It probably goes without saying that the best place to drink sake is in Japan.
Not only is it significantly cheaper that what’s sold in Singapore (or any other country for that matter), but the selection available is much more diverse and interesting.
So, during our 12 day Kansai vacation, I made it a point to sample as many different bottles as possible. And to ensure maximum coverage, I searched for places where I could try them by the glass. Or rather, by the ochoko.
Yamanaka Sake Ekimaru
One of the shops I found was Yamanaka Sake (山中酒の店), located within the JR Osaka station.
Specifically, it was part of Eki Marché Osaka, an F&B marketplace filled with plenty of food and drink stores. All of them carefully designed to lure commuters coming in and out of the busy interchange.
We had just checked out of the Ritz Carlton Osaka, after a delightful stay where we basically camped out at the wonderful Club Lounge.
Our next stop was Kyoto, and I had planned our hotel check-out time so that we could catch the beautiful Kyo-train Garaku rapid limited express train to Kyoto-Kawaramachi station.
Yamanaka Sake Ekimaru was located conveniently along the way, and there just happened to be a one hour window before boarding.
Sake Bingo Card
Admittedly, timing was a bit tight, but there was no way I was passing up on this invaluable opportunity.
To not only sip on some tasty nihonshu, but also to make serious inroads into my bucket list of drinking sake from all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Back home in Singapore, after several years of casual drinking, I had managed to cover a decent 17 out of the 47 (i.e. 36% completion). Progress was slow, but steady.
It was time to pick up the pace, starting with a carafe (or two) of Miyakanbai (宮寒梅) from Miyagi that was served with our Hanakoireki kaiseki lunch on board Singapore Airlines.
This was followed by, a couple of days later, Toyobijin (東洋美人) from Yamaguchi and Kirakucho (喜楽長) from Shiga. Both were available at Sushi Sakaba Sashisu, a local izakaya popular with hungry hippos.
| No. | Brand | Grade | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miyakanbai (宮寒梅) | Junmai Ginjo | Miyagi |
| 2 | Toyobijin (東洋美人) | Junmai Ginjo | Yamaguchi |
| 3 | Kirakucho (喜楽長) | Junmai | Shiga |
I dutifully updated my bingo card after each bottle. Although my white squares were incrementally turning green, achieving bingo remained elusive.
Nihonshu Menu
That was all about to change, given the uncharacteristically large array of choices, all of them available by the glass at varying price points.
Uncharacteristic, that is, for a sake bar in Singapore. But as a wise girl named Dorothy once said, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
But first, something from Ōsaka.
Specifically, a Katano Sakura (片野桜) yamahai junmai (山廃純米) nama genshu (生原酒) using Omachi rice ( 雄町). It was dry, full-bodied and umami-rich, a powerful drink that tasted, for lack of a better word, wild.
A perfect match for the anatomically correct “yak stools” that we were sitting on, complete with four little feet and a shaggy tail.
Automatic Sake Dispensers
The minimum order from the menu was 60ml, but since I wanted to cover as much ground as possible, it made more sense to order from the automatic dispensing machines.
They operate on customised coins which were sold at 1 for ¥250, 3 for ¥600 or 5 for ¥1,000. After that, simply go to a desired bottle, deposit a coin, place your cup underneath the spout and press the dispense button.
Each portion is 30ml, large enough to appreciate the flavour of the chosen sake, and small enough to try many different options.
And boy, were there many different options to choose from. Each came with a short flavour description, and more importantly, the prefecture where it was brewed.
It was exactly what I needed, for the mission I was on.
I made full use of the limited time available and sampled six different bottles in quick succession.
Half of them were not to my liking: the Tenyurin (天游琳) and Hakuin Masamune (白隐正宗) were too dry, while the Gorin (五凛) was just meh.
However, the other three were quite unique and interesting.
The Kid (紀土) was red and had an obvious berry flavour, the Ishizuchi (石鎚) smelled like Calpis and tasted milky with a pleasant dryness and the Hanatomoe (花巴) was complex with an nice initial sourness.
Progress Update
Over the short span of 60 minutes, I had managed to try seven different sakes from seven different prefectures.
With the exception of the Hanatomoe (花巴) from Nara, the remaining bottles were from six prefectures that I had not encountered before.
| No. | Brand | Grade | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katano Sakura (片野桜) | Junmai | Ōsaka |
| 2 | Ishizuchi (石鎚) | Junmai Ginjo | Ehime |
| 3 | Kid (紀土) | Futsushu | Wakayama |
| 4 | Tenyurin (天游琳) | Tokubetsu Junmai | Mie |
| 5 | Hakuin Masamune (白隐正宗) | Junmai | Shizuoka |
| 6 | Hanatomoe (花巴) | Junmai | Nara |
| 7 | Gorin (五凛) | Junmai | Ishikawa |
It was a short but fruitful drinking session, one that resulted in my very first bingo. A horizontal line right across the middle, starting from Aichi (愛知県) and ending at Mie (三重県).
We were only halfway through our Japan trip, and I had already managed to move my progress bar from 36% to 53% (25 out of 47). Crossing the halfway mark felt like a significant milestone.
With another six days left in Kyoto, I was optimistic that another bingo could be attained. Bringing me one step closer to achieving one of my missions in life.
Kansai Winter 2024
The chunky and yummy yakitori of Yanagi Koji Taka
Ironically, yakitori wasn’t even on our radar for Kyoto. But I’m glad we ended up having some anyway, even though it was totally by accident.
Comparing seven rice polishing ratios of the same sake
If only there was a Japanese brewery that made the exact same sake, the exact same way but changed only the seimaibuai for different bottles.
Gion to Ginkakuji via the Philosopher’s Path
The 5.7-kilometre walk was quite an achievement for us, and easily one of the longest we’ve ever completed while on vacation.
Elegant tofu kaiseki at Rengetsujaya in Higashiyama
Tofu may seem like a humble ingredient but centuries — no, millennia — of refinement in Kyoto has elevated it to a delicacy.
There’s no such thing as too much yuzu at Yuzugen Pontocho
Yuzu sake, yuzu daikon, yuzu kosho, yuzu gyoza, yuzu nabe, yuzu ramen. When you’re a yuzu addict, it’s never enough.
Relaxing day trip to Uji from Kyoto
Uji feels like the kind of place that’s best enjoyed on a slower pace, and that’s exactly what we did. Here are the places we visited during the six hours that we were there.
You can never have too much matcha in Uji
As they say in Japan: “When in Uji, drink matcha.” So we travelled to the mecca of matcha, to see if it was possible to overdose on the magical green powder.
The Wife walked into Ousu no Sato and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
A peaceful stroll in the Byōdō-in temple grounds
There are two main reasons why tourists travel to Uji. The first is for matcha, and the second is to see the temple stamped on all Japanese ¥10 coins.
Heartwarming matcha soba by the old folks of Torikiku
The broth had a clear citrusy note of sudachi that shone through, plus something else that we couldn’t quite identify. Whatever it was, it made the dashi taste extra special.
Katsukura: Sometimes, all you need is some deep-fried pork
Whenever we find ourselves in Japan, our number one pick for crispy and juicy tonkatsu is invariably Katsukura from Kyoto.
Kawaii temari sushi for breakfast at OMO5 Kyoto Gion
Apparently, its petite size and easy-to-bite form factor makes it the ideal choice for geishas who don’t want to smudge their makeup.
Waking up to the smell of freshly-baked bread
The next morning, as dawn approached and sunlight started peeking through the blinds, we were awoken by an enticing and unmistakable scent.
OMO5 Kyoto Gion is great, but not so good on the knees
It’s right in the heart of the historic geisha district and offers a good combination of price, location and size. But if you have bad knees, stay clear of the Double Zashiki Tatami Room.
Catching the Kyo-train Garaku from Osaka to Kyoto
There are many ways to travel between the two cities by train, but the most beautiful and elegant one must surely be the Kyo-train Garaku rapid limited express.
The complete Club Level experience at Ritz Carlton Osaka
When travelling to a foreign land, hotels are usually just places to spend the night. But sometimes, they can be destinations in their own right.
Ritz Carlton Osaka: Camping out at the Club Lounge for all our meals
I had booked one night in a club level room, which included access to the legendary club lounge. And for the next 24 hours, all our meals were sorted.
Fancy champagne high tea at Ritz Carlton Osaka
Checking into a hotel is typically a mundane affair, except when you book a room with Club Lounge access at the Ritz Carlton in Osaka.
Sushi Sakaba Sashisu was so good, we had to go twice
Whenever hippos get hungry, they sneak off to the nearest izakaya and scarf down some nigiri sushi, together with copious amounts of sake.
The oishii asagohan at Yawaragi in Shinsaibashi
At night, Yawaragi is your typical salaryman izakaya. But at the break of dawn, it transforms into an atypical breakfast spot, famous for tamago dashimaki prepared à la minute.
