Blog / Stewed Mist] Stewed Set Meal and Craft Sake "Rice and Agave" in Oga

Akita's popular izakaya "Eiraku Shokudo"

Eiraku Shokudo, located in front of Akita Station, has an incredible selection of sake, and their "tasting set" is a great value and fun option. You can choose three types of sake and they'll pour them into your glass for just 900 yen!

The relocated Eiraku Shokudo

This was my first visit since the bar moved nearby in 2023. The staff has become younger and the ordering system and atmosphere have changed considerably, but the wide selection of sake and the "tasting set" are still available.

What caught my eye was "Rice and Agave," which was not included in the tasting comparison. It is an Oga sake and has even released a collaboration T-shirt with Eiraku Shokudo, so it's an interesting product.

Hmmm... Okay! Let's go tomorrow!

From Akita City to Oga

So the next morning, I took the local train "Oga Line" for an hour and arrived in Oga, the town of Namahage. "Namahage" is quite a powerful word.

Boiled offal set meal

To fill our stomachs, we stopped off at Minatoya, a set meal restaurant located near the port, which, as the name suggests, is a restaurant that serves set meals.

We will enjoy the Oga specialties of "Shotsuru Yakisoba" and "Boiled Offal" as single dishes.

Most restaurants in Akita call "Motsuni" (stewed offal) "Hormone-ni" (hormone stew). Most of the stewed offal is based on pork small intestine. If you go north to Noshiro, you will also find bars that use horse sirloin. Yes! That's all for the stew!

Rice and Agave

So, we headed to Rice and Agave in front of Oga Station, which is our main topic.

This is a "craft sake" brewery founded in Oga City in 2021. "Craft sake" is a new genre of sake that uses sake brewing techniques but adds additional ingredients to create a unique flavor. This is because, in Japan today, new sake brewing licenses are generally not granted, and people with a passion for sake brewing are not allowed to enter the industry and make sake.

However, due to a legal change in 2020, a license was issued under the condition that it be for export overseas, and "Rice and Agave" was born! With the philosophy of "cultivating the Oga culture," we are constantly searching for delicious craft sake!

In-store tasting

You can sample the drinks in the store for 200 yen per glass or 500 yen for three glasses.

I tried three varieties: "Rice and Apples," "Doburoku Coffee," and "Mizumoto Doburoku." I was attracted by the "Oga City Exclusive" tagline and decided to buy the "Mizumoto" as a souvenir.

Craft sake uses rich local ingredients to create a unique flavor. It's a new genre of alcohol that lets you feel the stories and scenery of the land as you drink it, and I hope it will help spread the depth of Japan to the world.

Rice and Agave CRAFT Series Rice and Agave Improved Shinko 06 720ml (Packed in July 2022) CRAFT SAKE Japanese Sake Perfect for Mid-Summer Gifts, Summer Greetings, and Late-Summer Greetings. Next-Day Delivery Available. Gift Wrapping Available. Price: 3,630 yen （tax included, shipping not included) (As of March 26, 2024)

Store Information

Rice and Agave Distillery

Hours: 11:00-16:00
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
Address: 1-21 Funakawa Shinhamacho, Funakawa Port, Oga City, Akita Prefecture, 010-0511