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This is the final installment of our series exploring how sake is enjoyed within the Kansai culinary culture. Bar writer Nao Suzuki explores the potential pairings of sake with Aje, a renowned Kyoto yakiniku and horumon restaurant, which she also visited for the first time.

Six famous bars along the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line On March 16, 2024, the long-awaited extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line to Tsuruga will begin. From Tokyo, you can now travel beyond Kanazawa to Tsuruga, near the northern end of Lake Biwa, via Fukui Station without having to change trains. This is a great opportunity to visit Hokuriku, which offers a variety of delicacies such as crabs, prawns, and nodoguro...

Chiba's local stews: doteyaki, nakamashijiru, otaguri, dengaku... There are "local stews" all over Japan, each deeply connected to the history of its region, with ingredients, seasonings, and other culinary cultures thrown into one big pot and simmered for many years.

Akabane "Gosaku" Located at the northern end of Akabane 1st Street, the popular Chinese restaurant "Gosaku" is a reliable ally for drinkers looking for a midday drink. Open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with no breaks. They offer a wide selection of beer, chuhai, Shaoxing wine, and even bottled wine. "Please come and have a drink..."

Tama-chan News This time we visited Horikiri-Shobuen, the birthplace of the shochu highball, which is considered by some bar-goers to be a "sacred place. We visited Kiyoshi because it is said to be especially inexpensive and delicious in this area.

I arrived in Matsuyama, Shikoku's largest city, at 8 p.m. Given the time, there were only two places I could go drinking in Matsuyama tonight. Of several options, I zeroed in on "Yonjuyon," which had the least information and was the most difficult to access. Yonjuyon...

Takase Kaikan, said to be Kyoto's oldest. In this installment of our popular Kaikan drinking series, we'll be introducing Takase Kaikan, located in Kiyamachi, Kyoto's number one drinking district. A "kaikan" is a drinking district where several small drinking establishments are gathered under one roof. Takase Kaikan is one of Kyoto's oldest drinking establishments...

Shimokitazawa "Furusato" "Furusato" in Shimokitazawa is a family-run izakaya that has been in business for over half a century in this rapidly changing city. Enjoy classic izakaya snacks like sashimi, grilled fish, and fried foods at reasonable prices. With many regulars and a laid-back atmosphere, this is the place to experience the sophisticated side of Shimokitazawa.

Watanabe Liquor Store Under the JR Overpass In this corner, we take a stroll with Suzuki Nao from each station on the Osaka Loop Line. This time, we're heading to Ashiharabashi Station. It's been a while since Suzuki Nao last visited this station, so what will he find there? In addition to the wonderland under the overpass, a short walk away will take you to a young...

Sakurai Sake Shop" in Muikamachi, Niigata Prefecture Located in front of JR Muikamachi Station, where the JR Joetsu Line and the Hokuetsu Kyuko Hokuhoku Line connect, Sakurai Sake Shop is recommended for those who love traveling and Japanese sake. The main feature of this shop is that you can drink limited-edition sake produced by a nearby sake brewery and distributed locally for as low as 200 yen per cup....

Jiyugaoka "Hosakaya" Established in 1950, "Hosakaya" is an indispensable place for people drinking in Jiyugaoka. This is a bar specializing in grilled eel, the price of which continues to skyrocket, for only 300 yen per skewer. The U-shaped counter, which retains a strong Showa-era atmosphere, is the perfect place to get tipsy with a hot sake in one hand...

Niigata's Junchan: Kurumafu floats in a broth made with bonito and kelp. Junchan, which retains a strong Showa-era atmosphere, is a regular spot for people working in the area. Their signature dish is oden, but they also offer a wide selection of local fish sashimi. If you want to immerse yourself in Niigata's signature sake and snacks near the station, this is one of their top choices...

Location Scouting in Morioka I arrived in Morioka in the morning. I enjoyed the corner bars Hosoju Sake Shop and Kagiya-san, but it was still only 2 p.m. Since I still had time for some evening drinking, I decided to scout locations in Morioka while it was still light. I thoroughly explored the alleys that spread out in a grid pattern east from Morioka Station...

Tenjin "Fujiyoshi" Fujiyoshi Izakaya was established as a food stall after the war and has been operating in Nishi-Nakasu since 1961. It is one of the oldest izakayas representing the Tenjin and Nakasu area. Its signature dish is Fukuoka-style yakitori (grilled chicken) with onion sandwiched in between, but it also serves fresh kingfish sashimi and local sesame...

Horikiri Shobuen's "Hideaway Yamasan" is delicious and affordable. The owner is full of old-man jokes, and the hostess is cheerful. And the customers are all excited as if they were old friends. Everything is perfect at this bar, "Hideaway Yamasan," like a paradise. There aren't any in the neighborhood...

Oji, the town of drinkers. Hidden away in Akabane, also in Kita Ward, Oji is a mecca for drinkers, dotted with a number of stylish taverns. With the opening of the third branch of Akabane's "senbero" (cheap drinking) leader "Ikoi" in Oji and the renovation of the long-established bar "Yamadaya," Oji will be a major draw.