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Kiriya is a long-established bar in Fuchu. Originally operating in front of Fuchu-Honmachi Station for 48 years, it was a "classic pub" with on-site dining. In 2018, the bar was forced to relocate due to eviction, and has since reopened in a vacant 100-year-old guesthouse. Its stately appearance is just as impressive as its predecessor.

Niigata's "Furukawa Fresh Fish" Founded around 1945, "Furukawa Fresh Fish," a fresh fish shop in Niigata's Honmachi shopping district, is a popular daytime drinking spot known only to those in the know. Their popular "Light Drinks" set, which includes Sado-mae sashimi, a small side dish, and sake, is a very reasonable 1,500 yen, including blackthroat seaperch. All of the fish and prepared dishes on display are...

Gion-Shijo "Yuuki" When you hear the idea of "drinking ginjo sake with conger eel or moroko in Gion," you might worry about your wallet. But don't worry. "Yuuki," the restaurant we'll introduce today, is a casual izakaya where you can enjoy a drink without worry. It's directly managed by "Okamura Honke," the brewery behind Kinkame, located in Hikone. Read more...

There are nearly 50 Kagaya branch stores, mainly in Tokyo, including "Kagaya," "Kagahiro," and "New Kagaya." Even though they don't have the "Kaga" character in their names, some still have the Kagaya blood running through their veins, making them a staple in Tokyo's bar culture, such as "Kitahachi" in Nishi-Nippori, "Marufuku" in Nishi-Funabashi, and "Kaburaya," which closed last year.

Kobe "Sukata Sake Shop" is located in Nishi-Motomachi, Kobe, about a 7-minute walk from Kobe Station, and is a sake shop established in 1871. It is said to be the oldest existing corner bar in Kobe. It is a place where you can enjoy a drink from noon in an Ibushigin store. It is a space where you can feel wabi-sabi...

Kansai Food Culture Research: This is the second installment of a series exploring the relationship between Kansai restaurants and sake with Tokyo-born bar writer Suzuki Nao. We explore how Takara Shuzo's sake "Shochikubai" is loved at Sakabo Matsui, a popular standing bar in Kyobashi, Osaka's leading drinking district.

Kamiishakujii "Harukaen" 10 minutes by bus from Kichijoji Station. Harukaen is a yakiniku restaurant along the Ome Kaido Road that offers a wide variety of excellent dishes devised by a kind mother. The taste goes without saying, but it is also very comfortable. For those of us born in the Showa era, it is THE strong style! ...

Namamugi "Oban" Oban, a standing bar representing Namamugi, has relocated. Prices remain the same at the new location. This time, we'll introduce the new Oban. Fresh, generous portions of sashimi are surprisingly reasonably priced, starting at 350 yen. The homey atmosphere attracts local black-belt drinkers...

Kyoto's "Otowa" Located in the tourist-filled Shinkyogoku area, there is a Kansai sushi restaurant that has been in business for over 100 years. The restaurant's name is "Otowa." Its specialty dishes are sushi rolls, boxed sushi, and inari sushi. It's a casual restaurant, and even though it's in a tourist area, it's often frequented by locals. In winter, Otowa is visited by people from far away...

Higashijujo "Sakadaru" Located near Higashijujo Station, "Taishu Sake Brewery Sakadaru" is located on the second floor of a building and has been in business for over 30 years. The chef, who used to work at a market, sources fresh seafood from Toyosu, and the seafood is renowned for being both affordable and fresh. The service is excellent, and the appetizers alone are quite generous!

Kamiyo Soba, a soba restaurant located near the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum in Matsue City, serves homemade, 100% buckwheat soba noodles in a broth made with locally-brewed sake. It's a long-standing favorite in Matsue. While it's only open during the day, they also serve local sake and Yebisu beer, so...

Okinawa's Stew Culture Okinawa's food culture has developed since the Ryukyu Dynasty through exchanges with China, Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan. Ryukyu cuisine is so rich in pork dishes that it's said to "start and end with pork." Not only pork meat and innards, but even ears, feet, face, bones, and blood are often wasted...

Located in a residential area about a five-minute walk from Higashi-Mukojima Station, you'll find a lone red lantern-covered restaurant called "Motsuyaki Sakaba Sumida." It's actually one of the area's oldest bars, having been in business for over 70 years. Run by a friendly couple, you can enjoy a laid-back downtown bar experience. Continued...

The famous bar "Mitakaya Bar" has a lot of charm, which I always visit several times a year. In addition to the standard menu items that I always end up ordering, such as the beef stew, there is also an extensive blackboard menu with recommendations that change from day to day. I always end up ordering my favorite dishes, and then I find myself...