Visited on a Saturday around 5 PM and it was already almost full! Managed to get a table luckily. First, we bought tickets, 10000 yen for three people. We picked our favorite Japanese sake from the fridge and brought it to the counter. It's a unique ordering style where you hand over the tickets and they pour the sake for you. I remember a similar system in Otaru. The all-you-can-eat delicious appetizers were a nice bonus. The other two were already on their second round, so we ordered some wasabi rolls and spent all our tickets on sake. The photos I took were not great, but all the sake was good quality and reasonably priced. Thank you for the meal!

There is a liquor store in Otaru that I visited for the first time. They had a wide selection of Japanese sake, and you could choose your favorite and have the owner pour it for you. The system of prepaying with tickets in increments of 1000 yen was interesting! For my second stop, I ordered some green onion tamagoyaki, which was delicious. I couldn't resist ordering another one! I also ordered some shimesaba to go with my rice, and it was flavorful and satisfying. It turns out that it was the restaurant's 7th anniversary the next day! Congratulations!

After pouring plenty of beer, I cooled down with delicious Japanese sake. The perfect side dish was a fluffy egg omelette with a strong dashi flavor. I finished the meal with two types of sake from Fudou Brewery: Fudou Tsurushibori Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Namagenshu and Fudou Fusakogane Migi 80 Junmai Namagenshu.

It's been over 2 years since I enjoyed drinking at Ura Takano. The otoshi (appetizer) lineup that drinkers desire is great. The soy sauce-marinated raw leeks are a perfect match with alcohol! If you're a member, you get one plate for free, but the oysters from Akkeshi are so delicious that I would add an extra plate with just one ticket. They are rich in flavor and slide down easily with one gulp!

The end of the night in 2021 is here. I peeked inside and saw that about half of the seats at the counter were taken, so I decided to stop by for a quick drink at this intriguing place. I purchased 1,000 yen worth of tickets as planned, and paid for my sake and appetizers with the tickets. However, it was clear that 1,000 yen wouldn't be enough if I wanted to order more. I should have just bought 2,000 yen worth of tickets from the start. In the end, I had two cups of sake (forgot the brand!), appetizers (pickles and edamame), and seared mackerel (not sushi) for exactly 2,000 yen. It's not cheap at all... I wasn't entirely satisfied, probably because I didn't really want the appetizers. I prefer paying for what I actually want to eat, and some places focus on their appetizers. This restaurant just isn't my cup of tea. It's a great place for those who want to savor Japanese sake though, and it's quite popular - it was packed with customers before I knew it! I had to hurry and finish my drinks before leaving. Thanks for the meal! (^o^)

Wow! I can't believe I found this place here! I searched for it a few years ago but couldn't find it. I'm so excited! When I went down the stairs, I was expecting a standing bar, but there were actually counter seats and tables for 2 and 4 people. They charge 100 yen tickets for every 1,000 yen. You pay 3 tickets for the appetizer, then you choose your drink from the wall-sized fridge and exchange tickets for it. You also pay for snacks with tickets. I was a bit confused as a first-time customer, but a kind and beautiful woman who seemed like a regular customer explained everything to me. It felt like a goddess had descended! I ended up having Yama no Kami beer, sake, dashimaki tamago, and seaweed with gari plus burdock. It's a great place for sake lovers, but the system is interesting and a bit confusing. I realized that I still have a lot to learn. Thank you for the delicious meal.

From the unknown "Sumigawa" station to the familiar "Odori" station. Arriving in a familiar area was good, but outside, the strong wind and swirling snow obscured the view. The cold was so intense that it seemed to harbor murderous intent. Despite reaching the location on the map, the restaurant I was aiming for was nowhere to be found. Even though it was said to be in a familiar building, I was shocked and disappointed to find that I didn't even know of its existence. There were no signs or banners for the restaurant. Then, I noticed a mysterious door separate from the underground area where a row of restaurants was located in the basement of the building. The name of the restaurant was clearly engraved on the door, but it didn't appear to be welcoming everyone. Upon opening the door and peering into the underground, it looked like a cave covered with labels of Japanese sake. There was no other place like this underground except for this restaurant. Inside the restaurant, just like in Otaru, there were vibrant menus displayed. A young male staff member was operating alone at the counter and asked, "Did you figure out this place right away?" I struggled to find the restaurant and when I reported this, he explained the restaurant's operating style with a clear smile and voice. First, you purchase a 1,000 yen set ticket at the register. Then, you choose the sake you want from the refrigerator, bring it to the register for the staff to pour in exchange for the ticket, and return the bottle to the refrigerator yourself, unlike the system in the Otaru restaurant. With a 2,000 yen ticket in hand, I stood in front of a large refrigerator, momentarily captivated by the emerald green gloss. It was the "Raideen Beer IPA" made by Hakkaisan Brewery. The clear aroma with a reduced bitterness in the beer was pleasant. I transitioned from the sushi I had in Sumigawa to "grilled mackerel" and "ankimo" with cloudy sake. I then purchased an additional 1,000 yen ticket and got a different cloudy sake. Drinking white cloudy sake in the center of a whiteout town, everything was blurred in white. In this winter town devoid of tourists, could it be likened to an isolated island in the freezing Arctic? What did the soldiers of the Siberian labor camps think in the unimaginable intense cold? In the midst of this current calamity, fortunately, the power of sake is one of the few weapons that can numb the intense cold and the uncertainty of the future. Yet, for some reason, cloudy sake stirs up a melancholic fantasy. I checked the remaining tickets. Let's bid farewell to such fantasies and face a variety of sake and dishes from the first restaurant next time, resolutely decided...

Recently, I've been a bit obsessed with Kadouchi Takano. I found out there's a branch in Sapporo as well, so I decided to visit. The location is listed as "Shikishima Kita 1-jo Building B1F," but it was quite hard to find. Once you do find it, it's quite a fun experience. The place is filled with customers who love sake. The bartender, who seems to be working hard all by himself, is really nice and helpful. I asked for recommendations and ended up ordering the Hakkaisan Riding Beer, which had a nice bitterness to it. They also served me a complimentary fresh scent here. For sake, I tried the Hakkaisan freshly squeezed sake, Otoko-yama Junmai, Ankimo, Grilled Mackerel with Salt, and to finish off, the Aragoshi Momo. These were all delicious and sweet, perfect for girls. Next time, I'll definitely try the sushi, which apparently is supervised by "Nishizuka" from Otaru.

[Point] - Located in the basement of Shikishima Kita 1-jo Building, this place offers delicious sushi as well as sake. - It operates on a ticket system and is a standing bar where you can pick your favorite sake from the fridge, bring it to the counter to be poured, and return the bottle yourself. - The appetizers are self-service, so make sure not to leave any leftovers! [Content] This was our third stop of the day, so I was a bit tipsy (laughs). We enjoyed delicious Japanese sake, appetizers, and sushi. We also tried the "eikimo" shown in the photo, which I believe was my first time trying it! It had no unpleasant smell and a smooth texture, which was delicious! The sake paired really well with it. Thank you for the meal!

The place is a bit hard to find, located in the underground walkway slightly towards Odori from Sapporo Station. If you walk from Sapporo Station, it's best to use exit 7. The entrance to the hair salon is noticeable. Once you enter the entrance that seems to be for the main 2nd-floor salon, you can go down to the basement of the building. There, you will find Takano World, a place known for its unique ticket system. Tickets are sold in increments of 100 yen, with a 300 yen seating charge. For example, if you buy a 1000 yen ticket, 300 yen will be deducted for the seating charge and you will receive 7 tickets worth 700 yen. The seating charge includes pickles and sushi, with unlimited refills allowed but wasting food is not allowed. The seared mackerel sushi for 600 yen is recommended, as well as the shrimp sashimi. It's a great place for a quick drink with one or two people at the end of the night. You can choose your own drink from the refrigerator and have the staff pour it for you. Food is paid for with tickets and brought to your table. You also need to clean up your own plates and the restroom is located on the 2nd floor so be aware of that.

The unique currency system and ordering method at this restaurant are different from regular stores. First of all, the location of the store is hard to find, with the entrance being difficult to spot. The entrance is on the side, but other stores' signs are more noticeable, making it easy to miss the store's sign. I passed by the store about three times before finding it. As for ordering, you need to purchase tickets in increments of 100 yen, with a minimum purchase of 1000 yen upfront. Once you decide on your seat, you go to the register to buy the tickets. 300 yen is deducted as a table charge. It seemed like a hassle, so I wanted to buy 3000 yen worth of tickets, but the staff reassured me that buying in increments of 1000 yen was fine. The pickled vegetables and ginger served as appetizers were all-you-can-eat. The ginger mixed with burdock was surprisingly delicious. The tickets cannot be refunded, so you either use them all or carry them over to your next visit. You can choose sake from a glass case, but it's best to ask the knowledgeable staff for recommendations. I ended up trying a unique sake that I wouldn't normally drink, as suggested by the staff. The dishes were all refined and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Before meals, head over to this place. The cozy atmosphere here is so exciting (laughs). On this day, I had the following: - Mori Mori Maguro Sushi: 900 yen - Yamawasabi Sushi: 400 yen The sake options were Kunimare, Ishizuchi, and Kamesen. It was my first time enjoying sushi here since last time I visited late and they were out. The maguro was rich and delicious, and they even had Akahoshi beer, so I'd love to come back next time to enjoy food and drinks to the fullest (o^^o)

You can't imagine the interior from the appearance. You exchange cash for tickets and order sake and dishes. You can bring a bottle of sake to the counter and have it poured for you. I had about 3 cups of sake. The unlimited pickled ginger as a snack was a nice touch. It's a great second stop.

The street was crowded during the "Snow Festival" on a Saturday night. After being turned away from several popular restaurants, I finally stumbled upon "Sushi Kakudachi Urasake Shuhan Takano." The entrance was hidden, but I managed to find it. The atmosphere was a bit dark and the kitchen was run by a somewhat unfriendly waitress. I bought 30 tickets for 3,000 yen at the counter, and we were served a variety of dishes including tuna sushi, seared mackerel sushi, and unlimited side dishes. I also enjoyed a glass of Oze no Yukidoke sake, which I really liked. Overall, the experience was good, but the prices were a bit on the higher side.

For the second stop on my trip to Sapporo, I visited a place where you bring a one-liter bottle from the fridge and the staff guides you through your choices. You also return the bottle yourself. You can purchase 100 yen tickets and use them to pay for your drinks. The staff will help you decide what to order based on the number of tickets you have left. There are various types of sake available, such as dry, seasonal, and easy-to-drink varieties, ranging from 500 to 1000 yen. While the food options are limited, they offer a few types of sushi that pair well with sake. Be careful though, the sake goes down smoothly and you may end up drinking too much.

When you come to Sapporo, you usually stop by this shop at the end. For first-timers, finding the shop can be a bit of a challenge, but this shop is known for its specialty of sushi rolls with sake. We usually start off with a quick visit to this shop, leaving room in our stomachs for more. As you descend the stairs to the basement, you'll see many labels of sake bottles. Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, you'll see a simple interior. The system here is to purchase a ticket and use it for payment. There are various types of sake displayed in the showcase, and you can take your ticket and a sake bottle to have it poured for you. Cleaning up is mostly self-service. First, we start with the unique sake "Mansaku no Hana no Kachiwari" on the rocks, which I really like. The complimentary pickles by the counter go well with the sake. Then, we order the specialty sushi - ikura, shrimp, and scallop. We also order herring sashimi, scallop salad, and monkfish liver as perfect accompaniments for the sake. After a while, the main sushi arrives. These sushi rolls have no filling, just a topping of fresh sashimi on top. Enjoying the sashimi as a snack, sometimes having a bite of the seaweed roll while sipping sake. Even though Hokkaido is known for its seafood, this way of eating is also enjoyable. Recently, even my wife at home makes sushi rolls filled with negitoro using this method. Eating, drinking, and enjoying the company - a fun place for sake lovers. A great way to end the night in Sapporo. Thank you for the delicious meal.

I finally got to visit this place I wanted to go to. It was a shame that the sushi was already sold out. It was good that we had eaten enough at the first place. Thanks to that, we enjoyed various kinds of sake with appetizers! We shared Hokkaido sake among the three of us and drank quite a lot (laughs). It's really fun to go here with people who love sake. I want to go again.

My company's junior colleague wanted to drink sake, so we visited a new place. According to my junior, there are many places like this in Tokyo. I haven't seen much of these in Sapporo though. The menu was limited, but they offered very fresh seafood that goes well with sake. The owner served us a delicious garlic chive dish that went well with the sake. I ended up getting drunk and had a great time.

Near Odori Park in Sapporo, I had a meeting in the evening. I planned to head straight home after the meeting. However, as I was walking towards Sapporo Station after the meeting, I passed by a sushi restaurant called Takano that I had been curious about for a while. Suddenly, I was drawn in by the allure of sake and ended up making a spontaneous stop. Inside the restaurant, jazz music was playing, creating a wandering bar atmosphere. I ordered tuna as a snack to go with my sake, which I enjoyed with Shinkame and Hakkaisan. Sometimes, taking a little solo detour is good.

In Otaru, there is a hidden gem of a bar located in a basement of a complex building. It's like a secret hideout where you can try various types of sake from all over Japan, including Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Hokuriku. I was lucky to witness the opening of a bottle of "Ezo no Homare" at this bar, which is located near the famous ski resort in Niseko. The sake was slightly cloudy but had a light and refreshing taste, typical of Hokkaido. The sesame oil soba yakisoba served as a snack surprisingly paired well with the sake. I had a great time chatting with a traveler from Fukuoka and a local businessman at the counter. The local businessman even shared some insider tips about other hidden underground bars in the area. It was a delightful experience full of unexpected encounters and valuable local information.