I published a book that explores the Hanshin area through the history of sake brewing.

A book titled "400 Years of Brewing the Town: Hanshin Area Studies from the Perspective of Sake Brewers," authored by two faculty members from Otemae University and Osaka University of Economics, will be published by Kobe Shimbun General Publishing Center on April 30th. The subject of this book, sake brewing, is a historical and cultural resource deeply connected to Itami and Nishinomiya, cities with which our universities have ties. This collection of stories explores the long history of sake brewers and the Hanshin area, spanning 400 years, through the perspectives of two researchers specializing in economics, discovering the regional characteristics that have been passed down in the modern Hanshin area.

■ Overview of "400 Years of Brewing a Town: A Perspective on the Hanshin Area from the Perspective of a Sake Brewer"
Editors: Ryohei Ebi (Otemae University), Takao Sakakura (Osaka University of Economics)
Publication date: April 30, 2026
Plate type: A5 size
Number of pages: 112 pages
Price: 1,500 yen + tax
Published by: Kobe Shimbun General Publishing Center

Table of Contents
Introduction: Regional Studies Unique to the Hanshin Area
Chapter 2: The Hanshin Area and Sake Brewing Towns
Chapter 3: The Development of Sake Brewing and Relationships Between Regions
Chapter 4: Sake Brewing Towns and Railways
Chapter 5: Between Early Modern Thinking and Modern Aspirations
Chapter 6: A town that continues to produce sake today
Chapter 7: Modernization and the Legacy of a Sake Brewing Town
Afterword

■Author Introduction
Ryohei Ebi (Professor Faculty of Modern Social Studies Otemae University)
Takao Sakakura (Associate Professor Faculty of International Co-creation, Osaka University of Economics)

■Comment from the editor in charge (Emi Hotta, Kobe Shimbun General Printing Co., Ltd.)
Hyogo Prefecture is characterized by its diverse atmospheres, a result of being formed from five (or sometimes seven) provinces. The Hanshin area, including Kobe, is grouped together as Settsu. However, some might question whether Kobe, Nishinomiya, and Itami have the same atmosphere. While Kobe's culture developed by incorporating foreign cultures as an open port city, the culture of the "Hanshin area," sandwiched between Osaka and Kobe, is slightly different. What is that "slight difference"? One major factor is likely sake brewing.
Since the birth of sake in the Edo period, the Hanshin area has been renowned as a center for sake brewing, even in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Even after the Meiji Restoration, sake brewers continued to reap enormous profits. What did these brewers do with their profits? They invested them in urban development. If you look at the founders of prestigious high schools and universities that still exist today, you'll often find the names of sake brewers. If Kobe interpreted knowledge from overseas in its own way and created its own unique culture, then perhaps it can be said that in the Hanshin area, sake brewers built the city with their own hands using the wealth they amassed.
Whether you drink alcohol or not, why not experience the spirit of "finding wealth" of sake brewers and learn how the unique character of the Hanshin area was created?

<Source: Regional and Social Cooperation Office >