I didn't know many places where you could enjoy four types of sake for only 1,000 yen. I used to not be interested in sake at all, but recently I've come to realize that sake goes well with fish. It's really fun to think about what kind of taste it has and what kind of food it pairs well with. The owner seems happy to talk about which sake goes well with what. Personally, I thought the salted mackerel with koji was delicious, while my wife loved the ume suisho. I think many people stopped drinking sake because they had a bad hangover in the past, but sake nowadays is of a different quality, so I hope you give it a try.

On April 16, 2023, I visited with 10 friends to the annual Takenoko Festival in Musashikoyama, which was held for the first time in 3 years. We enjoyed the main event, Takenoko soup by Chef Kasahara, a Musashikoyama native, and then headed to a restaurant located near a tower apartment complex that has completely transformed the area. The restaurant, known for its 48 types of premium sake available for self-service, is a great standing bar with excellent dishes that pair well with sake. We tried various dishes such as Kyoto-style spicy beef tendon, sweet shrimp with salt koji, ham cutlet, and more. The highlight was the fugu roe nukazuke, a rare delicacy that is marinated for over 2 years and pairs perfectly with sake. We also enjoyed a selection of sake from different regions in Japan, all available in small servings for tasting. The unique rule of the restaurant is to purchase coins for sake and then order dishes separately. The atmosphere is stylish and welcoming, making it a great place for both men and women to enjoy.

A new standing bar called Ochoko has recently opened in Musashi-Koyama. Currently, it is a standing-only bar, but they plan to add seats soon. The interior of the bar consists of just a counter, with a row of sake dispensers extending towards the back of the bar. They offer a wide range of sake brands, from well-known ones to more obscure ones, with descriptions that can make you feel tipsy just by reading them. You can start by inserting coins (4 coins for ¥1,000) and selecting a sake of your choice with the press of a button. It's easy to do, as the coins can also be used in slot machines. The sakes I tried this time were (prices include tax): Tokachi Junmai Koshino Kanbai, Betsusen Ginjo Tsukiyama, Hoshun Karakuchi Junmai Komenotsuru, Kappa Tokubetsu Junmai, Chokarakuchi Koimari Zen Junmai. For food, I ordered a sashimi platter (¥700), salted king squid (¥500), shinkoji pickles (¥300), homemade sea urchin salted roe (¥700), and Kyoto-style spicy dried fish (¥300). Each sake was delicious, and I chose ones I had never seen before. The atmosphere was enjoyable, and the food paired perfectly with the sake. It was a delightful experience, sipping on sake and enjoying the snacks. I didn't get full, but I felt happy. In one word, it was fun. Thank you for the meal!

Amami has been renovated and turned into a standing bar! I was informed by a friend and decided to go check it out. As soon as I entered, I was excited to see a row of vending machines along the wall. You can buy a coin for 250 yen, and when you insert the coin into the vending machine and press a button, it dispenses 50ml of sake. They say you can buy it with just one coin, but it's smoother to get 4 coins for 1000 yen. Well, 4 coins might not be enough, so I bought 8 coins for 2000 yen right away haha. When you place a glass under the spout and press the button, it pours exactly 50ml. I thought it was over after one glass, but when I tried holding the button down, it still poured only 50ml. It may seem like just one glass, but there are 48 different kinds available, so it's nice to be able to try a variety! After taking a picture of the sake I drank, it turns out I had tried 13 different kinds (50ml x 13 = 650ml, 3.611111... glasses haha). The snacks are all perfect for sake, and they really captured the heart of a drinker like me. I especially loved the "uruka and blue cheese" combination. Uruka is a salty and bitter dish made from the innards of sweetfish, which I love, but I usually pair it with tofu or something light. But to pair it with strong-flavored blue cheese! It's like they're fighting in my mouth, but then they hug it out and get along. When I told the master, "This is interesting and delicious!" he humbly said, "I'm still learning about sake and snacks, so if you have any good combinations or ideas, please let me know." I hope they continue to create wonderful original snacks in the future. Another thing that makes me happy as a drinker is their opening hours from 12 pm. Day drinking, soaking in Shimizu hot spring, and then coming back here again? Oh my, that sounds great!

On April 7, 2023, I visited with two friends for the first time. This place used to be a traditional seafood izakaya called "Amami". It was renovated on March 31 and transformed into a sake standing bar. The master runs the place alone. The interior is bright with a Japanese touch, featuring a counter on the right and 48 types of sake servers lined up on the left. They are said to be inspired by the Ponsyu-kan in Echigo Yuzawa. The system here works by first buying 4 coins for 1000 yen at the counter, then purchasing sake from the self-service server on the left. Each glass (50ml) costs 250 yen. It's a tasting size, perfect for enjoying various sake. Glasses and chasers are placed in the middle for self-service. You write down your orders for beer, sour drinks, and food on a slip at the counter. It's cash on delivery, so you pay in cash on the spot and the master checks off your order when the food arrives. The dishes I tried included: "Flavored half-cooked quail eggs" (300 yen), "Smoked edamame (scented with cherry wood chips)" (500 yen), "King's salted squid" (500 yen), "Uruka and blue cheese" (600 yen), "Ham cutlet" (300 yen), "Kyoto-style spicy tendon" (300 yen), and "Amami miso" (complimentary). The sake I tried (50ml/250 yen each) included 9 different types. The selection was excellent, ranging from trendy brands to rare ones like Koshinosakagume. I only tried 9 out of the 48 available, but it was enough to get me pleasantly tipsy. The highlight of the place is the wide variety of premium sake available. The food pairs perfectly with the sake, thanks to the master's expertise after nearly 40 years in the izakaya business. The self-service sake servers are a new addition, originally from a wine cellar manufacturer. This is one of the top places in Tokyo with such a vast selection of sake available for self-service. The redevelopment of Musashikoyama has led to the disappearance of the drinking district near the station, but this new addition brings back the lively drinking culture the area is known for. The leftover coins can be used next time or exchanged for cash, which is a thoughtful touch. This is the perfect place for sake enthusiasts and beginners alike. It's also great for solo female drinkers, as I noticed a few enjoying themselves during my visit.