Enjoy Centuries-Old Shops and Delicious Seafood in Hannan City

Located in southern Senshu, Hannan City’s proximity to Kansai International Airport makes it an ideal place to visit right after arrival, or right before heading home. The compact city has a variety of activities to enjoy all year round, from hiking up in the mountains to relaxing on the beach. It is also home to 300 year old sake breweries and sweets shops, as well as shops specializing in freshly harvested seaweed and other specialty goods.

A Historic Sake Brewery

The 10^th generation owner of Naniwa Brewery, Kazuhiro Naruko.

The Naniwa Brewery was founded in 1716, and the brewery itself is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. It has been managed by the same family for 10 generations. Thanks to the clean, fresh groundwater flowing down from the nearby Izumi Mountains, the location is ideal for producing high quality Japanese sake. Because of the abundance of fresh groundwater, the daily needs of the brewery and the owner’s residence are provided without the need for connection to any additional water supply.

One sake they produce is called Houde, named after a local area from which the Hinoki Hikari rice is sourced for its production. It is locally made and quite popular—sales start in December, and it is typically sold out by July of the following year.

Different brands of sake brewed at Naniwa.

Sake produced at this brewery has won numerous national awards for its quality, and it is distributed across the Osaka Prefecture. One popular recommendation is the Naniwa Masamune daiginjo.

Visitors to the brewery can book on a tour of the factory and the private residence of the current owner and also sample a range of sake brewed here. Advance reservations are necessary for a tour. The store is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. The brewery is located a short walk from Ozaki Station, served by the Nankai Main Line. There is also a parking area for anyone visiting by car.

Local Confectionery

Taste the sweetness of nature, and try the Izumimurasame.

Tsujihachi Confectionery Store is a short walk from the brewery. This family-run business offers a local delicacy; Izumimurasame. This steamed sweet is handmade from red beans, sugar, and locally sourced rice flour, and contains no additives. It is believed to have originated in this area in 1854. Various traditional Japanese flavors are also available, such as red bean and green tea.

According to company representative Akio Tsuji, “The ingredients are blended into a paste, shaped into a rectangle and then steamed for an hour. It is then laid to rest for 25 minutes before being packaged for sale. The result is a soft thick, texture complemented by the strong, sweet flavor of red bean. The sweet can stay fresh for up to two weeks, and is manufactured to the highest standards.” This makes Izumimurasame a perfect treat for a trip, or souvenir to take home.

Enjoy the buttery, creamy flavor of milk manju from Tsukigesho.

To continue to indulge your sweet tooth, head over to the Aokishofuan Tsukigesho factory, where you can enjoy a tour and sample Tsukigesho—a traditional milk manju. This Japanese confectionery has an outer layer made with flour, and a filling made with white bean paste, milk, butter, and condensed milk. The result is a decadent flavor distinct from sweets typically made with red bean paste. There is also a café where visitors can relax and enjoy tea.

Treasure of the Sea

Flavored seaweed, raised and harvested from Osaka Bay.

Hannan City is home to three major fishing ports: Ozaki Port, Nishi-Tottori Port, and Shimosho Port. Due to the close proximity of the mountains to the sea, rainwater flows through the mountain areas collecting minerals and depositing them straight into the sea. This in turn leads to excellent quality seafood. Oysters have recently become popular at Shimonosho Port, and they started hosting all-you-can-eat oyster buffets (though it is undecided as to whether or not it will be continued).

The area was involved in a project to fish local and eat local while revitalizing the water quality of the sea. The goal was to reduce the environmental impact of sourcing seafood from elsewhere and to educate local residents and children on the fishing culture and cooking with fish.

Seaweed sourced from Hannan City is also highly regarded for its quality. The harvest months are between November and January. At first the seaweed is incredibly slimy. It is rinsed and dried for three days, and then shaped into rabbits, hearts, and more. Merchants across Osaka used to source and sell seaweed from Osaka Bay, but as the technology to cultivate seaweed increased production volume, the price fell, and the number of merchants have drastically reduced. There are only three left, all of which are in Hannan City.

For a hands-on tour of Hannan City, please contact the Senshu Japan Concierge Team.