KOBE >> The Nadagogo area, one of the most renowned sake production areas of Japan, is beefing up its promotion of sake to foreign visitors.

While sales of sake in Japan has been on the decline, a boom in popularity for washoku Japanese cuisine has encouraged interest in the liquor around the world. More and more foreigners are visiting sake breweries, and brewers are making efforts to expand their sales with the government’s support.

“I have long been interested in the traditional Japanese product of sake,” said a 44-year-old South Korean tourist visiting the Haku tsuru Sake Brewery Museum.

“It’s really nice that we can understand its manufacturing method in detail and also enjoy tasting sake,” he added, with a smile on his face and a sake bottle in his hand.

At this museum, brewing processes are displayed using models and videos. A translation system using QR codes has also been introduced. When visitors use smartphones or other devices to read the codes, situated all over the museum, they can read explanations in 15 languages.

In 2017, 40,000 foreign tourists visited the museum, about 30% of a total of 140,000 visitors, and there is not a day when foreigners do not come, according to the museum.