Ishii Miso Brewery
Located around 20-minutes walk from Matsumoto Station, Ishii Miso is a great option for visitors wanting to sample, buy or enjoy a meal at one of Nagano’s oldest and best miso breweries. Made from fermented soybean, miso is a staple of the Japanese diet and found in every kitchen and restaurant in the country. Operating since 1868, Ishii Miso is one of the few remaining breweries that still crafts its miso in the traditional way using wooden barrels and without use of modern methods to quicken the fermentation process, Ishii Miso produces some of the region’s best miso.
— Join a Tour or Charter to the Ishii Miso Brewery
You can sample and buy miso at the breweries shop, eat a miso-based lunch – including ‘onigiri’ (rice balls), ‘tsukemono’ (pickled vegetables) and ‘tonjiru’ (pork soup) – at their restaurant and even tour the brewery, with informative tours available in both English and Japanese. No advanced booking is needed for a tour. Simply enquire when you arrive and one of their friendly staff will assist you.
WHERE IS MATSUMOTO?
Ishii Miso is located in Matsumoto, which is the second largest city in Nagano Prefecture – behind Nagano City – and is located around 230KM / 3.5 hours to the north-west of Tokyo or only 70KM / 70-minutes to the south-west of Nagano City. Most famous for its iconic castle, Matsumoto lies in the valley below Japan’s highest mountain range – the Hida Mountains, also called the North Alps – and is one of Japan’s most liveable cities, blending a proud samurai history and ‘mingei’ (folk craft) culture with a thriving arts and food scene. Matsumoto Station lies in the centre of the city and is serviced by the Limited Express ‘Azusa’ running to Shinjuku Station in Tokyo and the Limited Express ‘Shinano’ running to Nagano and Nagoya. Nearby the city, Matsumoto Airport is an increasingly popular point of arrival for international visitors.
WHAT IS MISO?
Miso is one of the most basic ingredients in Japanese cooking, used to make everything from the famous Miso Soup, to dips for vegetables or sauce for Tonkatsu. If you visit Japan, you will not be able to avoid it – but what exactly is it?
Miso is easiest to describe as a fermented soy bean paste – but that probably doesn’t help too much with understanding how it is actually made. As the name implies, soybeans are a key part of miso, paired with koji (a kind of mold used as a starter culture, similar to how some cheeses are produced) and a grain such as rice, barley, or rye. These ingredients are mixed together in a large vat as part of an intricate process and left to ferment for some amount of time. Commercial miso is often left for only a few weeks or months, but some forms can be left for years, producing a darker, more flavorful end product. Ishii Miso leaves theirs for 3 years, which is far longer than anything you can find at the supermarket and creates a unique and delicious flavor.
JOIN A TOUR OR CHARTER TO THE ISHII MISO BREWERY
Including a visit to Ishii Miso while on vacation in Matsumoto is a great way to learn more about Japan’s great food culture by trying miso of a quality even most Japanese haven’t tasted. While you can visit on your own, going with a guide as part of a tour or as a stop over lunch while moving through the region on a private charter are great ways to simplify the process.
2 Day Tour
| 2-Day Snow Monkey Tour: Nagano To Takayama via Matsumoto | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | (Day1) 09:35 – 17:35 (Day2) 08:30 – 16:00 |
| Meeting Place | (Day 1) Nagano Station (Day 2) Hotel Kokusai |
| Adult Rate | ¥88,000 |
| Child Rate | ¥70,000 |
By taking part in the above tour, you can first see the Snow Monkeys and the famous sites of Nagano, before heading to Takayama via Matsumoto the next day. After visiting the Registered National Treasure Matsumoto Castle, you will be taken by your driver straight to Ishii Miso for a warm and tasty lunch. Once finished, you will head on to Takayama with a full belly and fond memories of what may turn out to be one of your favorite meals in Japan!
You can also create your own tour or charter, using our guides and vehicles to help you go the places you want to see on a private itinerary just for your group. If you know where you want to visit, let us know and we will develop the route and provide a quote. If you aren’t so sure, if you inform us of what you want to do in general, we can recommend some locations and finalize your plan. Of course, if you want to visit Ishii Miso we can make the reservation for you and include it in your plan for the day, perhaps alongside a visit to the Daio Wasabi Farm or Matsumoto Castle. Just click HERE to get started on planning you ideal getaway.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto: Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle | |
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| Period | April to November |
| Time | 08:15 – 18:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Matsumoto Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥23,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,900 |
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto: Experience Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 08:15 – 18:15 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Matsumoto Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥23,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,900 |
While you are in Matsumoto, we have a few more tours that are worth checking out! Both of the above options include a visit to Matsumoto Castle in the morning, but they differ in their evening location. You can choose to visit Kamikochi, a stunning Alpine Valley in the Chubu Sangaku National Park, or Narai-juku, one of Japan’s longest and best preserved post towns. Whichever option you choose, you will have a great day enjoying the nature and culture which makes this region so attractive. For more information on other tours starting from Matsumoto and around the Nagano Region, please see our ‘Best Tours in Nagano‘ page.
