On the south side of Kyoto Station, about a 6-8 minute walk from the Hachijo exit, there is a stylish standing bar that used to be a liquor store. The female staff kindly explained the system to me as it was my first visit. Even though it was midday, the place was bustling with regular customers. You can get recommendations on delicious drinks from the regulars. It has a cozy atmosphere, and I will definitely come back!

I visited this bar before and loved the atmosphere, sake, and more, so I decided to revisit during my business trip to Kyoto. It was hot during the day, but I didn't hesitate to start with a glass of junmai sake with some delicious tai kawa chikuwa as a snack. The counter-style standing drinking was great, and the banter among the local regulars added to the fun. The master and the friendly waitress made the experience very welcoming. They have a wide selection of alcohol, but I stuck to the junmai sake, which was excellent. It seems like the master trained at Sugi Masaru, a sake brewery, so I enjoyed various kinds of sake. The cost performance is also very good. If you enjoy Japanese sake, I highly recommend this place. I was very satisfied.

I went in the evening on a weekday. It's a standing bar where you can drink at a liquor store, but the store is clean and they have a wide variety of alcohol, including beer, wine, sake, and shochu. I entered the store and ordered a draft beer, which changes daily. The atmosphere inside is calming, and you can enjoy drinking while looking at high-quality wines. They also have daily changing snacks, and I tried some fresh sake as well. Customers are enjoying themselves with various types of alcohol, like Japanese sake and foreign beers. If you want to try different kinds of alcohol, this place is recommended.

A liquor store located in a residential area, just down from Kyoto Station. The interior is spacious, with a counter in the middle shaped like an L, creating a cozy atmosphere. They offer a wide selection of Japanese sake and craft beers, with Vedett on draft. On my weekend outing, I started with a refreshing Belgian beer on tap. The sweet taste was like a kiss on the lips. It's the kind of place where you might find a polar bear like me opening a standing bar instead of a café. I feel like a panda. So, let's drink! I recommend Sugi Isami's "Fly! Isami" to polish your heart, or rather, polish the rice. The primal instinct from my wolf days makes my canine teeth ache, so I ordered some pickled vegetables. The umami flavor makes the sake go down smoothly. Next up, my other recommendation is Akijou Gari Kuro Ryuuha's "Autumn's End". I savor each sip, taking 16 bites before finishing it. The light bites, including sashimi, beckon me to come closer. Drinking here is enjoyable. This is a standing bar, but it's so inviting that you end up staying seated. It seems like a younger crowd frequents this place, and I enjoy watching them chat and bond in a peaceful, friendly atmosphere.

I explored a quiet area near Hachijo-guchi during a business trip to Kyoto and happened to find this place. They serve sake during lunch hours and switch to offering draft sake from 5 pm. The master welcomes you at the entrance, while a friendly server takes care of you at the counter. The bright and clean interior of the shop adds to its charm. They have a good selection of beer, wine, shochu, and especially a variety of sake, with a focus on junmai sake. I ordered my favorite junmai sake and enjoyed the traditional taste of kimoto sake. For snacks, I paired it with sake-stealing cheese and tai-skin chikuwa. The master seems to have trained at a sake brewery in Yamagata, as evidenced by the handprints of sake brewers on the wall. They also offer a wide range of wines, beers, and shochu. The menu mainly consists of dishes that pair well with drinks. The atmosphere is welcoming for first-time visitors as well. I will definitely drop by again during my next business trip. I was very satisfied.

It was easy to enter the cozy bar. The potato salad was delicious. The beer was served in a Shop & Sommelier glass, but the wine was not very aromatic. It would be nice if they served the wine in the same glass too.

A stylish standing bar. The food might be quite particular as well.

You can choose freely at the neighboring liquor store!

I arrived at the restaurant at 6:00 PM! There were already 3 groups and 5 people inside. I started with a draft VEDETT beer. Then had some wine and sake. Ended with a TRA Rocher 10! It was delicious. I think I drank too much for the first place (lol). I will definitely go back there☆

It's quite close to JR Kyoto Station. A standing bar in the downtown area! Right next to it is a pretty fancy liquor store, which runs the shop. The interior of the shop is also clean. In the middle, there is a big barrel serving as a table. Around it, there are various spaces along the walls. The biggest attraction of the drinks they offer is the variety of Belgian beers. There are so many types that I gave up taking menu photos because it's like a photo book. First, cheers with a Belgian White beer! As for the snacks with the drinks, I left it to the sergeant. Boiled pork for 400 yen (tax included) and cream cheese with sake lees for 350 yen (tax included) were both quite delicious. Really tasty! Standing and drinking in a stylish atmosphere. This way, even female customers can feel safe. The clientele includes people of all ages, but mostly elegant individuals. Thank you for the delicious drinks. It was a wonderful meal.

It seems like they put a lot of effort into Belgian beer. The descriptions on the beer menu are amazing. I couldn't help but want to drink and tried the draft and some kind of Burgundy. It looks like they only offer Belgian beer and sake as drinks. Sake is only 400 yen, which is great. Considering that, the beer seemed expensive, but the quantity is satisfying. Most of all, the bottled Burgundy? was not at all like beer, which surprised me. It said it had a flavor of dried grapes, but I didn't really understand it. It felt like a dessert wine. I'm not sure if it's delicious, but I like it. Also, even though there are few types of appetizers, the tofu and rillettes were delicious. If you're mainly focused on drinking at the standing bar, you don't really need that many options. Maybe they are selective because even the delicious ones are limited in variety. The concept is clear and interesting. I want to go there again, even though it's a bit out of the way.

This is a standing bar located a short walk from Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit towards Route 24. However, do not imagine an Osaka-style standing bar. This is a very stylish standing bar, although the clientele is 100% middle-aged men (laughs). They serve Belgian draft beer for 900 yen per pint. If you feel hesitant about this, then this place is not for you. I ordered a pint of Belgian beer and sand liver stew for 300 yen as a snack. The Belgian beer was delicious! Considering that in Osaka, a small bottle can cost 1,000 yen, this is quite a deal. After finishing the Belgian beer, I decided to try a glass of sake from their selection, which includes about 9 recommended varieties priced around 350 yen each. The glasses are more than half full, so you can also have a tasting of multiple varieties. It's really exciting to discover a place like this.

I found this shop by chance on the internet when searching for Kyoto standing bars. I have been wanting to visit because the Belgian beer I am currently into is cheap here. The location of the shop is about a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station's Shinkansen exit. It's easy to find as it's next to a liquor store owned by the same management. On this day, the owner had plans so the shop closed at 8 pm, but I still had a great time. The Belgian beer had a fruity aroma and was easy to drink. The Sugi Isami from Yamagata had a rich flavor and was delicious. I was also able to try Koshu, a legendary shochu that I missed out on in Kagoshima. The selection of alcohol and the owner's personality made it a very enjoyable experience. I have decided to add this place to my rotation of spots in Kyoto.

I used to see a support event for the Tohoku earthquake recovery on Twitter or something, and found out about this place. It's a bit hard to find as you have to go down a narrow alley, but it's located next to a liquor store on the corner. Inside, there is a wonderful space. I thought it was just a beer specialty shop, so I never had the chance to visit, but this time I had a little time to spare while waiting for the bus. Turns out, they not only have beer but also a wide variety of Japanese sake and shochu. It makes sense since it's a standing bar attached to the liquor store on the corner. (There are also seats available) They are known for Belgian beer, so I decided to try another European beer. I had VEDETT for 500 yen (draft beer). It has a light color like a white beer and a light taste. However, it's not thin, but rather rich in flavor. This aroma and lightness come from orange peel and coriander. Come to think of it, I had a similar tasting beer at Kappa Country by Yellow Cherry Blossom. There is no strong coriander taste, so you can drink it with peace of mind. It seems to be popular with regular customers, and it's usually full quickly. Although there were only a few people that day, I'm sure everyone gathers after work to drink and have fun before heading home. It's a classy stand bar that is easy for women to enter.

I visited a new and popular bar called "Sakuraza Inoue" to celebrate the completion of a long-standing project with a nearby client. The bar is run by a young master and is conveniently located near Kyoto Station's Hachijo exit. The atmosphere is cozy and the clientele consists mainly of young businessmen in their 20s and 30s. I started with a Belgian white beer on tap, followed by a recommended sake from Sugi Isamu brewery in Yamagata. The sake was exceptional and rare, as it is mostly consumed locally. The bar also offers delicious appetizers like "sakana-nusumi" for only 150 yen. Overall, the experience was enjoyable and the prices were very reasonable. I will definitely visit again in the future.

Standing bar style Shurakuza in Kyoto for the second stop is located in Hachijo-guchi. It is a small bar located in a residential area close to the station, where you can catch the shinkansen in just 10 minutes. As soon as you open the door, you'll find a small counter, tables made from beer barrels, and small two-seater tables in this cozy little place. I took a seat at the counter, which was already crowded with other customers (which I like). Since I had beer at the previous place, I asked the owner for a recommendation for sake, and he asked me if I preferred one with a strong aroma or a rich flavor. I opted for the rich one this time. The owner recommended a junmai yamahai genshu sake from Fukui called "Hanagaki", which was rich and bold. It was delicious. The owner left the bottle with me for a while, showing confidence in his selection. This young owner seems to have a good knowledge of sake. He is also quite handsome. He handles sake with great care, even using a wine air pump for preservation. I should buy one too. For a snack, I ordered the "King of Snacks" (350 yen), which was cream cheese topped with sake lees. It paired perfectly with the rich sake. It's so simple that I want to try making it at home. Since I still had time, I ordered another drink. As the "King of Snacks" was still available, I asked for another rich sake. Due to the season, there weren't many rich options available, but the owner went to the back and brought out a sake from Nara called "Hinonohikari", a mountainous, unpasteurized, unfiltered junmai sake. It had a slight yellow tint and a tangy kick on the palate, but it was also rich and delicious. It was time to catch the shinkansen. Reluctantly, I asked for the bill. I realized that the prices for sake were not listed on the board, but to my surprise, the total bill for two drinks and a snack was only 1,050 yen. So, the sake was only 350 yen each! How amazing to be able to enjoy such delicious sake for that price! I must visit this place again. I was truly impressed after a long time!!

This is a standing bar attached to a liquor store. I found this place while out drinking alone after feeling tired from the previous shop. I visited around 9 pm on a weekday and the counter was almost full. I wanted to start with a draft beer, but they only had Belgian draft beer (VEDETTO). The owner seems to recommend Belgian beer due to their commitment, but I'm sure they have plenty if you ask. When I asked if they had any sake from Kyoto, they said they had some from Nara and Wakayama. The owner seems to recommend sake from regions other than Kyoto. I tried a variety of drinks and felt that the owner's choices were right. For snacks, I had "Ats no Ou," which is cream cheese topped with sake lees, and a cucumber dish. In particular, "Ats no Ou" had a rich taste of sake lees at first, followed by the cream cheese extending the aftertaste, making it a very addictive snack. This is a recommended place for leisurely drinking near Kyoto Station.

I had been interested in this shop for a while. They serve draft Vedett, a Belgian beer, as well as guest beers on tap that are opened irregularly. I decided to go there on the spur of the moment to try the limited edition beer this time (*^^*). It seemed a bit hard to find, but I checked the directions on Google Maps beforehand and was able to get there quite easily. If you head south a bit from the street where Avanti is located and then turn east at the corner of the waterworks bureau, you will see Inoue Saketen's sign right before you reach Shurakuza.

The interior of the shop has a cozy and warm atmosphere, even though it was my first time here. I was seated at a table and started off with a cheers with a half-pint of VEDETT beer (¥800). Wow, this beer is delicious! It has a refreshing and slightly sweet taste, perfect for the first drink. All the beers served here are from Belgium, with over 100 different bottled beers available. I looked it up and found out that there are actually over 800 types of Belgian beers! I also ordered the charcoal-grilled Miyazaki local chicken (¥300) and pickled radish (¥150), but they only had radish instead of cucumber, so I went with the pickled radish, which turned out to be really tasty! The miso paste was also delicious, and the radish was crunchy and flavorful. For my second drink, the owner recommended the "Muichimotsu Highball" (¥450), which was really good! It had a rich and elegant taste. This shop is actually run by the neighboring liquor store called "Inoue," which is why they can offer a wide variety of beers and sake. They also have an interesting system where you can choose your wine next door and drink it here for a glass fee of ¥500. The owner is really friendly and welcoming. I would love to have pre-drinks here every week, it's such a great place!

I am filled with affection for alcohol and it makes me feel happy. The standing bar is elegant and friendly. I took my elementary school daughter and we were treated very kindly, allowing us to have a wonderful time as a family. The owner has a strong dedication, so it may not suit everyone, but I love it. I learn a lot about alcohol (Belgian beer, sake, shochu, wine, everything). And above all, the master's smile is wonderful. Despite being young, he has strong opinions, which I find impressive. Next time, I want to go all out without the kids. P.S. I'm also a big fan of the master's boss (father).