Tokyo gourmet exploration! Shinjuku-ku, Araki-cho edition. A reservation-difficult restaurant with excellent Japanese cuisine and a course of carefully selected Japanese sake with all-you-can-drink option! Reasonable prices! The long-awaited first visit to the popular restaurant "Kamidana"! On a slightly cold day in late autumn with overcast skies, I extended my legs a bit and headed to Araki-cho for dinner with friends from the 23 wards. This was a restaurant I had been hoping to visit someday, and finally, I was able to go thanks to a recommendation from my friends. Located in Araki-cho, just a short walk from Yotsuya-sanchome Station, the restaurant is on the second floor of a building with a green tent on top and a neon sign in front. In February 2021, it relocated and reopened with a renewed atmosphere. Upon climbing the narrow staircase with a small entrance, I entered a cozy and modern Japanese space with high ceilings and a spacious wooden counter with only eight seats. It's a hidden gem that only those in the know are aware of, a highly popular restaurant known for its carefully selected premium Japanese sake, with around 30 rare brands available at all times. The reservation-difficult restaurant offers an excellent selection of Japanese cuisine and premium Japanese sake, making it a popular destination for many. The long-awaited first visit to the renowned restaurant "Kamidana"! A course menu with all-you-can-drink option for ¥8000, offering the best value for money. We started with a complimentary dish and a glass of draft beer. Then, an array of eight small dishes was served on the table, each looking delicious. The dishes included nam...

This is my second visit, about half a year after making a reservation last time. Located 30m down the narrow staircase on Sugidaimon Street where bars line up from Yotsuya-Sanchome Station. This place has counter seats, and upon entering and taking a seat, we were served a welcome drink of beer and an appetizer platter. Various types of sake were displayed in front of each group, including limited editions, Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, and many other unknown sake, all available for unlimited drinking. As each group finished their drinks, the bottles were replaced by the owner. We started with the appetizer platter and drank a lot, then moved on to sashimi and continued drinking. We were served probably grilled flounder, roast beef with sea urchin and salmon roe, and finally, a rich ramen with carefully extracted broth. We were so full from the delicious food and sake that we could barely finish the dessert of figs. We tried a total of 29 types of sake, one cup each, and filled our stomachs with food, all for a fixed price of ¥8,000 per person. The only downside was that today the owner, an older man, was working alone, so there was almost no explanation of the dishes, and we couldn't finish all the types of sake. Also, the next reservation available was after January 2025. Lastly, the owner mentioned moving to a larger room nearby. I hope it will be easier to make a reservation in the future. I really want to visit at least once every six months. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

I was invited to visit the long-awaited Kamidana-san for the first time. I started with beer and an appetizer platter. The lineup was amazing. While they were sake accompaniments, the flavors were gentle. I could deeply appreciate the richness or bitterness of the vegetables. Next came the sashimi. Tuna, scallops, striped jack, red sea bream, flounder, and grouper were served in incredibly thick slices. The first main dish was a plump saury with miso mayonnaise. The second dish was a refreshing cold dish of beef tataki. For the finale, there was mushroom cold noodles with bonito broth, and dessert was pear. The all-you-can-drink sake was a "self-serve" style, where the chef silently placed 3-4 bottles of sake on the counter for you to choose from. You didn't have to order, you could choose your favorite sake, discover unknown sake, and compare small amounts at a time. The serene atmosphere, elegant and unpretentious dishes, and the deliberately chaotic array of Japanese sake made for a very pleasant and dream-like experience for sake lovers. The next reservation is not being accepted until after 2025. Thank you for the feast.

A restaurant located on Sugidaimon Street in Yotsuya Sancho-me offering over 30 types of local sake for all-you-can-drink. Unbelievable cost performance. They have a wide selection of popular local sakes, allowing you to drink as much as you like at your own pace. Plus, the course includes dishes for only 8,000 yen. Unbeatable pricing. I visited with a reservation slot I made myself this time. When you climb the stairs, a sensor responds with sound. Opening the wooden door, you feel the warmth of the wood in the bright interior. Only counter seats for about 8 people. Looking up at the ceiling, you can see a black kamidana (household Shinto altar) as the name of the restaurant suggests. [All-you-can-drink course for 8,000 yen (tax included)] When you sit down, a glass of beer is served without saying a word. First, quench your thirst with this. Next, 9 types of appetizers are placed in front of you. Now, you are ready to start the all-you-can-drink sake. Choose your favorite from the many small sake cups. To enjoy a variety of types, pour a little into each cup. The master lines up one after another on the counter, creating a wall of one-liter bottles. It's hard to decide what to drink first, but there are so many options that you start with what's nearby. Pour a little into the cup to enjoy a variety of types. To enjoy until the end, drink water to prevent getting too drunk. When you finish drinking, turn the label of the bottles you are okay with sharing upside down towards the inside of the counter, and the master will replace them. This time, I completed the beer + 36 kinds of sake. (Refer to the photo) More types than usual. Enjoy your favorite sake with refills and get comfortably tipsy. I drank plenty of water and ate, so I enjoyed the sake without getting too drunk. [Food] - First appetizers: 9 types of small dishes are served. All of them go well with sake. The shiitake mushroom with blue cheese is as delicious as always. - Sashimi platter: Thickly sliced tuna and white fish assortment. About 6 types including white fish. The rich flavor of the tuna is always wonderful. Bonito tataki is served in a separate dish with ponzu sauce and onions. - Fresh oysters: Big rock oysters served with lemon. The meat is so big that you can barely eat it in one bite. The unique umami of oysters spreads. - Sukiyaki: Tofu, beef belly, and egg in a large pot. The meat goes very well with the sweet sauce. I thought I would like to pour it over rice if I was hungry. - Mizore sudachi hiyamugi: Cold hiyamugi served normally. The refreshing scent of sudachi with grated daikon is refreshing. I was full, but I could eat this. - Melon: A fragrant and sweet red-fleshed melon. I was full, but somehow managed to eat it. The quality of the food is also high, and just coming here to eat would be satisfying. Adding the fact that you can drink this much sake makes it the ultimate happiness. Nevertheless, the quality of this food at this price is amazing. Enjoyed chatting with the master after the meal. All reservations for this year are already full. Next year, only slots from September onwards are available. Looking forward to being able to come again, even if it's a bit further in the future.

Recommended for sake lovers! "Kamidana" in Yotsuya Araki-cho is a popular restaurant with a reservation wait of about 1 year. Although the first drink served is beer, after that, everyone enjoys Japanese sake at this place. With over 30 varieties of sake available, including popular and rare brands, all-you-can-drink is the norm. Once you choose your favorite sake cup, you can pour yourself from the lineup of sake bottles in front of you. If you finish a bottle, just turn it around, and they will replace it with a different one. I tried 25 types this time and although I couldn't conquer them all, I was very satisfied with trying many new sakes. The food was an omakase course, but each dish was incredibly delicious. Especially the extra-large size oysters and tuna sashimi platter were outstanding. The dessert ice cream even had sake in the sauce. All this drinking and eating came to a total of only 8000 yen, a fantastic deal. I thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese sake full course.

I couldn't imagine from the outside appearance, but the interior is clean and has a Japanese-style finish. It was nice to start with a draft beer 🍺, and the variety of small dishes got me excited ⤴️ After that, the sake was simply amazing. Sake is like a god in a way~.

Sake Paradise in Yotsuya-Sanchome, located on Sugi Daimon Street, is a restaurant where you can enjoy over 30 types of local sake all-you-can-drink. They offer popular local sake for you to enjoy at your own pace. The course, including food, is priced at 8,000 yen. The interior of the restaurant is bright and welcoming, with a warm wooden feel. The only seating available is at the counter, which can accommodate around 10 people. As you enter, you'll notice a black kamidana (household Shinto altar) on the ceiling, in line with the restaurant's name. The all-you-can-drink course starts with a glass of beer to quench your thirst, followed by a wide selection of sake to choose from. The owner lines up one-liter bottles on the counter, offering a variety of options to try. It can be overwhelming to decide what to drink first, but the owner keeps bringing out more options, so you can start with whatever is closest to you. Pour a little bit of each sake into your cup to enjoy the variety. To avoid getting too drunk, make sure to drink water in between. On this visit, I completed tasting all 32 types of sake. My favorite sake was enjoyed with refills, allowing me to comfortably enjoy the evening without getting too intoxicated. The food served was of high quality and perfectly complemented the sake: - 9 types of appetizers, all delicious and perfect for pairing with sake. - Assorted sashimi with thick slices of tuna and white fish, including 6 types in total. - Grilled river fish with a salty flavor, perfect for pairing with sake. - Oyster gratin made with milk from the sea and cow, rich and flavorful. - Nameko soba, a cold dish that goes down smoothly. - Sweet and thin-skinned watermelon, a refreshing dessert. The quality of the food alone is worth visiting for, and paired with the all-you-can-drink sake, it creates a sense of happiness and satisfaction. The price for this experience is unbelievable. Once you've settled in, enjoy chatting with the owner. I look forward to coming back and enjoying this experience again.

I was invited by a regular customer to this restaurant for the first time last June. At that time, I could make a reservation for a month in advance, but such a good restaurant quickly became popular. The next private reservation is not available until June next year. The quality of the alcohol that comes with all-you-can-drink and the different dishes served each time are amazing. All this drinking and eating for a flat rate of 8,000 yen. If you are invited, you should definitely make every effort to go to this restaurant.

I visited a restaurant in Yotsuya Sanchome that my gourmet friends highly recommended. The restaurant lived up to the hype, offering a course menu with self-service sake after a toast with beer. The chef serves about 30 different types of sake, and the lineup on the day of my visit was exceptional. The menu included assorted appetizers, sashimi, seared bonito, oyster gratin, and finished with mountain vegetable soba. The dishes were all delicious, and the sake, especially the True Red Junmai Daiginjo Nama Genshu from Kankiku, was a favorite among us. The bill came out to a surprising 8000 yen, and the next available reservation is in June 2024. Luckily, I was able to secure a reservation for August. Exciting!

The other day, thanks to my friends, I had an amazing time at this place with 36+1 types of Japanese sake. The mandarin yogurt sake and strawberry sake were incredibly delicious. The prices were friendly to my wallet, with change left over after paying. We started with an appetizer platter, followed by thick slices of sashimi, fresh oysters, pork shabu-shabu, and ended with tantan noodles. I'll have to make a reservation well in advance for next time since it's already booked up for the coming year.

I was invited to visit the sake paradise "Kamidana" and it was my first time there. The next reservation is for a year later, which is understandable given the amazing quality of this place. Everything was wonderful and surprising, from the peach and sansho trees to the first drink of cold Heineken beer. The assortment of 9 different dishes was not only beautiful to look at but also delicious to eat. The attention to detail and the rich flavor of the broth showed the owner's love and kindness. Before we could even relax, a variety of sake bottles were lined up in front of us, all of them top-notch and tempting. Each person had 2 bottles in front of them, totaling 16 different types of sake. I thought this would be the end, but the selection kept growing. In the end, there were a total of 35 different types of premium sake, but unfortunately, I could only try 24 of them. I enjoyed dishes like thick-cut sashimi, giant oyster gratin, and roast beef with avocado. The clear broth in the chilled mushroom soba reminded me of my favorite Echizen soba. The experience at this paradise was truly amazing, leaving me feeling surprised, happy, touched, and grateful. I have enjoyed various paradise experiences before, but this one was truly exceptional. I am grateful for the wonderful memories. Thank you very much. It was a feast.

Heaven of Japanese Sake. A place on Sugi Daimon Street in Yotsuya-Sanchome where you can enjoy all-you-can-drink high-quality Japanese sake at a great value. They offer a selection of popular local sakes, and you can drink as much as you want of your favorite one for a fixed price of 8,000 yen (tax included) including a course meal. It's just unbelievable. I was grateful to be invited again this time. Moreover, it was a private party with a special guest from Osaka that I was really looking forward to meeting. As I climbed the stairs and entered the store, I felt the warmth of the wood in the bright interior. The only seating available is a counter that can accommodate about 10 people. When you look up at the ceiling, you can see a black kamidana (household Shinto altar) as the name of the store suggests. "8,000 yen all-you-can-drink course (tax included)" As soon as we sat down, beer glasses were provided without saying anything, which is always a pleasant hospitality. - Appetizers: 9 types of appetizers are served in each dish. I'm always happy to see the shiitake mushroom with blue cheese bake. The soup this time turned out to be amazake, which was gentle on the stomach before drinking the hangover cure. All the appetizers are delicious and go well with sake. I chose my sake cup and started the all-you-can-drink. The owner started lining up one-liter bottles on the counter, creating a wall of bottles. Choose your favorite sake, pour as much as you like into your cup, and drink as much as you want. Be careful not to get too drunk and drink a little bit. Drink plenty of water to ease the effects. At a good time while drinking, they serve each person a dish. - Sashimi platter: Thickly cut sashimi as always. The tuna with a lot of fat is exquisite. Enjoy the different textures of white fish. - Sukiyaki: Unexpectedly, sukiyaki. The large piece of meat got me really excited. Enjoy the tender umami and sweet fat of the premium meat dipped in egg yolk. It also accelerates the sake. - Oyster fry: One is topped with sauce, and the other with tartar sauce, so you can enjoy two different flavors. Crispy coating with juicy oysters. The cooking is also excellent. - Ramen: A bright red soup ramen appears. Fresh chives and egg yolk stand out vividly. Surprisingly, it's a full single serving, not a small bowl. The spiciness is not as strong as it looks, and you can still feel the deliciousness of the soup. I thought it might be too spicy, but it was delicious, and I easily finished it. We kept passing around and transferring the sake we drank while enjoying sake and conversation. And we completed all 30 types of sake. I enjoyed drinking lots of delicious sake. It was a fun time with close friends at the private party. I was quite tipsy and in a good mood for the after-party. Thanks to the organizer.

Heaven of Japanese Sake. A restaurant on Sugi Daimon Street in Yotsuya-Sanchome where you can enjoy all-you-can-drink Japanese sake. They offer popular local sakes, and you can drink as much as you like. And all this is included in an 8,000 yen course with food. It's unbelievably good value. I was grateful to be invited back this time. As I climbed the stairs and entered the restaurant, I felt the warmth of the wood in the bright interior. There is only a counter that can seat about 10 people. When you look up at the ceiling, as the name suggests, a kamidana (household Shinto altar) is installed. All-you-can-drink course for 8,000 yen (tax included): As soon as you sit down, beer glasses are provided without saying anything, which is surprisingly nice. And now the all-you-can-drink Japanese sake begins. First, I get to choose my favorite sake cup. The owner lines up one-liter bottles on the counter one after another. How many bottles will come out? They are lined up so much that a wall is created. From here, I pour my favorite sake into my cup in the amount I like and drink it. If you want to try different types, pour a little. But I can't help but pour more of the delicious ones. I drink plenty of water while enjoying the sake to avoid getting too drunk. I was able to drink about 30 types of sake in total. (Refer to the photo) I wonder how much it would be if I include my favorite refills? I got quite tipsy. Food: - Appetizers: 9 types of small dishes are served. Each one seems to go well with sake. The shiitake mushroom with blue cheese is as delicious as ever. The ponzu sauce with shirako (cod milt) is also delicious in this season. - Sashimi platter: Sliced tuna and white fish are served thickly. There are about 6 types of fish including white fish. You can enjoy the taste and texture differences of each fish. The tuna is thickly sliced and flavorful. - Grilled dish: I'm sorry, I forgot... - Oyster fry with mayonnaise & sauce: Two large oyster fries with different flavors. The rich umami of the large oysters is irresistible. - Nameko soba rice bowl: A normal portion that seems enough for one person. It goes down smoothly and disappears in no time. - Strawberries with condensed milk & apples: Refresh with fruits at the end. The quality of the food is also high, and just coming here to eat would be satisfying. Nevertheless, the price for this, including the food, is amazing. Thank you for the feast. I would like to come again.

As soon as you sit down, beer comes without having to say anything. Delicious dishes in small portions. A tantalizing appetizer followed by a rush of Japanese sake. You can help yourself to as much sake as you want. It's like heaven for sake lovers. Reservations are already full for the next 5 months, and it seems like it will become even more difficult to make a reservation. If you are interested, make sure to book early.

The restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes and a wide selection of Japanese sake. It is a hidden gem tucked away in a quiet location. Many people want to keep it as their secret hideaway, making it difficult to get a reservation. Without a reservation, you can't get in. The difficulty of visiting is high, but the satisfaction is also high, making it a happy place for sake lovers.

The heaven of sake is here. A restaurant on Sugi Daimon Street in Yotsuya Sancho-me where you can drink all the sake you want. Not just any all-you-can-drink, they have a selection of popular local sakes, and you can drink as much as you like of those. And all this for a fixed price of 8,000 yen including course dishes. Honestly, it's amazing. I was grateful to be invited for the first visit. As I entered the store up the stairs, I felt the warmth of the wood in the bright interior that can seat about 10 people at the counter. "All-you-can-drink course for 8,000 yen (tax included)" As I sat at the counter, beer was served without saying anything. I was happy to start with beer. And you can choose your favorite from a variety of sake cups in terms of color and shape. This is where this restaurant shines. One sake bottle after another is placed on the counter. They are all free-pour and all-you-can-drink. My excitement level was through the roof. I poured the first bottle to almost fill the cup, but here it's better to try many different kinds little by little. If you can drink, it's okay to pour a lot, but getting drunk is a must. To enjoy until the end, it's better to taste a little bit and if you like it, you can drink a lot. I tasted one after another, and gradually I couldn't remember what I had drunk, so I took pictures before drinking properly. I tried about 24 types as seen in the photos. I can't list them all. I drank so much that I couldn't remember what was good, but they were all delicious. (I wonder if I really understand the taste of sake?) Finally, I enjoyed the precious barley shochu "Kanehachi Toyonohoshi" on the rocks. The aroma of barley comes out as soon as you drink it, and you can really understand the meaning of the master's barley chocolate taste. It was the best time. The personality of the owner is also good, and I want to come back again and again. Thank you for inviting me. ---Impressions of the food. <What I ate> - 9 types of appetizers and 9 small dishes are served. All of them seem to go well with sake. The shiitake mushroom with blue cheese and roast beef wrapped in cheese were very delicious and impressive. - Assorted sashimi and tuna sashimi mountain topping are thickly sliced tuna and white fish assortment. The white fish looks almost the same but they are all different fish. You can enjoy the differences in taste and texture. The tuna is also very sweet and rich in flavor. The mountain topping is tuna red meat & peeled and grated with wasabi and quail eggs. - Grilled swordfish with Yanaka ginger. The swordfish has a fluffy texture with a crispy grilled skin. - Cold pork shabu-shabu. Pork that has been blanched to a pink color. The moist and tender pork has a delicious flavor. - Rolled sushi with tuna on top. One is definitely tuna with a lot of fat rolled on top. The other one was a white fish, I think. - Figs and oranges. Ripe figs have a gentle sweetness and are very soft. I learned for the first time that you can eat them with the skin. The food was also very good, not just the sake.

In Araki-cho, at the Sugioimon-dori street, on the second floor of Mr. Komachuu's place. Climbing up the steep stairs and passing through the door, a simple wooden counter greets you with a crisp atmosphere. I was led to a seat behind the counter and without saying a word, a glass of draft Heineken was served. A refreshing first sip. For the foodies, a beautiful assortment of appetizers was served - eggplant simmered in broth, mountain vegetables, watercress in broth, turnips, hirousu, komatsuna simmered, meguwari, tomato soup, edamame with dried baby sardines, and a rich cheese bake. Each dish was delicious without any unnecessary complexity. The lineup of sake in front of me made it hard to choose, but whenever a label was turned towards the owner, a new sake was brought out. Next came the sashimi, with the head meat of a live sea bream as the centerpiece, accompanied by flounder, marinated mackerel, and other star players. The volume and quality of the food were outstanding! The grilled dishes were also superb! The never-ending flow of sake paired perfectly with the food, raising the enjoyment to new heights. The sushi rolls for dessert were a perfect ending, followed by a sweet red-fleshed melon. Thank you for the feast. The quality and quantity of the food, as well as the sake, were truly divine! A paradise for sake-loving foodies like me! Looking forward to my next visit!

After finishing work, the drinking enthusiast went to Yotsuya-Sanchome... Today, I was invited by a drinking buddy to "Kamidana" in Yotsuya-Sanchome. As I entered the second floor of the restaurant after climbing the stairs, I was greeted by a spacious room with a high ceiling and a counter. We started with a toast with draft beer!! [Appetizer Platter] A platter with various dishes was served, and a large bottle of sake was lined up on the counter. All-you-can-drink, that's amazing... [Sashimi] With so many types of sake to try, I was busy drinking and neglected eating... And my memory became hazy... Somehow managed to finish the meal, and when I checked the photos, I realized I had tried 17 different types of sake, and went home feeling pleasantly drunk.

This day, I was invited to Yotsuya where there are many shops, it's fun, isn't it? Everyone is trying to maintain their composure, so we can't go to a second place, but this place seems relatively new. We can enjoy a selection of sake and a few dishes to go with it. However, they start with serving beer for a toast. There are about 20 types of sake, ranging from well-known brands to more obscure ones. I won't take pictures of the sake today because there are too many. The first dish is a vegetable platter, suitable for women. Then, sashimi is gradually added, followed by beef to finish. Dessert is unexpectedly watermelon. It must be good for hydration for drinkers. The interior of the restaurant is comfortable with high ceilings. Every time such restaurants become popular, I can't help but think that more people become poor. As long as you can drink a lot and fill your stomach, anything goes, regardless of the quality of the food, drinks, or dishes. It seems that ultimately, it's all about drinking cheaply. That's the kind of customer base that frequents these places.

A small sake bar located in Yotsuya, Araki-cho, with only counter seats. The chef's dishes are all delicious and go well with sake. Reservations are essential, with food offered in courses (3000 yen, 5000 yen, 7000 yen) and drinks for 3000 yen all-you-can-drink. The courses include appetizers, sashimi platter, and a choice of meat or fish main dish. The sashimi platter is generously filled, so even the 3000 yen course is satisfying. The types of sashimi vary daily, but the thick slices of fatty tuna melt in your mouth. Even someone like me who dislikes mackerel was able to enjoy it here! It's fresh and lacks any unpleasant smell. The variety of sake is impressive! Depending on the availability, you can enjoy high-end sake that is usually expensive. The counter quickly fills up with sake, creating a sake paradise! Just be careful not to drink too much and forget to drink water as a chaser. The chef may seem intimidating, but he is just shy, so feel free to strike up a conversation. His smile is lovely (*^^*).

I was invited to visit Kamidana-san in Araki-cho, which is located on the second floor of Komachu's building. You have to climb up a narrow staircase to reach it. Once you reach the top, the left door leads to Kamidana-san. The space consists of an L-shaped counter seat where about 8 people can sit. Various types of sake are already displayed on the counter. The food courses are priced at 3000 yen, 5000 yen, and 7000 yen, and each course includes an additional 3000 yen for almost unlimited drinks inside the restaurant. Of course, you start with a draft beer (which was served without choice). The term "almost" in "almost unlimited" means that the drinks served by the owner plus the visible bottles are included, so it's safe to assume that all drinks are unlimited. On this day, I chose the 7000 yen course. First, an assortment of small dishes was served on a tray. It included various items like sashimi, roast beef, and sweet sake. I picked a sake cup and poured myself drinks from the self-service selection. There were over 20 types of sake available. The sashimi was also served generously, and the volume was impressive for one person. The sake kept flowing. You can see the variety of sake I drank in the photos, including premium brands like Juyondai and Tenzan. I definitely had more than 4 cups of sake, even though I only had one cup of each kind. And if premium shochu was also included in the unlimited drinks offer... well, I had to try it on the rocks! The dishes included oyster gratin, blowfish tempura, and other delicious items. And to top it off, the meal ended with soba noodles! Eating soba after drinking sake is pure happiness. And they even served a dessert with fruits. I wanted to chat more with the fantastic owner, but that will have to wait for next time! I was introduced to a wonderful restaurant.