Get an insider's look at Niigata's skilled artisans and later, pay homage to one of the area's most sacred sites. Your guided tour takes you to the neighborhood of Sanjo, acclaimed as the city of craftsmen, for a tour of the production facilities of the Suwada Open Factory. For over 90 years, the factory has produced some of the finest kitchen, gardening and personal grooming tools in Japan and the open viewing area allows you to watch as each piece is meticulously hand-forged and finished by hand. Another destination that showcases traditional craftsmanship is the Roadside Station: TSUBAMESANJO Regional Products Store. Here, you'll find a wide collection of cutlery, knives, kitchen tools, pots, and pans. After lunch, you'll proceed to the Yahiko Shrine, set at the foot of the 2,080-foot-tall Mt. Yahiko. Originally built 2,400 years ago, the shrine's treasury holds cultural artifacts such as swords and calligraphy.