Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Top 20 Factory Tours in Japan

There’s nothing worse that getting stuck on a guided tour going through room upon room of humdrum displays while a sleepy-eyed guide rambles on about nothing important. To save us all from making the mistake of going on a boring tour, Trip Advisor Japan compiled a list of the best factory tours in the country. Results are ranked according to the most talked about museums and factories on their website. As you might expect, over half of the best tours involve alcohol.
Instant Ramen Museum

1. Instant Ramen Museum (Osaka)
Visitors can not only view the history of instant ramen, but also try their hand at making Chicken Ramen from scratch in a 90-minute workshop that costs only 500 yen (US$4.95). Visitors can also choose to make their own Cup Noodles for 300 yen ($2.96). English audio guides are available for videos shown in the Research Shack and Cup Noodle Drama Theatre.
1. Instant Ramen Museum
2. Nuchi-masu Salt Factory (Uruma City, Okinawa)
Nuchi-masu is a salt made in Okinawa that is so rich in minerals, it was in the Guinness World Records in 2000. Nuchi-masu is made entirely of Okinawan seawater taken from the Pacific Ocean and visitors of the salt factory can view and experience the making of this natural seasoning.
2. Nuchi-masu Salt Factory
3. Nikka Whiskey Distillery (Yoichi City, Hokkaido)
Self-guided tours and guided-tours in Japanese are conducted daily. The best part is that visitors can taste three different types of whiskey for free.
3. Nikka Whiskey Distillery
4. Orion Beer Factory (Nago City, Okinawa)
Lesser known Orion beer can be sampled during your visit to Okinawa at the Orion Beer Factory.
4. Orion Beer Factory
5. Kawasaki Good Times World (Kobe City, Hyogo)
With a name like that, it’s got to be a good tour. Visitors to Kawasaki Good Times World are treated to a showcase of technology made by the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group including ships, rolling stock, aircraft, and motorcycles.
5. Kawasaki Good Times World
Image: Wikipedia
6. Suntory Musashino Factory (Fuchuu City, Tokyo)
Enjoy free samples of beer here…and tours and other stuff, but mostly free samples.
6. Suntory Musashino Factory
Image: Wikipedia
7. Suntory Yamazaki Distillery (Shimamoto Town, Osaka)
Enjoy free Yamazaki Whiskey here!
7. Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
Image: Wikipedia
8. Chateraise (Hokuto City, Yamanashi)
Chateraise is a natural sweets and gifts company in Yamanashi Prefecture. Enjoy a tour of the ice cream making facilities as well as sweet samples.
8. Chateraise
9. Toyota Technology Museum (Nagoya City, Aichi)
The Toyota Technology Museum boasts over 4,000 exhibition pieces in their Nagoya-based building.
9. Toyota Technology Museum
10. Suntory Kyoto Beer Factory (Nagaokakyou City, Kyoto)
Enjoy those free samples!
10. Suntory Kyoto Beer Factory
Image: Sgourmet
11. Asahi Beer Factory (Fukuoka City, Fukuoka)
This isn’t even the last alcohol-based tour on our list…
11. Asahi Beer Factory
12. Suntory Tomi No Oka Winery (Kai City, Yamanashi)
For wine lovers.
12. Suntory Winery
13. Kirin Yokohama Beer Village (Yokohama City, Kanagawa)
Keep scrolling for more beer tour options.
13. Kirin Yokohama Beer Village
14. Unagi Pie Factory (Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka)
Unagi Pies are a famous Hamamatsu City confectionary. After touring the factory, visitors are invited to try original ice cream creations using Unagi Pies.
14. Unagi Pie Factory
Image: Wikipedia
15. Sapporo Beer Museum (Sapporo City, Hokkaido)
15. Sapporo Beer Museum
Image: Wikipedia
16. Suntory Hakushu Distillery (Hakuto City, Yamanashi)
Suntory Hakushu Distillery
Image: Wikipedia
17. Tokachi Winery (Tokachi City, Hokkaido)
Tokachi Wine
18.  Shiroi Koibito Park (Sapporo City, Hokkaido)
Enjoy sampling Hokkaido’s famous treat at the Shiroi Koibito Park.
Shiroi Koibito
Image: Wikipedia
19. Royce Chocolate World (Chitose City, Hokkaido)
Royce Chocolate World is in the New Chitose Airport. It is the first chocolate factory and museum located in an airport.
19. Royce Chocolate World
20. Cup Noodle Museum (Yokohama City, Kanagawa)
View 3,000 different packages of ramen and enjoy making your own at the Cup Noodle Museum.
20. Cup Noodle Museum
Image: Wikipedia
There you have it, the top 20 factory tours in Japan starting and ending with ramen. Of the 20 factories listed, 11 are related to alcohol and five are located in Hokkaido. Suntory seems to hold great tours if the company’s five spots in the top 20 are any indication. But the lesson to take away from this list is that no matter where you go in Japan you’ll be able to find a factory tour giving out free alcohol. Happy drinking!
Source: NariNari
Featured image: Kobe Denshi
Credit: rocketnews24

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