Ikken Uruuru is an izakaya where you can enjoy sake collected from all over Japan in a nostalgic space that makes use of a Kyoto townhouse from the early Showa period. The carefully selected lineup, including the "Assemblage Club," is sure to grab the attention of sake fans.

We welcome not only connoisseurs but also those who are not used to drinking sake.

Ikken Uruuru is an izakaya that celebrated its 2th anniversary this February. The space, which makes use of a Kyoto townhouse from the early Showa period, is decorated with grandfather clocks and old Western record jackets, creating a nostalgic atmosphere.
As Director Nishiwaki says, "We aim to be a place where both drinkers and non-drinkers can come together," so there is nothing intimidating about a sake specialty store. People who are not used to sake can enjoy beer or cocktails, and it's enough to think, "I'll try a drink that has a cute label that catches my eye." In any case, we want people to feel at ease and enjoy their drinks.
And yet, for serious sake lovers, the lineup is sure to make your eyes sparkle. Popular brands selected from around the country, including local Kyoto brands, are lined up, and the all-you-can-drink banquet course of 30 brands of sake starts at 6,000 yen, which is a delight.
You can enjoy a relaxed and toasty meal of sake with a wide range of dishes, from Kyoto-style obanzai, namafu and yuba dishes, to hearty chicken and large portions, and the most popular potato salad.

A variety of dishes that go well with alcohol

Beef tendon roll 1,600 yen
Boasting a fluffy texture and filling, the dashi-maki has been a popular menu item since the restaurant first opened. It's delicious enough on its own, but this dish is topped with stewed wagyu beef tendons in a dashi-filled sauce, which adds a unique twist. The tenderness of the beef tendons rivals the softness of the egg. The dashi has a slightly spicy flavor with a hint of white miso, and some say that this dish goes well with alcohol.

Dried sardines with Japanese pepper and seasonal salad 1,300 yen
This salad is made with seasonal vegetables, including bamboo shoots in spring, and homemade dried chirimen sansho pepper, making it the perfect snack to go with alcohol. It is drizzled with homemade grated carrot dressing, and topped with a generous amount of white miso dressing for a change of flavor. The white miso dressing goes perfectly with the dried chirimen sansho pepper. We recommend pairing the sake with Assemblage Crab, which matches the oil in the dressing!

A selection of fine sake from Kyoto and around the country

Assemblage Club 01 CODENAME: Taro' 60ml 1,000 yen, 5 scoops 1,500 yen, 1 cup 3,000 yen
Kitagawa Honke Co., Ltd. Kitagawa Honke (Kyoto) Sold by Leaf Publications Co., Ltd. Alcohol content 15%, rice polishing ratio not disclosed

This premium bottle was created through the collaboration of three Kyoto breweries (Masuda Tokubei Shoten, Kitagawa Honke, and Matsui Sake Brewery) using the "assemblage" technique of blending sake.
"I was intrigued by this unexpected blend of the three brands I've always recommended: Tomiou, Tsuki no Katsura, and Shinzo! When I tried it, I felt that it had a strong flavor. The data suggested that it would go well with meat, but I think it would also go well with a variety of other things. When I paired it with white miso dressing on a salad, I thought it was amazing how it washed through my mouth so nicely."

Tomio Junmai Ginjo Tanshu Yamada Nishiki Nama Genshu 5 shaku 600 yen, 1 go 1,200 yen
Kitagawa Honke Co., Ltd. (Fushimi, Kyoto Prefecture), alcohol content 16%, rice polishing ratio 55%
They use Yamada Nishiki rice grown with almost no pesticides at a contracted farm in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture. They are committed to using only Kyoto ingredients, brewing with Kyoto's unique yeast "Kyoto no Koto" and brewing water from Fushimi.
"People who come to Kyoto want to drink local Kyoto sake, but they also say they want something dry. In Kyoto, sake is brewed with soft water, so it isn't very spicy. But one of Kyoto's great things about sake is that it pairs well with food. This sake in particular is gentle and has a sweet taste that doesn't linger in the mouth, enhancing the subtleties of the dish. It goes well with any type of food, be it vegetables, fish, or meat."

Koei Kiku SNOW CRESCENT 2024 Unfiltered raw sake 5 shaku 700 yen, 1 go 1,400 yen
Koei Kiku Brewery Co., Ltd. (Saga Prefecture), alcohol content 13%
The brewery, which had once gone out of business, was revived by two TV men in 2019. The fresh-tasting sake brewed by the young master brewer put in charge of the brewing process quickly became popular.
"I've been on good terms with Yamamoto Katsuaki, the master brewer at Koei Kiku, since he was at the brewery in Aichi Prefecture, and I've had a crush on him (laughs). It's often the case that you fall in love with a sake because of a person's personality. I love the Saga brewery so much that when they opened it I rushed over right away. This sake has a grapefruit-like taste, and an interesting fizzy acidity. It's also low in alcohol at 13%, so you can enjoy the gradual umami. It's a sake with just the right balance of acidity and bitterness."

The desire to increase the number of people who like sake is apparent

Now, it is open as a cafe once a week at lunchtime. You can enjoy hand-dripped coffee, toast, and other food menu items. "I'm thinking it might be interesting to hold an event with coffee and sake," says Nishiwaki. He also wants to resume events inviting brewers, which he hasn't been able to do for a while due to the COVID-1 pandemic.
The store's stance is to lower the barrier to entry for sake, which is often considered difficult, so that anyone can enjoy drinking it. The store is as open as possible, but the deeper you go, the deeper it becomes. You can feel their passion to make people love sake even more.