sake Terrace Passport: ¥3,000 in advance / ¥3,500 at the door, tax included; merchandise sold separately)
- Tickets: Advance tickets available on the Hoshino Area website (https://www.hoshino-area.jp/); same-day tickets sold at Cafe Hungry Spot
- Notes: Held in light rain; canceled in severe weather
Participating Breweries and Visit Schedule
| Date | Visiting breweries |
|---|---|
| September 18 (Fri) | Fuyo Shuzo (Saku), Chikumanishiki Shuzo (Saku), Tomono Shuzo (Saku), Furuya Shuzoten (Saku), Kurosawa Shuzo (Sakuho), Otsuka Shuzo (Komoro) |
| September 19 (Sat) | Totsuka Shuzo (Saku), Kitsukura Shuzo (Saku), Kiuchi Shuzo (Saku), Tomono Shuzo (Saku), Sakunohana Shuzo (Saku), Osawa Shuzo (Saku) |
Participating breweries (in no particular order): Chikumanishiki Shuzo, Tsuchiya Shuzoten, Totsuka Shuzo, Kitsukura Shuzo, Fuyo Shuzo, Takeshige Honke Shuzo, Otsuka Shuzo, Osawa Shuzo, Kurosawa Shuzo, Sakunohana Shuzo, Kiuchi Shuzo, Tomono Shuzo, Furuya Shuzoten
Note: The dates and times each brewery's maker appears may vary by brewery.
About Sonmin Shokudo
A casual Japanese dining spot in Karuizawa's Hoshino Area, Sonmin Shokudo welcomes visitors to Karuizawa — described as a beautiful village — with seasonal ingredients and local flavors from Shinshu. Alongside standards like the "Seasonal Shinshu Irodori Gozen" set meal and "Miso Sanzoku-yaki", the restaurant offers a wide range of local sake and seasonal side dishes.
- Address: 389-0194 Hoshino, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano Prefecture
- Phone: 0267-44-3571
- Hours: Restaurant 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM (last order 8:30 PM); cafe 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- Seats: 90
- Average budget: Lunch from ¥2,000; dinner ¥3,000 to ¥5,000
- Access: About 15 minutes by car from Karuizawa Station (JR Hokuriku Shinkansen)
- Website: https://www.hoshino-area.jp/sonmin-shokudo/
