(3130) Nagano #43: One for the road

But you suddendly remember that there is a sake brewery called "Nishinomon Yoshinoya" (西之門よしのや) which has taken its name from being at Zenkoji's western gate since 1637. So you make a small detour and indeed find its entrance.

You go on through its yard and fine the shop selling its sake.

You try whatever you want (for free) and then you buy a few bottles --incidentally and despite the close relationship with Zenkoji, in the shop there is a small Shinto shrine (aka kamidana/神棚) as it happens in most traditional businesses: it's the thing on the wall, over the bottles. (Also, sake breweries have a special relationshp with Sintoism because their products are usind in its ceremonies.)

(For a bigger version of these pictures both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr).