Located in a residential area about an 8-minute walk from the Imamiya Station on the loop line, there is a liquor store. The first floor is a warehouse and distribution area. Going up the stairs, the second floor is a sake shop for general sales. To get to the Japanese restaurant, take the elevator from the second floor to the fourth floor. We made a reservation for a course meal for four people and visited. Of course, this Japanese restaurant also has a wide selection of sake. We started by quenching our thirst with Hitachino Nest White Ale beer and enjoyed a sake from Fushimi, Kyoto called "Aosora." The appetizer was chilled tofu with cheese, smooth and creamy like cream cheese, perfect to accompany a cup of sake. The first course was a sashimi platter with three kinds of fish: red snapper, bonito, and bora. The bora fish was a new experience, light and mild in taste. The second course was lotus root and shrimp mochi with mushroom sauce. The third course, grilled saury with soy-based sauce, was exquisite. A large piece of tender and flavorful fish that paired well with sake from Akita and Tochigi. The fourth course was mozuku vinegar, paired with a sweet sake from Ine-cho, Kyoto on the Japan Sea side. The final course was a seafood curry hot pot, light and gentle in flavor, perfect with sake. The last sake was from Aichi, "Chogen." We finished the meal with thin udon noodles in the curry hot pot, delicious and satisfying, but we may have had a bit too much to drink.

Every year, my wife's birthday falls in November. She kindly allows me to travel alone all over Japan for her birthday celebration. I am grateful for that. This year, I visited Kajyu Maraku Yamanaka for her birthday celebration. Actually, this was a restaurant I wanted to visit myself. It is located about an 8-minute walk from Ashiharabashi Station on the JR Loop Line. When I arrived at 7:00 pm, the area was dark, and I had to rely on my navigation. I eventually found the restaurant, located on the 4th floor of the Yamanaka Sake Store building. I took the stairs to the 2nd floor, which is a sake store. You can bring your own sake purchased here to the 4th floor, but there is a corkage fee. I took the elevator to the 4th floor and was greeted by a young man and a plump woman. I took off my shoes at the entrance and was seated at a large wooden table in the back right corner. The table was made from the bottom of a sake barrel. I had reserved the omakase course (6 dishes) for 5200 yen, plus an appetizer. The dishes included sashimi, shrimp and lotus root mochi with mushroom sauce, dried blackthroat seaperch, vinegar-marinated egg and glass noodles, and a choice of oyster, tomato, or curry hot pot, among others. I also added fried fish with tofu and eggplant in dashi broth and dashimaki made with dragon eggs. We enjoyed a variety of sake, including Hitachino Nest Beer Pale Ale, Ichinokura Himezen low-alcohol sake, and more. The cheese tofu appetizer was reminiscent of Kumamoto Gokuya's tofu cheese. The sashimi platter included seasonal delicacies like kawahagi. The mochi with shrimp and lotus root was a comforting dish. The dried blackthroat seaperch was small but flavorful. The vinegar-marinated egg and glass noodles were average. We chose the oyster hot pot, which was creamy and delicious. We also ordered additional dishes before finishing with a comforting porridge. The staff, especially Ootsubo, recommended fruity sake for me and the "lady killer" Kameizumi for my wife. We both enjoyed the selection and the bill came to 19840 yen for both of us. The menu listed a total of 111 types of sake.

I visited an izakaya with a wide selection of Japanese sake for the first time. I had cheese tofu, assorted sashimi with hamachi, bonito, sea bream, and scallops, shrimp and lotus root kudzu mochi, isaki, duck meatballs, and grated yam hot pot. They also had Nest Beer: White Ale, Pilsner, Pale Ale, and cold sake: Ruri-iro no Umi from Yamagata, Hatsukame from Shizuoka, Nanahonyari from Shiga, Mimuro Sugi from Nara, Ouroku from Shimane, Hatsukame from Shizuoka, No.6 from Akita, Tennoto from Akita, and Nanahonyari from Shiga. I couldn't try everything, but the food was delicious and the drinks were enjoyable.

I visited a liquor store called "Yamanaka Sake Store" that specializes in Japanese sake. They have over 100 breweries and over 1000 types of sake from all over Japan. On the second floor, they offer free tastings (up to 2 drinks) and a paid tasting plan where you can try 4 types of sake paired with 3 dishes for 2,000 yen. You can enjoy the tastings in the tatami hearth space at the back. They are open on weekdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and on Saturdays from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm (reservation required). The fourth floor has a restaurant (Kasumiraku Yamanaka) that is open until 10:00 pm. Since it was 6:30 pm on a weekday, we had reserved the 3,000 yen course for the next day. The second floor had a stylish and cozy atmosphere, and it was quite busy with customers. We skipped asking about the free tastings and went up the stairs to the sake cellar on the third floor. The entire third floor was a refrigerated room with three sections at 15°C, 5°C, and -5°C, showcasing fire-treated sake, fresh sake, daiginjo, and cloudy sake, among others. Most customers seemed to pick their sake quickly and make their purchase. We briefly stepped outside and headed to Kasumiraku Yamanaka on the fourth floor. We were surprised to find an izakaya in such a place! The ambiance was outstanding! Even though it's a Japanese sake shop, we started with beer to quench our thirst. The Japanese Classic Ale (900 yen) had a lovely amber color and a slightly bitter taste. It was delicious! The cheese tofu was rich and creamy, similar to cream cheese. It was sticky and very tasty. We also tried a sashimi assortment and various types of sake, including a pineapple-flavored Kameizumi CEL-24 (520 yen) and a Kyoto Miyamasakura Junmai Sake Hiyaroshi Aosora (500 yen). The atmosphere and food were excellent, and we enjoyed dishes like grilled mackerel with sesame soy sauce, duck meatball hot pot, and udon noodles with Jomon water. Overall, it was a fantastic experience with no hangover the next day. Sake is truly the best!

The restaurant is a bit far from the station and a little hard to find, but it's like a hidden gem. The best part is the wide variety of Japanese sake they offer! It's hard to choose which one to order, but they are all delicious. When I went with two friends, we each ordered a different sake and shared, so we got to try a variety. The food is also delicious! I would recommend this place even to people who don't drink sake, it's that good. However, the service was a bit slow and the order in which the dishes came out was a bit random. But they did give a heads up at the beginning that the food might take a while, so it wasn't a big issue. Maybe they were short-staffed that day? Anyway, I will definitely go back.

Located about 550m north of JR Osaka Loop Line Imamiya Station is a liquor store called "Yamanaka Sake Store," known for its overwhelming selection of Japanese sake. However, they not only sell sake but also have a small Japanese cuisine restaurant called "Kasuma Rakuyamanaka" on the 4th floor. It may be a bit exaggerated to call it a hidden attic, but it does have that kind of atmosphere. They specialize in brands such as Nara's Chiyoshuzo "Shinomine," Shimane's "Otaraku," Aichi's "Chochin," and Osaka's "Shikuro." You can either have sake that matches the side dishes, have them choose based on your preferences, or simply order what you want to drink. There's no need to be overly formal. It's a perfect place to enjoy a rich time with close friends, savoring a marriage of delicious sake and high-quality dishes made from seafood and mountain delicacies, away from the hustle and bustle. Thank you for the meal. (^^)

As the title suggests, I visited a sacred place for sake lovers. For some reason, there were stairs up to the 2nd floor, and then an elevator from there, with a mysterious structure. Upon reaching the 4th floor, a large sliding door made a strong presence. Inside, there was a kitchen on the right and table seating in the back. The anticipation rose, especially after being blown away by the deliciousness of the cheese served as an appetizer. The deliciousness of the dishes was truly remarkable, not only due to the quality of the ingredients but also because of the meticulous preparation. This is a truly outstanding restaurant that deserves special mention.

Seeing is believing. Not only is the sake excellent, but the food is unbelievably delicious. The soup and rice porridge served at the beginning are the best in Osaka!

Delicious food, excellent service, beautiful ambiance, pricey, perfect for a special occasion.

Such an elegant restaurant.

The boss's recommendation~. A place with a wide variety of sake and delicious appetizers to go with it~. It seems like the owner has multiple different types of restaurants, all featuring a good selection of sake. We visited one in Okunicho, Ashiharabashi, and Imamiya, each located a short walk away from the stations. The place we visited is called Kasake Maraku Yamana. There is a sake brewery on the 2nd floor where you can taste different sakes and an elevator at the back that takes you to the restaurant. The sake brewery has a lot of space with different storage temperatures for each sake, making it easy to purchase your favorite one. After getting your preferred sake, you take the elevator to the 4th floor, where the cozy restaurant is located. There is also an upper area for a more secluded atmosphere. On the day we visited, we had a course menu with sake pairings. Each dish was accompanied by a suitable sake chosen based on our preferences. The menu included: - Organic vegetable cold potage - Assorted sashimi - Red snapper sashimi - Grilled ayu (sweetfish) - Octopus with spicy vinegar miso - Golden eye snapper sake pizza - Seasonal mixed rice (with red miso soup) The cold potage was refreshing, and the assorted sashimi had a variety of fresh fish like yellowtail, Spanish mackerel, horse mackerel, sea bream, conger eel, sweet shrimp, flounder, octopus, and yellowtail amberjack. The red snapper sashimi was delicate, and the grilled ayu was delicious with its roe. We changed the sake taste here and enjoyed a sake-infused pizza made with golden eye snapper. Finally, we ended the meal with mixed rice. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the different sakes paired with the dishes. As the restaurant got busier, the service slowed down a bit, but being able to enjoy a variety of sake with our meal made it a great experience.

I got off at Ashiharabashi for the first time in my life, so I decided to check it out. After a short walk into a residential area, I found a warehouse-like place. I climbed some stairs, passed through a liquor store-like area, took an elevator up, and then descended to the 4th floor, where I found another warehouse-like space. Upon opening a sliding door, I was surprised to find a nice shop. I took off my shoes and entered with slippers, then climbed more stairs to another warehouse-like area where there was a table for about 6 people. It felt like a hidden gem where I could have a home party. They had a variety of options for local craft beer from Kinuta Brewery, as well as different types of sake. The food was delicious and the conversation was lively. It was not just typical sake accompaniments like miso, cheese, or pickles, but proper dishes. Everything was well-prepared. The highlight of the night was "Ine Mankai," a sake made by a female brewer from Kyoto. It was made from red rice and tasted like wine. It was my first time trying something like that. I felt like I saw the potential of sake. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Introducing a small restaurant on the 4th floor of Yamanaka Sake Store in Okunicho, Osaka, loved by sake enthusiasts. It's very convenient to stop by after purchasing sake at Yamanaka Sake Store. Of course, you can enjoy the sake available on the 2nd and 3rd floors with the dishes, making it exceptionally delicious. As expected of Yamanaka's shop, the staff's knowledge of sake and food reaches the level of "otaku," and you can learn a lot. Despite being on the quiet 4th floor in the area, it's almost fully booked by reservation, so it's not a place you can just drop by. I didn't have high expectations for the food since I came to drink sake, but every dish I ordered was of a high standard. They probably change the menu according to the season, so there are no particular specialty dishes, but everything pairs well with sake. The young chef was impressive, and I was amazed by his skills. They also provide explanations for each sake ordered, making it a very enjoyable experience. It's quite far from the station, but if you go early to choose sake, you can enjoy 3-4 hours, making it worth the trip!

The first time I found sake delicious was at "Hetsui," a shop owned by Yamanaka Sake. Since then, I have been captivated by the charm of sake and have been seeking it out every night. One night, feeling like a sake refugee, I remembered that there was another Yamanaka-owned shop besides Hetsui. I visited for the first time and have been back several times since. This time, I brought a friend who has also become a sake enthusiast because of me. We visited in the rain, taking the stairs up to the second floor where Yamanaka Sake's shop is, then further up to the fourth floor via the elevator at the back. The secluded feeling is nice. We took off our shoes and sat at the counter. We had already ordered the omakase course for 3600 yen. We started with Land of Water from Akita, followed by a cold corn soup with onion mousse inside, which was refreshing. The sashimi platter included Yokowa, sea bream, and young yellowtail, with water eggplant on the side. We added a glass of Hanasakayuho from Ishikawa. The white clam soup was comforting. Next came a platter of appetizers, which was frustrating because it made me want to drink more. It included soy sauce-pickled clams, young sweetfish, and stewed chicken liver. We added a glass of Natsugin from Iwate. The grilled sardines in tomato sauce were tender and fatty, while the sweet and spicy grilled tuna cheek was large and delicious. We added a glass of Kankai Junmai from Kanagawa. The meal ended with mozuku seaweed porridge flavored with sesame oil, which was surprisingly easy to eat even though we were full. The cost performance of 3600 yen for this meal was amazing. I always end up ordering the course, but I would love to try ordering a la carte next time!

There are about 65 types of delicious sake from all over the country being recommended today, with 2 from Iwate Prefecture, 5 from Miyagi Prefecture, 2 from Akita Prefecture, 6 from Yamagata Prefecture, and so on. The delicious sake from all over the country is available here. The phrase "Drink up!" in Osaka dialect was used because this is the town of Daikoku. Daikoku is located one station south of Namba on Osaka's main subway line, the Midosuji Line, followed by Dobutsuen-mae and Tennoji stations. This town is surrounded by Namba, the local entertainment district, and attractions like Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, and the famous Tsutenkaku Tower. Although Kuromon Market supplies ingredients to the lively entertainment district of Minami, at night it becomes a quiet town. This town is spreading the word about delicious sake from all over the country. You can enjoy delicious sake and food in a relaxing traditional Japanese atmosphere. Everyone becomes more talkative than usual. The first dish served was a creamy tofu nestled in simmered blackthroat seaperch, topped with vibrant green edamame, sea urchin, and crab meat. It was refreshing and delicious. The sake served was Yamagata Masamune Natsu no Junmai, which had a beautiful label featuring fireworks. The next dish was sashimi of yellowtail, flounder, and bonito from Kada. The sake served was Hitonatsu no Koi from Atago no Matsu in Miyagi Prefecture. Following that, we enjoyed Chikara from Mitsui no Susume in Fukuoka. The next dish was a steamed dish of Ise clams, white clams, and seaweed. The sake served was Okunoto no Shiragiku Junmai Nigori from Ishikawa Prefecture, which had a beautiful white color and a pleasant taste. We then ordered a "Sakana Set" that featured a variety of dishes, all of which were delicious. The meal continued with a vegetable salad and miso soup, both of which were tasty and healthy. My friends were enjoying a variety of sake, while I was able to drink comfortably by alternating with mineral water. This is a place I would recommend even to those who are not fond of sake. I have been coming here once a month with friends since being introduced by a friend in January. We always have a great time enjoying good sake and conversation, and I have never experienced a hangover. I even composed a haiku poem while feeling pleasantly tipsy: "Good sake makes conversations lively."

I was taken to this place by a friend who is knowledgeable about sake. The selection of sake in the cellar downstairs is amazing. We enjoyed a course where each dish was paired with a sake that complemented it perfectly. We could leisurely enjoy our meal while savoring each sake, feeling satisfied both in our stomachs and with the amount of sake we drank. The dishes were on the richer side, perhaps to enhance the enjoyment of the sake, but they were all made with seasonal ingredients and were very satisfying. The staff at the restaurant were friendly and extremely knowledgeable about sake! If you love sake, you'll definitely want to go back!

Visited a restaurant affiliated with a mountain sake shop for the first time on July 8, 2015. The dishes I tried were: Bonito sashimi and tofu - 3.8, Hikoshi iwashi (dried sardines) simmered in red shiso and ginger - 3.8, Aosui Midoriyama special junmai sake - 3.8, Fukuoka Mitsuru soy sauce stir-fried with Yachou and seasonal vegetables - 4.0, Takakuya handmade tank pressed sake - 3.8, Grilled tuna collar with aromatic sauce - 4.0, Jyutasa junmai sake - 3.9, Benten musume cloudy sake - 3.7, Mackerel simmered in sweet soy sauce - 3.7, Junsei unfiltered Yamadanishiki - 3.7, Genovese-style Goto udon noodles - 4.0, Hakuginsho sake - 3.8, Japanese sake raisin gelato - 4.0. Recommended dishes: Fukuoka Mitsuru soy sauce stir-fried with Yachou and seasonal vegetables, Grilled tuna collar with aromatic sauce, Genovese-style Goto udon noodles, Japanese sake raisin gelato.

A hidden gem nestled in a residential area of Ookuni-cho! It's not often you find yourself on the west side of Ookuni-cho. The atmosphere, where you take off your shoes before entering, feels like visiting a friend's house and allows you to relax. We started with a local beer and then enjoyed a course where we paired each dish with a different sake, gradually getting tipsy. I usually enjoy a similar style at a place called "Fushikino" in Kagurazaka, but at Yamaguchi-san's place, you can enjoy it in a more casual way. The appetizers, authentic soba with salt, elegant sashimi, comforting miso soup, a platter of delicious grilled fish, and a fantastic hot pot with exquisite broth were all delicious. The sake served with each dish was also very tasty, and we found ourselves getting pleasantly drunk. As a lover of sake, I would definitely like to visit this restaurant again. Thank you for the wonderful meal!