Akitsu

Akitsu is a quiet coastal town on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, best known as one of the birthplaces of modern sake brewing in Japan. During the late nineteenth century, brewer Miura Senzaburō developed new brewing techniques that allowed high-quality sake to be produced using Hiroshima’s unusually soft water. Until then, soft water had been considered unsuitable for brewing, but Miura’s methods transformed both Hiroshima’s sake industry and brewing practices across Japan. His influence can still be felt today in the refined, smooth style associated with Hiroshima sake, and a bronze statue of him stands in Sakakiyama Hachiman Shrine. You can see traditional kura storehouses, historic brewery buildings, and monuments connected to the town’s brewing heritage.

Akitsu also has a long connection with agriculture and fruit cultivation. The town is particularly known for loquats (biwa), which thrive in the mild Inland Sea climate. In early summer, hillsides around the town produce bright orange fruit that has become one of the area’s best-known local specialities. Loquats are sold fresh, but are also used in sweets, jams, and local products. Together with citrus orchards, oyster farming, and fishing activity along the coast, they contribute to the distinctly seasonal character of the town.

During the Meiji and Taishō periods, Akitsu prospered as a shipping and transport hub linking the Inland Sea with nearby military facilities, particularly the naval port of Kure. The surrounding coastline is dotted with fishing harbours, oyster rafts, and views across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, giving the town a distinctly maritime atmosphere. Akitsu is also associated with the introduction of the “Bareisho” potato to Japan on a commercial scale in the late nineteenth century, another example of the town’s role in the movement of new products and ideas through the Inland Sea region.

Information

Name in Japanese: 安芸津
Pronunciation: a-ki-tsu
Address: Akitsu-chō Mitsu, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-2402