MIYAKO, Fukuoka -- The Fukuoka Regional Taxation Bureau hosted a sake brewery tour for about 20 foreign residents to learn about Japan's traditional sake brewing, which is registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.

The tour aimed to introduce foreigners living in Japan to the appeal of sake and encourage them to share the taste and the brewing process with the world through social media and other channels.

On March 15, the group, including assistant language teachers (ALTs) working in Fukuoka Prefecture, visited Hayashi Ryuhei Sake Brewery, founded in 1837 and located in the prefectural town of Miyako. Participants toured the facility, guided by the brewery's fifth-generation owner Ryuhei Hayashi, 62, observing the fermentation process of "moromi" -- a mash made by combining koji mold, steamed rice and water in three stages -- inside the tanks.

After the tour, they enjoyed freshly pressed sake, apparently available only at the brewery during this time of year. At a nearby community center, residents welcomed the guests with dishes like tempura made with locally grown vegetables to complement the sake.

A participant from Canada smiled and said the sake had a refreshing taste and went down easy.

(Japanese original by Masaki Matsumoto, Yukuhashi Resident Bureau)