On the last day of every month, my fitness club is closed,
which means I am given an unavoidable rest day for my legs
—something I secretly welcome more than I should.
This year, the final day of November happened to fall on a Sunday.
I initially considered going out to enjoy the autumn foliage,
but then I remembered that the oseibo year-end gift season had just begun.
A sense of duty as a responsible adult
—perhaps imagined—
slowly surfaced.
After a brief internal discussion,
I reached an elegant solution: by visiting a sake brewery,
I could both fulfill my year-end gifting obligations
and enjoy some tasting at the same time.
With unanimous approval from my
“mental board members,”
I decided to visit a brewery I had skipped the previous year.
My destination was the Sawano-tsuru Museum,
located in the eastern part of Kobe within the Nada Gogo sake-brewing district.
From Hanshin Oishi Station, it took me about 15 minutes on foot toward the seaside.
A massive Sawano-tsuru factory appeared on my left,
and a traditional brewery-style building on my right.
Feeling a slight boost of excitement, I stepped inside.
Despite being a Sunday, there were only a few female visitors,
making the museum feel calm and almost private.
Having visited several breweries before,
I felt an unexpected familiarity with the rows of barrels and brewing tools,
as if greeting old acquaintances.
When I entered the adjacent retail shop,
however, the atmosphere changed dramatically.
Nearly ten international tourists were tightly gathered around the tasting counter,
filling the small shop with theme-park-level energy.
I quietly attempted to slip into a corner,
but a staff member spotted me instantly and kindly offered me free samples.
I tasted two beverages
—plum wine and unpasteurized junmai sake—
served in 30-milliliter cups.
Even such a small amount felt like a generous gift.
The plum wine, brewed using sake,
delivered a refreshing acidity followed by a gentle sweetness and a clean finish.
It was truly memorable.
The shop also sold snacks and small goods,
making it easy to find potential oseibo gifts.
Yet, in the end, the items I chose were for myself: “Seishu,”
a low-alcohol drink recommended for its mild and relaxing effect,
and “Junmai Ginjo Zuichō,”
a popular choice among discerning sake fans.
Telling myself, “I’ll think about oseibo later,”
I left the shop with a bag destined squarely for my own home.
Feeling pleasantly relaxed, I continued on foot toward the next brewery.
【設問（TOEIC Part 7形式・上級）】
Question 1.What is the main reason the writer chose to visit a sake brewery on that day?
A. The writer wanted to compare different breweries for an upcoming article.
B. The writer intended to combine year-end gift shopping with sake tasting.
C. The writer had promised to meet friends who were visiting from overseas.
D. The writer planned to attend a special event held only once a year.
Question 2. According to the passage, what happened when the writer entered the retail shop?
A. The writer was immediately guided to a private tour of the facility.
B. The atmosphere was unexpectedly quiet with few customers.
C. The writer was offered free samples by a staff member.
D. The writer was unable to find any suitable products.
Question 3. What can be inferred about the items the writer purchased?
A. They were intended as gifts for colleagues.
B. They were chosen after comparing several price options.
C. They reflected the writer’s personal preferences.
D. They were selected because the shop was offering a discount.
AI先生にTOEICのPart 7風の問題を作成してもらいました。
正解は順にB、C、Cです。
