Higashihiroshima: Sake Brewery Culture, Castle Remains and Kofun

The wider Higashihiroshima region brings together three distinct historical themes: Saijo's sake brewery culture, the ruins of Kagamiyama Castle and the Mitsujo Kofun site. Each invites different questions about the area: How did a brewery district develop, what traces of a castle remain, and what do the burial mounds look like? When choosing a holiday rental, your personal interests can guide your search. Consider whether you would like to focus on the streetscape and brewery history, castle remains or archaeology during your stay.

Brewery History and Streetscape in Saijo

The historic Saijo brewery group extends across the Saijo Sakagura-dori district. Its facilities began in the early modern period, developed further in modern times and remain in operation today. They offer a way to trace the development of modern Japanese sake brewing. The historic landscape is well preserved and is considered unique in Japan. The streetscape thus connects with a longer history: you can take in not only individual buildings but also how the facilities developed across several eras.

Red-brick chimneys, red-tiled roofs, namako walls and white-plastered brewery buildings shape the streetscape of Saijo Sake Brewery Street. The different materials and surfaces give you specific architectural details to look for as you explore the district. Seven sake breweries are within walking distance of JR Saijo Station. This proximity to the station adds a practical planning detail to the area's historical appeal.

Kagamiyama Castle and Its Preserved Features

The ruins of Kagamiyama Castle are notable for the surviving features of a mountain castle. Kuruwa (castle enclosures), slopes cut into the rock and trenches known as tatebori are well preserved. The site is considered a major large-scale mountain castle of the early Sengoku period. These remains offer a different perspective on history from Saijo's brewery facilities: here, the focus is on fortifications and the surviving layout.

The castle was built as a base for the Ōuchi clan to rule Aki and as an eastern outpost of their territory in eastern Saijo, Aki Province. The area now includes the southern part of Higashihiroshima and parts of Kure. The walk from the entrance to Kagamiyama Park to Kuruwa No. 1 at the summit of Kagamiyama Castle takes about 20 minutes. Note the current guidance about areas with access restrictions and check the conditions before setting out.

Mitsujo and Choosing Your Travel Focus

The Mitsujo Kofun site in Saijo, Higashihiroshima, offers another archaeological perspective. It consists of a keyhole-shaped kofun and round burial mounds. Kofun No. 1 is about 92 metres long and is one of the largest burial mounds in Hiroshima Prefecture. The site thus brings together different types of burial mounds; the approximate length gives a sense of the scale of Kofun No. 1. This comparison of forms and scale offers a tangible point of interest for visitors interested in archaeology.

When searching for a holiday rental, note that the two walking-distance details describe different things: the seven breweries are within walking distance of JR Saijo Station, while the figure of about 20 minutes at Kagamiyama refers to the walk from the park entrance to Kuruwa No. 1 at the summit. If you include these sites in your travel plans, it helps not to confuse proximity to the station with the time given for one specific section of the route. First choose the focus of your explorations, then use it to guide your search for a location.

Discover more destinations: Fukuyama, Kure, Mihara, Kurogawa, Sera, Miyoshi, Hiroshima, Onomichi

For the main travel overview: Hiroshima Prefecture.