SAKE-YA

There’s a place called SAKE-YA Nishiogi in the Miirodo shopping street in Nishiogikubo, and it’s a pretty unusual setup. It’s a hybrid store that combines a brewery, a restaurant, and a liquor shop all in one.

It’s operated by Bakushu Kikaku, a subsidiary of Shibataya Holdings, and is part of the “Beer Kobo” brand family, but this location also sells wine and sake. It opened in November 2020, and it’s also a tasting bar where you can buy any drinks you like to take home right there on the spot.

That’s the best part. It’s brewed by Ms. Kato, a female brewer, who trained for two years under brewmaster Takayuki Fujikawa, the gold medal winner at JGBA 2020, before being put in charge of this shop. She brews an original beer every month and apparently tries a different style each time.

Their signature pale ale, “Sunny Gold,” is known for its tropical aroma. In addition to the beers brewed in-house, they also have beers delivered from the Beer Kobo chain, so there are usually around 10 beers on tap. They also offer a tasting set of three 100 ml pours for 990 yen, which is perfect for beginners.

The food is supervised by a chef with a French background, so the pairings with beer are carefully considered. It really captures Nishiogi’s vibe by balancing the ease of a neighborhood shopping street with solid quality.