It was my first time visiting in a while. I noticed that they now accept PayPay and other electronic money, and the interior of the store seemed to have changed somehow. The products are now easier to see. It was great to see that the mom is doing well! Let's keep up the good work! Also, the JAPAN item I purchased this time was a total impulse buy just based on the cover! Haha, it looks really cool.

I have always wanted to visit this liquor store, even though they didn't have the sake I was looking for, it was still interesting to browse around. I ended up choosing a lighter sake from Mito Brewery called Yamagata Masamune - Junmai for the daytime, priced at 1,485 yen. I've been trying to cut back on heavy sake recently due to fewer drinking occasions, so this lighter option seemed like a good choice. I enjoyed it over the weekend with my wife's home-cooked meal. It had a fruity flavor and was dangerously easy to drink! It might not pair well with all dishes due to its fruity nature, but I personally like this type of sake so it wasn't a problem for me. I might start visiting this store more often in search of unique sake that is hard to find. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I replenished my stock with something I had never seen before. It is a unit sake created in 2014 by four voluntary breweries in Yamagata Prefecture. It combines the "mountain" of Yamagata Masamune, the "river" of Tateyama, the "light" of Toko, and the "man" of Hayamayama. There were a mother and sister who kindly assisted me. It's convenient for the neighbors. I look forward to being able to taste it soon. Even though the number of times has decreased, I still have plans for remote drinking parties. I usually finish one bottle in 3 hours and tend to leave early. I was advised to drink water in between, so I will prepare water for the next time.

Welcome.---------- January 2020 ----------I visit this place often because it's close to my home. I always buy sake by the label, and this time I got three bottles: "Winter Plum Blossom," "Snowman Rice Label (forgot the name)," and another one that I can't remember the name of. They also sell cup sake. All of them have a winter theme. The Snowman sake is slightly cloudy with a sweet taste, Winter Plum Blossom is a bit fruity, and the Rice Label is also fruity. I've noticed that winter sake tends to be on the fruity side. I wonder why I never seem to fall for the labels of the driest ones.

Welcome. ---------- December 2019 ---------- Located in a yellow vegetable shop along the streetcar line at South 10 West 7, there is a shop marked with a sign. When you enter the alley, you will find a shop with six parking spaces on both sides of the building. A lady with a super smile greets you at the automatic door in front of the register. The staff are courteous and provide detailed explanations. As you look around, you might feel like going on a shopping spree due to the variety of labels and rare sake available. "Rizuru Special Junmai Amami" from Kochi Prefecture, produced by Arisawa Corporation, has a strong sweetness and fruity flavor. "Kigeki Junmai Ginjo Watashifune" from Shiga Prefecture, produced by Waraku Shuzo, is a smooth and mellow sake with a pleasant sweetness. "Ponsake" from Abunotsuru Sake Brewery in Yamaguchi Prefecture is a complex sake that goes well with food and is easy to drink.

Located on Chuo-dori in Minami 10 Nishi 7, Sapporo, this long-established liquor store has a history of over 100 years in Sapporo. They recently opened a second store in the Maruyama area. They have a wide variety of Japanese sake, sourced from breweries that produce delicious sake. However, they also have a significant selection of shochu. Every year, they host a shochu festival on the narrow street in front of the store, along with other nearby shops. I purchased "百年の孤独" this time. Previously, only those who spent a certain amount were eligible to purchase this sake (I think it was to prevent reselling or hoarding), but recently it has been available for purchase by anyone at the regular price. They also sell other unique sakes like "佐藤白黒" and "野ウサギの走り" at regular prices, which are typically resold at unbelievable prices elsewhere. "百年の孤独" is aged in oak barrels, similar to whiskey, with a vatting of 3, 4, and 5-year-old sake, resembling a Solera system. The Kuroki main store, which released this sake, has also started (or is starting) to make whiskey, which I am quite looking forward to. It seems like there is a boom in domestic whiskey distilleries these days. I enjoyed "百年の孤独" on the rocks, as it enhances the sweetness and aroma. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Located on Nakadori in Minami 10 Nishi 7, Sapporo, this is a long-established liquor store in Sapporo with a history of over 100 years. The only Sapporo sake brewery famous for "Chitose Tsuru," the "Nihon Seishu Co., Ltd.," produces a limited edition junmai sake called "my story ~Hitotsume~." This sake is made using 100% Ginpu rice from Shin-Tsukigawa, Hokkaido. Since the appointment of the first female toji, Tomoko Ichisawa, the 6th generation, the company has consistently released high-quality sake. The 2018 BY version of "Hitotsume" was released in April, marking its second year. Although there are several liquor stores in Sapporo that carry it, I always purchase it at Sakuramoto Shoten. However, this time, I couldn't make it to the store in time. I thought the limited edition nama sake was sold out, but miraculously, there was one 1.8L bottle left. Unfortunately, the customer in front of me purchased the nama sake. I missed out on the last bottle right before my eyes. So, I ended up purchasing the pasteurized version. I bought three 720ml bottles for myself and as gifts, giving one to a familiar izakaya master. Just like last year's Hitotsume, this sake has a rich and balanced flavor with a moderate amount of rice umami. It is delicious on its own or paired with food, and the price is reasonable. The fact that it is produced in Hokkaido makes it even more appealing, but the only downside is that it is still a limited edition. Well, that can't be helped. Thank you for the meal.

The visit was on a day with the number "6", which is the shop's regular Shinsei day. Although the main purpose wasn't Shinsei, I decided to line up early to buy it. There were about 20 people in line about 15 minutes before opening, more than usual. When the shop opened, most customers were aiming for Shinsei. I managed to get the No.6 S-type that was still available. I also purchased three bottles, including the sake I was looking for. The first one is "Mimuro Sugi Junmai Ginjo" using the suitable rice "Tsuyuhakaze" from Nara. It is well-balanced in taste and aroma due to its middle pressing. When I asked the staff about "Tsuyuhakaze", they said the aroma opens up after about 2 days of opening, which was true. The aroma seems to be related to yeast, but there are various elements involved. The second one is "Ichihaku Suisei Junmai Ginjo" fresh sake hanging in a bag, which is surprisingly cost-effective at about 1.5 liters. It is delicious. Is it a limited edition for this season? Such an amazing sake is casually available. The third one is "Shinsei No.6 S-type", which is delicious on its own and has a sharpness that pairs well with meals. This time, I gave it to Tom-chan without drinking it. I only purchased fresh sake this time. "Mimuro Sugi" was a new discovery, and "Ichihaku Suisei" was incredibly delicious. The staff at the shop are as polite as ever, with professional explanations. The hospitality of the head female owner is also heartwarming. Although I have been trying to cut back on drinking sake recently, I will definitely come back to buy more.

This year, the "Muga" from Tate no Kawa Shuzo is on sale again. A sake brewery in Yamagata that only brews Junmai Daiginjo. Tate no Kawa Shuzo's flagship sake, "Tatenokawa", is a very cost-effective Junmai Daiginjo and very delicious sake. I tried their limited edition sake "Muga" about a year ago and it was also a favorite of mine. I found out about the arrival of "Muga" through this sake shop's Facebook and visited. The announcements on social media are really helpful, and the images are always wonderful. Inside the shop, they have displayed Hina dolls, which are quite luxurious and authentic. I purchased a 720ml bottle of "Muga", which is not expensive considering it is a limited edition. In the "I" series of Tatenokawa, there are sakes like "Kyokugen" with a polishing ratio of 8%, "Shichiseihata" with 7%, and unbelievably "Komyo" with just 1%. All of them are at a very high price. "Muga" is very fresh with a slight effervescence. The umami slowly spreads and the aftertaste lingers. It is better to drink it on its own rather than with a meal, as it is a matter of personal preference. Sakura Honpo has started trading with Hiroki Shuzo in Fukushima, becoming Jamaica's first exclusive store in Hokkaido. You can buy "Hiroki" in Sapporo at a fair price. It's amazing. According to the landlady, they have been negotiating for about 10 years. For now, they only have products priced at around 3,000 yen for a 720ml bottle, but I might buy one next time. Personally, I would like Fukuoka's Shiraito Shuzo's "Tanaka Roku Go" to become an exclusive store here. I have been trying to cut down on drinking sake recently, but when I come here, I just want to try everything. It's a dilemma. Thank you for the meal.

It's been a while since my last visit. However, I have been checking social media frequently. I'm delighted to see more liquor stores updating their arrival information regularly. It's really convenient because some sake sells out quickly. The store I visited updates their information frequently and also displays prices, which is great. Not many stores do that. This time, I bought two bottles for home consumption in 720ml size to avoid drinking too much. The first one is "Senkin Yukidaruma 2018" from Tochigi, a yearly pure rice daiginjo unpasteurized sake with secondary fermentation, giving it a slight fizziness and sweetness. The bottle can be reused after finishing the sake. The second one is "Yamagata Masamune Kan Jyunmai" from Yamagata, a favorite sake for warming up. It is a blend of sake fermented using malolactic fermentation to create a soft, round, and mellow taste. I ended up buying delicious sake. In reality, I tend to finish a 720ml bottle in one night. Sake is high in carbohydrates, so I need to cut back. But oh well, it's worth it. Thank you for the meal.