It's been a while since I visited this sake-drinking sanctuary. The selection of Japanese sake is great, and the dishes that come out are fantastic. I get excited every time with the different menus. The small dishes that go well with the high-quality sake are too delicious. Even though it's a standing bar, the prices are surprisingly reasonable at 2,200 yen for 3 dishes and 4,000 yen for 6 dishes.

The other day, I met up with a friend from my study abroad days in the US after about 10 years. While there are times when people do silly things and share them in videos, causing discomfort to others, I also think that social media is wonderful in moments like these. It makes it easy to reconnect with old friends who are far away. Without social media, the rise of pop-up curry shops would not have been possible. Being able to easily share where you are, what you're doing, and have it spread quickly. Because of this nature, it's a double-edged sword. It's important to use it wisely. Even I, who tends to cause minor controversies, need to be more careful. Speaking of using it wisely, even food review sites like Tabelog, which are often disliked by friends who own restaurants, can be useful if used correctly. The current generation seems to use Google and Instagram to find restaurants, but I'm still a Tabelog fan. On this day, the meeting place designated by my friend at the beginning was Tsukishima. It had been about 2 years since I last had a year-end party at a certain curry uncle's family home, so it was quite rare for me to visit. There were not many bookmarks on Tabelog for this area, but there was one place bookmarked, so I decided to use it during the short time before our meeting. When you leave the monjayaki street, there are quite a few local places that have nothing to do with monjayaki, and this place is one of them. I only had vague information like "a standing bar with a good selection of sake and delicious food," but the shop had a clean and elegant interior, with a small L-shaped counter set with coasters, chopstick rests, and chopsticks. Probably around the same age or a little younger, there were two male staff members and a female part-time worker. A clean towel was handed to me, and I ordered a Akahoshi beer for starters. It was perfect for warming me up as they had only been open for lunch that day. Now, as for the menu, there was only one blackboard above with a very simple offering of "3 or 6 dishes, a bottle of beer, and a glass or 1 go of sake." This simplicity could be a bit confusing for first-timers. Since I had plans afterwards, I decided to start with the 3-dish option. First dish (Fish & Chips): Deep-fried skin-on potatoes and fried hake in front of me. It was a great sense to name it Fish & Chips even though it was made with seasonal Japanese ingredients. Simple and delicious. The beer just kept flowing. Second dish (Usui beans, silky pods, cod milt, crab tofu, cabbage sprouts, kinkan): It's hard to come across a dish that so perfectly condenses the essence of spring. Each ingredient was cooked separately, so the seasoning was different for each, but they were all well balanced on one plate. I couldn't help but be impressed. I ended up asking for a fresh-squeezed risshun morning juice. Third dish (Black cabbage and black awabamushroom tomato soup): The soup had a good dashi flavor from the sautéed bacon. It could be called a soup to eat. It paired well with the fresh-squeezed risshun morning juice. Well, when I saw the price of "3 dishes for 2,200 yen" at a standing bar, I was initially skeptical, but I was completely blown away. After chatting a bit, I learned that the owner started with Chinese cuisine in Chinatown, then switched to a different genre around Nakameguro, and eventually ended up here. I only had 3 dishes, but this person must have a lot of skills. It's always a great inspiration to discover a good restaurant. I have plans to collaborate with Japanese cuisine and sake, so I hope you'll come when that happens. Tsukishima is easily accessible on the Oedo Line without any transfers, so I might come back again. Next time, I'll try the 6-course option.

I saw a tweet buzzing about a standing bar in Tsukishima and headed there right away. It seemed like they only had set courses. The flavors were gentle and seemed good for the body. It was nice to feel the owner's attention to detail in colors from their explanation. The sake was also delicious...!

I visited the standing bar restaurant "Sakatsuki" in Tsukishima after hopping around several places in Tsukiji and ended up feeling completely satisfied because the food and sake were delicious. #TsukishimaGourmet #Sake #Sakatsuki #Kappo #StandingBar #WantToConnectWithFoodies

The exterior looks like a high-end Japanese restaurant, giving off an intimidating vibe, but once you open the door, you are greeted by a friendly chef. It's a standing bar with a maximum capacity of 10 people. The menu offers a choice between 3 dishes for 2200 yen or 6 dishes for 4400 yen. We ordered the 6-dish course this time. The dishes we tried were: - Grilled shirako (cod milt) and beets: The crispy texture around the shirako was perfect, with a fluffy and fragrant taste. - Oysters and new black mustard greens: The refreshing acidity of the greens balanced well with the rich flavor of the oysters. - Tsukune (chicken meatball) with taro and mountain burdock: The refreshing taste of the burdock was a pleasant surprise, and the tuna was flavorful and paired well with the grated yam. - Steamed mackerel and turnip: The turnip and mackerel in a thick sauce created a warm and gentle flavor. - Rape blossoms and marigold ohitashi (boiled dish): This was my first time trying bamboo shoots, and they were easy to eat and balanced well with the other ingredients. - Ezo deer cutlet: The deer cutlet was tender and not heavy at all, with the bitterness of the chrysanthemum leaves complementing it well. There is a wide variety of drinks available, and you can enjoy a casual Japanese course meal in a relaxed environment. The sense of camaraderie unique to standing bars added to the nice atmosphere of the place.

Revisit. After the lifting of the state of emergency, I went with friends. We started with the "Hanami Ro Man Junmai Ginjo," which is very elegant and delicious. The first dish was "Steamed Sea Bream with Plum Meat and Rape Blossoms," featuring sea bream from Bungo Suido, steamed with cherry blossom leaves and served with rape blossoms. It had a spring-like flavor. Next was "Abalone Nuta Salad," made with fresh abalone, edamame, bamboo shoots, and wasabi dressing, topped with purple sprouts. Then we had "Bonito and Firefly Squid Namero," a unique dish with bonito topped with firefly squid namero, served with nori tsukudani and Tani ginger. A great snack with sake. "Chili Sauce Shrimp with Carabinero Shrimp" featured asparagus and creamed cabbage in tomato sauce. The chef's experience in Chinese cuisine was evident in the composition. "Hairy Crab Crab Ball" was a unique twist on the classic crab ball, made with hairy crab and onsen tamago. It was interesting. "Mackerel Pike Miso Yaki with Soup" featured mackerel pike baked with miso and served with soup. The mackerel pike may not look appealing, but it tasted great. The accompanying mountain vegetable was fern, I believe. This time, there were many spring ingredients, and my friends were delighted. I look forward to visiting again next month. Thank you for the meal.

Revisited the restaurant over the weekend. This time it was the pre-anniversary celebration for their second year in business, so I drank a lot (laughs). Started with "Mimuro Sugi Special Junmai Dry Sake with Dewa no Hana Wind Unfiltered Fresh Sake", made with Nara sake rice Dewa no Hana. It's a dry type with a good umami flavor. Enjoyed it with "Tai sashimi" marinated in kombu with rapeseed flowers, snap peas, and kumquats. Also had "Seared mackerel" lightly seared with sansho pepper, and topped with fuki miso on bamboo shoots. Next was "Tohoku Izumi Junmai Fresh Sake", a good sake with acidity. The "Marinated bluefin tuna" was delicious, especially the jumbo nameko mushrooms that came with it. Tried "Kaiun Akaiwa Omachi Junmai Unfiltered Fresh Sake" with a long-lasting aftertaste. The "Deep-fried megochi" was crispy and delicious. Followed by "Noguchi Naohiko Research Institute Premium Nouveau Unfiltered Fresh Sake", which is hard to find but really tasty. Enjoyed "Okara and vegetable stew" as a healthy option in between drinks. Then had the "Izumo Fuji Gohyakumangoku Unfiltered Fresh Sake Junmai Ginjo", a new sake released at the end of the year with a refreshing acidity and umami. Had the "Oyster hot pot" with hot oysters, shiitake mushrooms, and snow cabbage. Added "Dan Dan noodles" as a finishing noodle dish. The small bowl was satisfying with its Japanese-style spicy sesame sauce. Finished with "Musou Dry Junmai Fresh Sake", my favorite sake. I drank a lot and ate a lot this time (laughs). Will definitely come back again. Thank you for the feast.

I visited here on a rare weekday night, with the purpose of giving New Year's greetings. I started by quenching my thirst with Akaboshi. I ordered three dishes for this day, planning to come back again on the weekend. The first dish was "Tai sashimi" with kelp-marinated sea bream served with turnip, rapeseed flowers, edamame, snap peas, and bamboo shoots. A great selection of seasonal vegetables. Next, I had "Gikyou 1-year Aged" sake, which was delicious when warmed. Then, I enjoyed "Seared mackerel" topped with fuki miso and served with kumquats and sansho pepper. Lastly, I had "Megochi tempura" with fried kuai. The red Beniteguri fish has a larger and tastier flesh, but this one was also good. I paired the meal with "Sakunohana Jikoshinden Junmai Nama" sake, which had a refreshing fizziness and was delicious. Wishing you a great year ahead. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Revisited. At the end of last year, as a greeting. The first drink was "Sanchomori Winter Gori Junmai Daiginjo Namazake". A slightly sparkling Junmai Daiginjo with sediment, I wonder if they will start with a rich dish from the beginning? "Grilled Shirako with Silver An". Oh, starting with my favorite shirako today. Topped with sea urchin and wasabi, it's the best (laughs). "Sawayamatsumoto Shuhari Bounenkai". A congratulatory drink for 2020. This is delicious. "Himemasu (icefish) sashimi". Served with udo, snap peas, and salad turnip greens. Sprinkled with sansho pepper and citrus sauce. "Daishinshu Soba Tonjitsumetsu". A rich sake, this is also good. "Katsuo no Yamakake with Truffle". Nagasaki katsuo with grated yam and truffle, this is an ambitious creation (laughs). Good aroma, and personally, I think it works. "Black Namako vinegar", "Sanriku oyster ginger simmered with nanohana", "Yama gobou and lotus root simmered", "Fried rice eggplant soaked". With shungiku and nameko mushrooms. The rice eggplant is out of season, but it's very delicious with the oil carefully removed. "Grilled chicken thigh". Yamanashi Mio Sakura chicken thigh grilled over charcoal, served with grated daikon, Shonai asatsuki. A little bit of akegarashi made in a soy sauce brewery in Yamagata, this is also very delicious. I was taken care of by this place throughout last year. This year, with the continued shortening of business hours, I'm not sure how many times I can visit, but I would like to support them as much as possible. Thank you for the meal.

Revisited. One evening on a certain weekend. Started from Akaboshi on this day. "Ebiimo Surinagashi" with uni, bonito, and edible flowers on top, drizzled with truffle oil. Very delicious. "Duck meat and new buckwheat seeds with sesame dressing" accompanied by nanohana pickled in spicy soy sauce. Also tasty. "Tuna marinated" with Tsushima tuna topped with fresh seaweed and ikura. Excellent. "Shirako tempura" with lily bulbs and trefoil. The shirako tempura is unbelievably delicious (laughs). "Boiled greens" with lotus root and grated yam. "Steamed sea bream" with sea bream from Akashi, cooked in a Nanban style with Negi from Shimonita. The first half of the meal was dangerously delicious this time. I will visit again. Thank you for the feast.

Revisited. I visit this restaurant at least once a month. This time, I started with a rare choice of tempura. Perhaps because I arrived late, but the "Sprout garlic and Kagura Nanban tempura" was particularly delicious. The Kagura Nanban especially stood out. It might have been milder in spiciness since it was in tempura form. Next was the "Shime saba" with salmon, chopped seaweed, Wakame and cucumber with a dashi broth, and chopped ginger. Following that was the "Straw-grilled bonito, mountain-style" with thick cuts of bonito from Ofunato. Delicious. Then, there was the "Deep-fried eggplant and maitake mushrooms with celery and mushroom sauce" featuring deep-fried silk-skinned eggplant from Ehime and original maitake mushrooms topped with a celery and mushroom sauce. The soft skin of the eggplant was incredibly tasty. The "Persimmon and mashed chestnut with miso cream cheese" was also an interesting flavor combination. The chestnut and pine nuts added a nice touch. The "Herring, taro, lotus root, and string bean simmer" was cooked in a pressure cooker, making the herring bones edible. I removed them, though. Lastly, there was the "Keats mango" as a rare fruit bonus. I ended up drinking a lot of sake this time. I will definitely come back again. Thank you for the meal.

A standing sake bar specializing in Japanese sake located in the back alleys of Tsukishima. They offer a set course of 6 dishes for ¥3,000, using the best ingredients of the day. The focus is on sake, with each dish perfectly complementing the drinks. The quality of each dish is exceptional, as the owner used to work at a high-class Japanese restaurant. The sake selection is impressive, with around 300 varieties to choose from. It's fun to select a different sake for each dish. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable, sharing interesting facts about sake. The lack of a menu adds to the excitement of wondering what will be served next. I look forward to returning to this place to enjoy more Japanese sake. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Revisit. Now, what will come out this time? "Fresh yuba, soy milk blancmange with turtle shell sauce" Starting with something cold and summery. The sea urchin and wasabi are accents, delicious. "Mackerel salad wrapped in turnip, topped with chopped seaweed" Mackerel from Awaji Island wrapped in turnip slices, this is delicious. The texture of the seaweed is interesting. "Fresh tuna zuke with dried gourd topping" Aomori's fresh tuna with homemade slightly sweet dried gourd, and topped with Yamato potatoes, can't go wrong with that (laughs). "Mountain pepper tempura, sweet snapper with karasumi topping, served with dried baby sardines and chili pepper" The tilefish is crispy with scales on. Kyoto vegetables' mountain pepper adds a refreshing spiciness and is delicious. The dried baby sardines and chili pepper are also good snacks. "Bitter melon, Aomori rock mozuku, topped with plum sesame dressing" The texture of the rock mozuku is amazing, it makes a crunchy sound (laughs). "Tilefish, winter melon, steamed dish" Ending today with something light. Kind of a mature way to finish, very adult-like (laughs). As always, I am impressed that they can offer such quality at this price, even though they are young. And sometimes, when I try to add flavors to my own cooking, it doesn't go as well as the chef here, and I am reminded that "adding flavor is a matter of taste" (laughs). I will come back to learn more (laughs). Thank you for the meal.

Finally made my first visit! Tsukishima is known for its many stand-style restaurants, and it's common for people to hop from one to another. I had heard great things about this place since it opened, but never had the chance to visit until now. It's a really great restaurant. The drink options are beer or sake, and the food choices are a 6-course omakase for 3000 yen or a 3-course omakase for 1500 yen. Each dish is carefully and beautifully prepared, and the omakase option is definitely trustworthy. Since I'm not very knowledgeable about sake, I left it up to the staff to pair it with my dishes, and I was treated to some very special sake. It was a happy experience. Whether it's Tsunematsu or Oshima-san, Tsukishima is full of wonderful restaurants like this one. Highly recommended.

Revisited the restaurant with a friend over the weekend. Started with the chilled soup made from Miura pumpkin, with evening primrose and edamame added. Next, we had a dish of round eggplant with yuba, topped with sea urchin, abalone, and turban shell liver sauce with wasabi. It was interesting to see them grate the wasabi using a special grater. We also enjoyed the marinated bluefin tuna with mizuna, garlic chives, and quail egg. It was a dish that seemed to boost stamina. The bluefin tuna was incredibly delicious. The tempura dish of prawn and zucchini in a mayo-like sauce was also delightful. The snap peas and white corn salad was a refreshing summer vegetable dish. We also had seared sea bass with purple onion, tomato, okra, and passion fruit. The texture of the sea bass was fantastic, and the addition of passion fruit was interesting. We enjoyed two types of sake: "Zuikan Summer Omachi Junmai Ginjo Omachi Namazake" and "Mufu Ryoya Koji Junmai Ginjo." It was another enjoyable dining experience. Thank you for the meal.

On a certain weekend, I went to this restaurant with a friend to have a meal. I was excited to see what they would serve us. "Simmered abalone and sea urchin with abalone liver sauce" was the first dish, with abalone and sea urchin, topped with abalone liver sauce. It was delicious from the start. "Striped jack fish cold soup" featured Kochi prefecture striped jack fish in a cold soup with crunchy Yamadanishiki rice. Perfect for summer. "Sea urchin and firefly squid sashimi" was a delightful appetizer. The creamy sea urchin paired well with the sweet firefly squid. "Grilled round eggplant with steamed conger eel" was an amazing combination with sansho pepper adding a nice touch. It was so delicious that it could be a main dish. "Bitter melon and tomato sunomono" served as a refreshing break before the main course. "Yezo deer meat charcoal-grilled" was the main dish, with Yezo deer meat, evening primrose, snap peas, coriander, and zucchini. The use of vegetables was impressive and the dish was very tasty. "Tomato cold noodles" was a sweet and delicious way to finish the meal. The use of Ibo no Ito noodles made for a smooth and satisfying texture. The best sake I tried that day was "Kamo Kinshu Special Junmai Sake 13". Despite being a raw sake, it had a low alcohol content of 13% which was gentle on the body, with a fruity aroma. Overall, the meal was delicious and enjoyable. Thank you. I will definitely visit again.

This shop has also reopened, so I decided to visit alone on the weekend. I started by wetting my throat with "Akaboshi" before seeing what dishes would come out. First up was "Aoriika sashimi" with freshly caught domestic okra, small red shiso, and plum paste on top. The sticky Aoriika goes well with the sour plum paste. Happy times! Next was "Striped jack sashimi" served with jun-sai, pickled cucumber, and cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes are peeled, so no need to worry about the juice splattering. The firm sashimi was delicious, especially when paired with jun-sai and myoga. Then came the "Tuna sashimi, Chinese style" made with locally sourced tuna from Wakayama and a spicy Chinese-style sauce. The flavorful tuna holds its own against the spicy sauce. I also enjoyed the "Yanaka ginger wrapped in meat and Hime bamboo tempura" with garlic miso dip. The tempura was a nice little treat. The "Grilled round eggplant and shio seaweed ohitashi" was delicious, with the grilled eggplant and mountain asparagus having a nice crunch. Lastly, the "Beltfish with Man'yoji chili peppers" had thick, tender meat with a great flavor and perfect cooking. The highlight of the night was the hidden sake from Nabeshima. The total cost for tonight was 6,200 yen. I had a great time and will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a standing bar called "Sakatsuki" that opened in Tsukishima, and it was great! Located a 3-minute walk from Tsukishima, it's a hidden gem in a slightly hard-to-find location. The long and narrow interior is completely standing-style. You can enjoy delicious dishes to go with sake. I had the sake chosen for me, a slightly cloudy sake with a cute label, perfect for spring. The first dish was tofu topped with sea urchin, with vibrant green onions and green peas. Next was spear squid with bamboo shoots and fava beans. The sake, Hagi no Tsuru, went well with the dishes. Then came the tuna. The dishes were meticulously prepared, and I honestly can't remember all the explanations given. As the course ended, I ordered the tantanmen, with chewy noodles and a soup with just the right amount of spiciness and sweetness. I used to not like standing bars, but I ended up standing and enjoying for over 3 hours that day. A stylish standing bar where you can enjoy delicious dishes paired with perfect sake. I definitely want to visit again. Thank you for the meal!

I visited this place for the first time in two months before the state of emergency was declared. The first dish was "Green pea tofu with grated potato soup (Bisque style), sea urchin, and warabi fern". The green tofu was made with green peas paste, and it paired well with the crunchy warabi fern and sweet sea urchin. The second dish was "Striped jack sashimi with asparagus, snap peas, and licorice sauce". The licorice sauce was a unique addition to the dish. The third dish was "Tuna sashimi marinated in sesame sauce, mashed taro, Akita's hirokko, and seaweed on top". The tuna was in excellent condition and tasted delicious. The fourth dish was "Deep-fried water eggplant". The crispy deep-fried water eggplant was exceptional. The fifth dish was "Clam and seaweed flower with Kyoto vegetables in broth". The clam was a refreshing dish for spring. The sixth dish was "Charcoal-grilled Oyama chicken with udo, spring onion, and fuki miso". The fuki miso had a complex flavor that adults would appreciate. The final dish, as a finishing touch, was "Japanese-style ramen in dashi broth". It was unusual to have ramen here, with mountain jellyfish instead of bamboo shoots and a hint of yuzu pepper for flavor. This time, I enjoyed the "Kagamizan Origarami Junmai Namazake" sake for the first time. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Today, I went to Sakatsuki with my work colleagues. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of ingredients will be served. We started with a delicious sake called "Nabeshima Junmai Ginjo Gohyakumangoku Namazake". It had a perfect balance of umami and aroma. A great start! The first course was a "Fruit Ninjin Mousse with Uni on Top", which consisted of incredibly sweet carrot mousse topped with Hokkaido sea urchin. The harmony with the dashi jelly was irresistible. Next, we had "Suki Konbu and Fuki Simmered", a comforting dish sprinkled with white sesame seeds. Then, we did a tasting of two sakes from Higashizuru, "Higashizuru Black Junmai Ginjo Nama" and "Higashizuru White Junmai Ginjo Nama". I preferred the refreshing taste of the white koji one. The "Iidako and Kyoto Nabana Nimono" was a delicious dish with baby octopus and Kyoto turnips. The seared fatty side of the maguro sashimi with Hayama wasabi was exceptional. We also enjoyed a winter limited edition sake, "Kubota Senjyu Ginjo Nama Genshu", which had a rich flavor. The "Shumai" made with fresh bamboo shoots and green peas was surprisingly tasty. The "New Potatoes and New Cabbage" cooked in dashi had a subtle dashi aroma. The "Shiro Amadai and Fukugashira Agodashi" with Yamaguchi gudgeon and large Fukugashira taro was sweet and delicious. We also tried an orizake, "Kame Rei Banjisai Sakazuki Naka Junmai Origarami Nama", with a rice-like taste and a clean, dry finish. After seven courses, we still had room for more, so we added "Ochazuke" with a sake called "Kachikoma Junmai". It was a perfect way to end the meal with a refreshing hojicha tea-based ochazuke with fatty maguro. Overall, it was a satisfying dining experience. Thank you for the meal.