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駒ヶ根市周辺に独特な工場見学はいくつかがある。以前はマルスウィスキーと南信州ビール工場の事を書いた。マルスウィスキーは世界レベルで注目されているので、お勧めです。

しかし、もっともっと「信州らしい」のは養命酒の駒ヶ根工場。

薬用養命酒は14種類の生薬で作られて、その一部はこの中央アルプスの自然から来る。工場の周りの敷地は36万m2、その約70％が森林だそうです。この自然から生まれた養命酒の瓶詰と梱包の見学が出来、薬酒の造り方の説明動画も見えます。

それだけで十分価値がある所、その上に記念館とカフェ「ヒーリングテラス」となっている改造した酒蔵もあり、森林の中の散策コースもいくつかあり、そしてこの土地で発見された縄文・弥生・平安時代の遺跡に記念して、それぞれの時代の復元された建物もある。

養命酒駒ヶ根工場はただの工場だけじゃないです。信州の自然・大昔の人々の生活を物語ります。

Komagane City is home to Yomeishu, the medicinal liqueur. This herbal tonic is made from 14 natural medicinal ingredients, many of which are found here at the base of the Central Japanese Alps. In fact, the plant's grounds cover over 360,000m2 of which 70% are natural forest.

Factory tours start by driving to the plant's entrance gate, where guests are directed to the visitors parking lot. A short walk takes you to the main entrance building and its elegant lobby. Walk up the stairs where a greeter takes your name and address, and guides you to the theater room for a 10 minute video presentation (with English subtitles) about the history and manufacturing process of Yomeishu. After that, the guide takes visitors across to the bottling plant where you can see the automated bottling and packing lines. (Explanatory signs in English.) The tour finishes with a sampling of Yomeishu (except for designated drivers -- they get a bottle of mineral water that also comes from the plant.)

The tour in and of itself is worthwhile, but that is not all. There are 4 nature walks to enjoy the forested grounds, a restored sake storehouse that serves as a museum (which holds classes on natural herbs and medicinal Chinese cooking) and cafe, and 3 restored prehistoric dwellings representing artifacts found on the site from 3 separate ancient eras: the Jomon, Yayoi and Heian periods.

A factory tour of the Yomeishu Komagane Plant will give you a deeper understanding of Nagano's rich natural environment and its connection to the people here from times past to the present.

養命酒 Yomeishu