The MIZKAN MUSEUM, opposite the Mizkan brewery, explains the history of Handa’s vinegar brewing and manufacturing process, using traditional tools and techniques. Tasting and sales of the company’s wares are also available.

The museum is divided into five zones. The first section shows vinegar production during the Edo period, compared with modern methods. Zone Two provides a visual understanding of the regions rich history through old photos and picture panels. The third section features a re-created 20 meter long transport ship used to ferry the produce to Edo (Tokyo) and around Japan, while Zone Four explains the connections between food culture, nature and the four seasons. The final zone is the experience zone, where you can make a silicone sushi souvenir, and blend your own original flavored Ponzu Japanese sauce, complete with original label.

[Temporary Closure Notice]
In order to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, the MIZKAN MUSEUM is temporarily closed for the time being. Please check the official web site for reopening information.

Timeless Handa Canal

The Handa Canal was built in the Edo period to hasten the export of specialty sakes and vinegar to Edo and around Japan. The canal is lined with traditional black walled warehouses called Kura. The mud walls of the warehouses are painted with a type of coal tar to protect them from the effects of the salt air. Famed Japanese film director Kurosawa Akira’s directorial debut movie, the 1943 classic, Sugata Sanshiro was filmed along the Handa Canal using the old warehouses as a set. Signboards along the canal front show scenes from the movie, as well as photos and notes on production. Even now the fragrant smell of the vinegar permeates the air around the Edo period buildings, adding to the authentic atmosphere. The various fermented products from the Chita Peninsula, as well as cotton was shipped from here to the major cities of Edo (Tokyo) and Osaka from these canal side wharfs.

Nearby is another museum of interest, the Kunizakari Sake Culture Museum. Kunizakari of Handa boasts 300 years of sake production history from the mid Edo period. The museum, housed in an old converted sake factory, shows the traditional sake brewing processes and features all manner of Japanese sake drinking and preparation utensils and materials on display. You can also try sake tasting while you learn about Japan’s national tipple.