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[title]Sustainable travel has been a trend as of recent years with tourists looking to leave a positive impact on the places they visit. This is especially true for the Tohoku area, where more and more visitors are eager to explore this natural region of Japan.
If you’re looking for such an experience, the city of Tono in Iwate prefecture is an ideal holiday destination. Endowed with beautiful nature, unique Japanese scenery and local heritage businesses, Tono has lots to offer. Moreover, a holiday around Tono is a great opportunity to experience the teinei way of life: you’ll develop a newfound appreciation for the environment while experiencing the Japanese concept of politeness and mindfulness through a local perspective.
Since earlier this year, Time Out Tokyo has been collaborating with Kirin, one of Japan’s leading beverage manufacturers, to launch a website called ‘The Tenei Life’ to help travellers discover unique teinei experiences around Japan. We delved into the craft and aristry that go into the making of an elaborate kaiseki meal, traditional Japanese stone garden, and more.
As a quick refresher, the Japanese concept of ‘teinei’ can loosely be translated as ‘politeness’, but the meaning really extends beyond just manners. To many Japanese, teinei is a way of life, and encompasses everything from respect to others, mindfulness of one’s surroundings and having an eye for detail.
The Teinei Life is now updated with a new travel guide on Tono, which is a charming beer town where commercial hop (for domestic beer production) is cultivated. In fact, Tono is the largest producer of hop in the country, and they are looking to attract travellers and enthusiasts who are keen on exploring the world of beer production.
This is just in time for Kirin's latest beer; the new ‘Kirin Ichiban: Fresh Hop Beer’ is made from Ibuki hop that’s grown and processed in Tono. What’s unique about this new brew is that the beer uses fresh instead of dried hop, thus giving the beer a unique fragrance that really showcases the hop.
Kirin has been making fresh hop beer for 15 years now, and it’s truly special to see how Tono plays a big part in this signature brew. Witnessing firsthand how beer is made will help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for this beloved beverage – and that makes Tono the perfect holiday destination for beer enthusiasts.
Discover the top things to see and things to do in Tono with The Teinei Life.