Echigo Yuzawa Station Sake Festival

The Echigo Yuzawa area of Niigata Prefecture is known for two things in particular – snow and sake. You’ll notice the region’s pride in their sake even as you’re passing through Echigo Yuzawa station, as it’s home to the Ponshukan, a place where visitors can try brews from across the prefecture and bathe in a sake-infused hot spring. Given this, it may not come as a surprise that the station also plays host to a sake festival within its walls. For 1000 yen, festival attendees will receive a ticket that allows them to sample 10 different brews which originate from the local areas of Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma, Uonuma, Tsunan, Tokamachi, and Ojiya. The two-day event does have differing hours, so bear that in mind.