October 5, 2024 Kami‑Suwa Kaido Town Walk and Sake Stroll

On that day, a major event took over the town of Suwa: the “Kami‑Suwa Kaido Town Walk and Sake Stroll.” Along a one‑kilometer walking radius from JR Kami‑Suwa Station along National Route 20, five of Suwa’s famous breweries stand side by side, and for the event the area from Suwa 2‑chome to the Motomachi traffic lights was turned into a pedestrian zone. The five breweries of Suwa proudly served their signature sakes🍶. This year, a cypress masu (wooden sake box) doubled as a passport, letting visitors enjoy the aroma of hinoki wood while sipping fine sake. The 3,000 tickets sold out by September 30, showing just how popular the event was!!!

Compared with last year, more local restaurants offered snack stalls, and additional stalls were run by neighborhood groups!!!

Although the weather was a little worrying that day, the ticket exchange at 11:00 at Swatchao was lively, and the city began to buzz toward the pedestrian zone start at 12:00. By the official start at 13:00, lines had formed in front of the five breweries as people queued for their preferred labels!!! After opening remarks by Suwa’s mayor and the head of the Chamber of Commerce, the stroll kicked off with Suwa’s customary kiyari work song, and the sake stroll began. The kiyari performers then walked along the kaido, responding to requests and singing until around 17:00🎶 From 14:00, local dance troupes energized the venue. Many guests joined in the dancing, and the sight of everyone enjoying themselves was memorable.
The food stalls drew long queues: yakitori, grilled eel, karaage and sanzokuyaki (mountain warrior‑style fried chicken), chicken wings, game dishes, kushiyaki, candied apples, bento sellers, french fries, yakisoba, and more… The snack stalls were as busy as the sake booths! Good sake paired with delicious local dishes and snacks naturally brought smiles to people’s faces🎶 We met many smiling visitors—thank you very much.

What surprised us most was how little trash there was. From the organizer’s perspective, we picked up litter from JR Kami‑Suwa Station to the far end of the venue just before the event ended, and there seemed to be very little trash on the streets. I believe that resulted from attendees properly sorting and disposing of their waste. As I walked around holding a bag and saying, “If you have any trash, please put it in this bag!” several visitors responded, “Wow, amazing! You even collect trash? Thank you so much.” Those words wiped away my fatigue! I was deeply moved😢

For the next event, our staff will continue striving to ensure guests are satisfied and have a great time, while gaining the understanding and cooperation of local residents so that Suwa’s town can become even more vibrant and lively.