Kobe: Sake Brewery Museum & Mt. Rokko

You'll drink to your good fortune when you visit Kobe's Sake Brewery Museum, honoring the country's 2,200-year tradition of rice wine. Upon arrival at the Sake Brewery Museum, you'll notice the scent of wood and straw. This is because the museum is housed in an authentic sake "kura" (brewery). The large two-story structure is populated by life-size dioramas depicting the various steps involved in sake production. A series of old movies and videos further explain the history and sake-making process. No tour of a sake factory would be complete without a visit to the brewery's tasting room. 乾杯！Before returning to port, stop at beautiful Mt. Rokko, the highest peak in the Rokko mountain range. Towering above at 3,000 feet, you'll enjoy spectacular panoramic vistas of Kobe's Osaka Bay and, on clear days, the Inland Sea. Re-board the motorcoach for a scenic ride back to Osaka port.