❖ Hotel Pick-up

9:30 AM

Your private guide and driver collect you from your accommodation within Tokyo's 23 wards, and the journey begins as you board the Bar-on-Bus, a chartered tour bus featuring an on-board bar serving Kiuchi Brewery's finest products on free-flow throughout the day.

❖ Moriya Service Area Break

10:20 AM - 10:40 AM (20 min)

A short stop at Moriya Service Area, a stylish highway oasis featuring a food court with six restaurants, an artisanal bakery, a vegetable market, and shops offering regional delicacies, sweets, and traditional Japanese confectionery. A relaxed pause before the journey continues north into Ibaraki Prefecture.

❖ Yasato Distillery: Whisky Tasting and Lunch

11:30 AM - 12:50 PM (1:20 h)

Located in the tranquil satoyama landscape of the Yasato area, with views of Mount Tsukuba, the Yasato Distillery began operations in 2020.

During the guided tour, expert staff walk you through the whisky-making process, offering an up-close look at the brewing and distillation of Hinomaru Whisky.

Tasting: three varieties of Hinomaru Whisky, including distillery exclusives.

Lunch: enjoy a plate of house-made prosciutto from the on-site Hitachino Ham Workshop BARREL SMOKE, paired with naturally leavened bread made with buckwheat flour from Hitachi Aki Soba, grilled seasonal vegetables, and a soup of fresh, locally-sourced Ibaraki ingredients, all served within the distillery overlooking the scenic view of Mount Tsukuba.

After lunch, browse for limited-edition Hinomaru Whisky bottles, original glassware, and cured meats from BARREL SMOKE, including prosciutto, bacon, and sausages.

❖ Tomobe Service Area Break

13:20 - 13:40 PM (20 min)

Another short break at Tomobe Service Area, known for its wide selection of local gourmet specialities and souvenirs featuring Hitachi beef, Tsukuba pork, Okukuji eggs, natto, melons, and other distinctive Ibaraki ingredients.

❖ Nukata Brewery: Beer Tasting

14:15 - 15:15 PM (1:00 h)

Nukata Brewery is the production site for Hitachino Nest Beer. Equipped with state-of-the-art brewing facilities, it supplies beer to fans in about fifty countries across America, Asia, and Europe.

Not usually open to the public, the brewery welcomes you for a special guided visit followed by a curated tasting.

Tasting: two varieties of Hitachino Nest Beer.

❖ Konosu Sake Brewery: Sake Tasting

15:45 - 17:00 PM (1:15 h)

Established in 1823, Konosu Sake Brewery is the heart of Kiuchi Brewery's operations, producing not only sake such as Kikumori but also wine, shochu, plum wine, and cider.

A guided tour led by knowledgeable staff walks you through the brewing process, from rice polishing to koji cultivation and fermentation, before a tasting of freshly brewed sake.

The premises also house Nakaya, a soba restaurant built in the traditional kura style, and a shop where you can sample and purchase freshly brewed sake and original products.

Tasting: two to three varieties of Kiuchi Brewery's sake.

❖ Hotel Drop-off

18:30 PM

The tour concludes with private drop-off at your accommodation within Tokyo's 23 wards.

About "Bar-on-Bus" Hitachino

The bus features a bar counter with taps, allowing you to enjoy a curated selection of Kiuchi Brewery's beverages on free-flow throughout the day, including Hitachino Nest Beer, Hinomaru Whisky, Hinomaru Gin Kura Fudo Soda Mix, and Kiuchi Umeshu.

The green exterior, adorned with the iconic owl logo reminiscent of Hitachino's landscapes, was designed by Mitsuhiro Ikeda of DRAWER, known for numerous branding projects. The interior, inspired by a bird’s nest in homage to Hitachino Nest Beer, was created by Jamo Associates, renowned for sophisticated adult spaces such as Trunk Hotel. Wooden elements run throughout, lending warmth to a cozy, intimate ambience.

Menu offerings: Hitachino Nest Beer (two types), Hinomaru Whisky (straight, on the rocks, highball), Hinomaru Gin Kura Fudo Soda Mix, Kiuchi Umeshu (straight, on the rocks, soda mix), and soft drinks.

About Kiuchi Brewery

Founded in 1823 in Naka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kiuchi Brewery is a long-established sake brewery producing sake, beer, and whisky. Their flagship Kikumori Yamada Nishiki Shiboritate, made with locally-grown Yamada Nishiki rice, is renowned for its crisp, refined character.

In 1996 they began producing the craft beer Hitachino Nest Beer, recognisable by its owl label and now sold in over forty countries worldwide.

Kiuchi Brewery ventured into whisky production in 2016, and their Hinomaru Whisky, distilled at the Yasato Distillery in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, has won numerous awards at international competitions, including the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2025.