Well, well, during my trip to Asahikawa (pre-COVID), I had a reservation at Sushi Minato for the next day, and today I had a reservation at Dokusui Sanshiro. Before visiting Sanshiro, I stumbled upon this place while strolling around Asahikawa. I had about 40 minutes to spare, so I decided to stop by. I tried a tasting set for 1000 yen, which included the following drinks: Koshino Kage Torao (extra dry), Takachiyo nigori Hassen, and Michell's whisper. I also had a red Komaki shochu and a craft beer, IPL Hime White, for 300 yen each. The only snack available was cheese for 500 yen. They seem to have a variety of options available, and even though I only planned to have a quick drink, I ended up trying a few different things. I would have been happy if they had more snack options available.

I visited the sake shop Ueda-san! It was my first visit. It's the second stop in Asahikawa, with the shop opening at 5 pm, so I adjusted my time for a short visit. Well, actually, there was one person who really wanted to drink here, so no one could say no (laughs). The exterior is a bit hard to spot, being a sake shop and all. Those who want to come will find a way, right? Inside the shop, there is only Japanese sake. It must be tough for the staff to remember them all. Initially, I thought of trying Japanese sake since it's a sake shop, but to my surprise, they also have craft beer for 300 yen a glass. I ordered a Belgian White Ale and was surprised by the small amount in the glass. Well, I guess it's fair for the price (^^). The staff handling the Japanese sake seemed to become more agile and energetic. They were bombarded with questions about the sake. Tasting and comparing, we tried them all. I don't remember the specific brand of sake we had, but my impression was just "Hmm!" It was delicious (laughs). We toasted with everyone. The beer was indeed fruity as described. After finishing all the drinks, we had a great time. This place is definitely for Japanese sake, as expected (laughs). It was quite enjoyable. It was my first time at a standing bar. Thank you, Sake Shop Ueda-san, for the wonderful experience!

I have visited this sake bar a few times, but recently they have started serving tap beer as well. Until the next shop opens, let's have a drink here! They have four rotating tap beers available for 300 yen each. While others opted for craft beer, I stuck with sake. I chose the reliable brand Mutsu Hassen, a limited edition New Year's celebration pure rice ginjo for 300 yen. They also offer a 40-minute all-you-can-drink sake option for 1000 yen. Served in a Dassai glass, the fruity and acidic flavor of the sake was delicious. I had a light meal at the recently opened "Ue Inaka" before coming here to drink. It might be a good idea to flow here for a sake all-you-can-drink session when the other shop closes. The snacks here are limited to cheese, dried snacks, and canned food. Strengthen your legs and come visit!

I visited the second stop on the day drinking tour. They not only have ponzu sake, but also craft beer available. They offer a trial price of 300 yen. I chose a beer. The Extra Special Bitter was served in a small wine glass, about 1/8 full. Does that mean a full glass would cost 2400 yen? Haha! It was fruity and delicious, but I prefer to chug beer. I think this is the first time I've drunk in such small sips. Thank you for the meal! Now, let's go to the next place!

In 2019, the 10th stop of the drinking tour in Sapporo, Asahikawa, and Obihiro. Let's have some ramen, take photos in the drinking districts and around town♪♪♪ I've been drinking all over the country, and I can't help but feel that the traditional drinking districts and alleyways are really declining. As I walk, I arrive at this place (*≧∀≦*) My throat is dry, and it's already 3 pm, so let's quench our thirst at this standing bar. Oh, there's a sign at the entrance saying "Drink comparison 1000 yen for 40 minutes". Inside, there's a register on the left side, and when I asked the staff, they explained that for the drink comparison, you can drink as much as you like for 40 minutes. There are about 30 types of sake, including Japanese sake and fruit sake, as well as local Hokkaido sake like Rikusui Hassenshu and Tateyama River. I decided to go for a luxurious drink comparison ψ(｀∇´)ψ Since there were no other customers, I decided to try 2-3 types of sake for the drink comparison and enjoy some delicious sake. I won't write too much about it because it would be around 3000 characters, but there were sake for celebrations that I had never seen before, as well as the URARA version. They directly trade with the sake brewery, so they have these unique selections. I asked if there were any snacks, and they recommended a cheese assortment, which I added. The cheese assortment was from Shiranuka Rakueisha for 500 yen, with a small portion but perfect as a sake snack! I drank 4-5 cups in 40 minutes at a rapid pace ^ - ^ Wow, this standing bar is great, and they have a wide selection of sake, including Dassai and maniacal shochu like Funasai. If I were a local, I would definitely come here often (￣(工)￣) Now that I'm drunk, I think it's time to wrap up the daytime drinking part and move on to the next place.

On a regular day at 5:30 PM, I was invited by a bad senior colleague to a pre-party before the main event at 7:00 PM, at Ueda-san's place. I went without knowing much as the senior colleague presented it to me, but it turned out to be a place selling local sake, with a designated sake available for 40 minutes of all-you-can-drink. It was amazing. My senior colleague also loves sake, so the two of us enjoyed sharing our thoughts and impressions while talking about sake. There were some sake that didn't suit my taste, but I was excited to try them all and had a lot of fun. And to top it off, the 40 minutes wasn't enough so we extended the time, we were so foolish haha. We were already quite tipsy haha. Thank you for the meal, it was a great experience. Thank you very much.

When I was visiting Asahikawa with my family, we stopped by this unique standing bar for the second time. Despite the busy staff, I ordered the freshly squeezed Kitano Katsu, which is only available this season. They poured it into a glass for me, and the fresh aroma and taste were delicious. Standing and enjoying drinks surrounded by alcohol is irresistible for alcohol lovers. I will definitely come back again.

Visited a sake shop in Sanroku Town. It had been a while since my last visit. Previously, they used to open at 4:00 PM due to busy regular business, but now it seems they have returned to opening at 1:00 PM? I visited around 3:00 PM and they were open. The third-generation president was there, whom I hadn't seen in over six months. Unfortunately, I only had time for two drinks this time. ・Muga Junmai Daiginjo (Yamagata/Tate no Kawa Sake Brewery) The label says, "Pursuing the ultimate freshness and sense of presence." The last time I had this was in January of this year (2018). It's been a while and it's so good. Tate no Kawa is a favorite brand that I also enjoy at home. ・Miracle Rose (Hyogo/Tomi Hito Sake Brewery) A sake brewery that uses the Yamahai method. You can really taste the richness of the rice and it's easy to drink. Despite being only 11% alcohol, it has a strong flavor. This is a delicious sake. I didn't have much time to talk with the owner, but it was nice to hear explanations about the sake after a long time. I really want to visit slowly at night next time. Thank you for the meal.

Drunks are not allowed! So, is this the first stop? Pre-party? I went to this kind of fun place in Otaru because I saw Mr. Bull and Mr. Kita went there. It was so much fun! (≧∇≦)b

You can easily try out various things here. You can try out popular Dassai sake as well as recommended Japanese sake and shochu from as low as 100 yen. Even though it's just for trying, the amount is quite substantial, so you might get drunk. I want to come with full determination next time, starting from the first place.

In the Sanroku area of Asahikawa City, there is a standing bar that opens at 4:00 PM. I entered as soon as it opened this time as well, as I didn't have much time. I only had two drinks this time: - Tatenyan Junmai Daiginjo (Yamagata/Tate no Kawa Shuzo): I had this before here, featuring a male cat named Tatenyan from the brewery. I still don't have the LINE stamp. - Mutsu Tanoshimi (Aomori/Hachinohe Shuzo): This brewery also produces Mutsu Hassen. It has a weightier taste compared to Mutsu Hassen, with less fruitiness. I stayed for about 20 minutes this time. I haven't been able to meet the third-generation owner recently. I really want to visit slowly at night. Thank you for the meal.

In Sanroku Street in Asahikawa City, there is a standing bar. It used to open at 1:00 PM, but now it opens at 4:00 PM. I entered right when it opened, with no customers before me and 2 customers after me. They serve a limited distribution product called "Tate no Kawa Osumi" (from Yamagata/Tate no Kawa Shuzo), which is only available at specific stores. It is a delicious sake with a refined taste, although the limited distribution products are a bit pricey. They also have "Second Summer of Love" (from Tokushima/Miyoshikiku Shuzo) with a cute and impactful label, and it is very easy to drink with 13% alcohol content. I tried "Kurumazaka Junmai Sake" (from Wakayama/Hideo Yoshimura Shoten), which has various sake dishes written in kanji on the label. I would like to try it with hot sake next time. I had to leave after about 20 minutes due to time constraints, but I would like to visit again in the evening and take my time. Thank you for the meal.

I was invited by Sanshiro to go for a drink, but I had about 30 minutes to spare before our meeting, so I decided to drop by the restaurant. When I entered, there were no other customers. The staff seemed busy at the register. Aside from the refrigerated case, there was a standing bar corner where you could choose your drink. I saw a bottle with a rose illustration on the label and asked about the taste, which was described as quite sweet. So, I chose the "Tomi Hito Yamahai Junmai Sake Miracle Rose 90ml for 300 yen." It was served in a wine glass from Dassai. It was made from Gohyakumangoku rice and was very fruity and sweet, almost like muscat wine. The 720ml bottle is priced at just under 2000 yen. Since my budget for home drinking is around 1500 yen, it was a bit on the expensive side. I hadn't eaten anything, so I wanted a snack. There were three choices that day, including Dassai Senbei for 30 yen, which I tried along with the sake. It was a delicious rice cracker. They also had dried snacks and calpis. Since I still had time, I decided to have another drink. I asked if they had any other sweet options, and they recommended the "Ban'no Shuzo Beau Michelle 90ml for 300 yen." This sake is famous for being a birthday gift from Tsuyoshi Domoto to Koichi Domoto. It came in a magnum bottle, which was quite large. It was lighter in taste compared to the previous one but still sweet and fruity, which I liked. I took a picture and put it back in the fridge. The 1.5-liter bottle costs around 3000 yen, while the 500ml is about 1000 yen. They also had the "Jabara Sake" that I wanted to buy when I visit Sapporo. I enjoyed drinking at Wontana. While I was enjoying my drinks, a male customer arrived, and we had a little chat. He said he only drinks sake, so I recommended the nearby izakaya "Kibaratei." I'll have to visit there soon.

Located at 6-chome on 3rd Street in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, this cozy and simple space can be found on the first floor of Ueda Building, inside a liquor store. The store used to open around 1:00 PM, but now they start their sake pouring service at 4:00 PM due to their busy delivery schedule. The price for a glass of sake is around 300 yen for half a cup or more. The reviewer tried a few different sakes, including "Tatenyan Junmai Daiginjo" from Tatenyan, "Natsu Yago MOMO13" from Izumibashi Brewery, "Tomi Hito Cha Label Yamahai Junmai Namagenshu" from Tomi Hito Brewery, and "Bohemian Shell" from Tomonosuke Brewery. The reviewer had a great time chatting with the owner and learning more about sake. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and the reviewer recommends trying out this place when in Asahikawa.

5th visit. After 5:00 PM. Usually I visit this place earlier, so this time it was my first time visiting at this hour. I forgot to take a picture, but it seems like they have changed their opening time to 4:00 PM for a while. The owner, who was always there during my previous visits, was not present this time. There were many young staff members, and they seemed quite busy. It's Friday night and this is a liquor store in the downtown area, so it's understandable. But the service was very pleasant, and I enjoyed standing and drinking there. - Yamakawa Mitsuo 2018 Winter (Yamagata / Tate no Kawa Shuzo) A project formed by four sake breweries in Yamagata Prefecture. The label this time features kabuki. I missed buying it. Minimal intervention during fermentation. The sake is bottled without disturbing the pressed sake. It's really delicious. A 1.8L bottle for 3500 yen. Affordable. Junmai Daiginjo. I need to buy it soon. Yamagata Mitsuo's LINE stamp costs 120 yen. - Shibata Shuzo Store Junmai Ginjo Pinne (Hokkaido / Chitose Tsuru Shokai) The characters for rice and earth are written as "pinne" and read as "pinne." It seems like the name of the agricultural cooperative producing sake rice (probably originally named after a mountain). It has a very fruity taste. *By the way, unrelated to the review, at the Chitose Tsuru Museum in Sapporo, you can try quite a variety of sake for free. There is an atmosphere that makes you feel like you have to buy it... (personal opinion) I had to stop at two cups because I was short on time. Despite being busy, they explained the sake very politely, and I am grateful. I became interested in the plum wine served by Tate no Kawa Shuzo (tasting available for 500 yen). Thank you for the meal. There will be a sake event held at the Sapporo TV Tower in Sapporo on 3/11 (2018), where this shop will also participate. I really want to attend, but it might be impossible due to work.

I had a promise to drink at the usual izakaya. Before going to drink, there was a shop I wanted to visit. It's a sake shop where you can drink inside. I stopped by the standing bar! There is a standing drinking corner at the back of the sake shop with plenty of sake lined up. You pay the shop staff each time you order. In the refrigerated case for standing drinking, there are even wines. "Oh, look, they have Dassai Beyond the Finish Line." When I asked about the price, it was 1,000 yen per glass. Let's think while drinking a different sake for the first glass... First glass: Kokushi Musou Namazuke Ginpu sake for 300 yen. They pour it into a wine glass. It has a rich flavor with the original umami of pure rice sake. It was just released in November. (I can't resist trying new things...) After much consideration, second glass: Dassai Polishing Beyond the Finish Line for 1,000 yen. It's a small glass (of course...). A highly refined sake created to surpass "Dassai Polishing 23%" This sake is so delicious that I can't put it into words. I sip it slowly, savoring it. When I showed the photo to the master and regular customers at the izakaya I later went to, they said, "This is a sake that costs over 30,000 yen. It's a steal to get it for 1,000 yen for this amount." It's a high-grade sake that I would never buy myself, but I'm glad I got to try it! Maybe I'll have one more drink! Third glass: Otoko Yamahonjikomi freshly squeezed raw sake for 300 yen. It's a limited edition for winter and only available in Hokkaido. It's a smooth dry sake. The staff kindly explained about sake while also attending to customers purchasing sake. Standing bars are quite nice. I definitely want to come back to this place!

A liquor store and standing bar in the 3-6 district of Asahikawa City, Hokkaido. I visited for the fourth time, not long after my third visit. I only had time for two drinks this day. As I was browsing the fridge for a drink, the owner brought out a newly arrived sake that he hadn't tried yet. - Mugami Junmai Daiginjo (Yamagata prefecture / Tateyama Sake Brewery) I love Tateyama's limited edition series. The label says they pursued the ultimate freshness and presence. It was incredibly fresh and delicious! It cost around 1700 yen for a 720ml bottle. Tateyama really offers great value! (I also found some at a liquor store near my home in Sapporo! I need to buy a few bottles!) So, for my second drink, I also had Tateyama. - Tateyama Shuryu (Yamagata prefecture / Tateyama Sake Brewery) I usually drink the slightly cheaper "Seiryu" at home, but this one is more aromatic and flavorful. It's delicious. The young owner here is very knowledgeable despite his age. He explains things without being pushy and keeps a suitable distance. Wonderful experience. Thank you for the meal.

A standing bar in the 3-6 district of Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, run by a liquor store. I had tried to visit a few times before but often found it closed. Finally, on my third visit, I was able to go. - Mutsu8000 (Mutsu Hassen): A noble sake brewed with sake instead of water. It is described as being similar to a sweet Sauternes wine, and it had a fresh sweetness and just the right amount of acidity. - Junmai Ginjo Takachiyo IPPONJIME Unprocessed Raw Sake (Niigata/Takachiyo Shuzo): A rare sake made from 100% single-polished rice. It had a strong and sweet flavor with a good sharpness. At around 1000 yen for 500ml, it was a good value. - Yama no Hakkai Special Junmai Raw Sake (Niigata/Yamanohakkai Shuzo): Yama no Hakkai is not a common sight for pure rice sake. It had a full-bodied and well-aged taste. The standing bar style serves around 100ml per glass, with most drinks priced at 300 yen, offering surprisingly good value. There are some more expensive options, but they seem to be close to cost price. I definitely want to stop by every time I visit Asahikawa. Thank you for the meal.

Visit again about one week after the last visit. Before 4:00 PM. - Sawano Hana "Ore Label" Junmai Muroka Namagenshu (Yamagata/Tateyama Sake Brewery) Masculine label. Refreshing grape-like aroma. I think it's quite cost-effective. - Tsushima-ya Junmai Ginjo Nama (Gifu/Miyosakura Brewery) Refreshing with a good aroma, you can also taste the rice. This time, only had 2 cups due to lack of time. A shop where you can try various drinks at a low price. Thank you for the meal. Note: The shop may be closed for off-premise delivery duties.