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Kusha Liquor Store

A new “sake lover” appears in Kyoto’s Gojo Rakuen area!

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“Song artists” always appear suddenly.
A store where Japanese sake lovers gather will open in August 2023 in the Gojo Rakuen area of ​​Kyoto.
With limited information, we approach the hidden identity of the songwriter!

1. The secret of the composer

A new musician has appeared in the popular Gojo Rakuen area, which is about a 5-minute walk from Shichijo Station on the Keihan Railway, and where there are no shortage of new stores!The true identity of the first “Kokusha” is [Kokusha Liquor Store], which just opened on August 8th of this year.
Approximately two years after the launch of its predecessor, the e-commerce site, the store was opened out of a desire to have a place where people could actually experience the appeal of sake.
It is a ``Kakuuchi Sake Bar'' where you can drink carefully selected sake that the owner himself purchases directly from sake breweries called special stores.

2. Musician staff

Inside the store, which is a renovated townhouse built about 100 years ago, several "daily staff" appear.Some of them are certified sake brewers, and the bar is filled with a rotating cast of connoisseurs who not only love sake but are also knowledgeable about it.


The staff member on this day was ``Mi-chan,'' a lover of Japanese sake who earned her qualification as a sake brewer.It remembers the customer's preferences and suggests sake that suits them.Who among the unique staff members will be working at the store?InstagramPlease check in advance as we will notify you.

The dishes are changed daily by the staff that day.Basically, there are dishes that can be enjoyed with sake.
On this day, I had potato salad with yellowtail fish and mackerel heshiko.Pickles include seasonal vegetables and olives, as well as slightly unusual mozzarella and quail eggs.For finger foods, try prosciutto or salmon on crackers every now and then.All basic menu items are 500 yen each.Depending on the day, omelets and cakes may also be available.

3. Choosing sake that has some peculiarity

The deciding factor in choosing Japanese sake at [Kokusha Saketen] is that it has a certain flavor.It could be the personality of the brewer or president, or the sake itself, such as the manufacturing process and label.Become addictive = focus on becoming addictive.For that purpose, the owner himself went to the brewery.I value meeting them in person, drinking them, and seeing them with my own eyes and tongue.Because we want people to enjoy it casually, we charge a flat rate of 500 yen per glass of sake.Even just one drink is welcome.Please feel free to drop by.

4. Recommended sake chosen by a “musician”

1. Tenka Kamenoo Junmai Daiginjo Unfiltered Raw Sake (Onogawa/Akita Prefecture)
A refreshing and beautiful texture typical of Akita's local sake.The rice used is ``Kamenoo,'' also known as the rice variety, and its unique flavor is addictive.On the back of the label, there are employee comments for each drink, so be sure to read them.

2. Hana Tomoe Suimoto x Suimoto (Miyoshino Sake Brewery/Nara Prefecture)
Mizumoto, which has a history dating back to the Muromachi period, is an old-fashioned sake brewery made from naturally fermented lactic acid bacteria.
Suimoto ✖️ Suimoto is an alcoholic beverage that is brewed by changing the water from the third step into the sake of the suimoto during the 3-step preparation process.
This manufacturing method creates a new flavor created by living acid.The acid, which is a combination of rich sweetness and umami, has a sweet and sour fermented taste similar to yogurt or cheese, and is recommended to pair with hearty meat dishes.

3. Shotoku Kimoto Aizan (Shoutoku Sake Brewery/Kyoto Prefecture)
Kimoto-zukuri, in which the mash of sake is made by hand, is a traditional manufacturing method that has been around since the Edo period.Sake that is brewed slowly over time has a rich flavor that fills your mouth with flavor.A nice way to enjoy it is to enjoy the soft taste of kimoto while it is warm.

4. Junmai Daiginjo NUDY + (Wakatakeya Sake Brewery/Fukuoka Prefecture)
The first thing that catches your eye is the slightly sexy label.Brewed with malic acid yeast, it has a sparkling sourness and fruitiness just like apple juice.Even those who are curious about the label will definitely be satisfied.

5.Junmai Daiginjo Jinzo Shichiyo (Matsui Sake Brewery/Kyoto Prefecture)
Kamigura is the representative brand of Matsumoto Sake Brewery, the oldest sake brewery in Rakuchu.Among them, ``Nanayo'' is distributed only at restaurants.The well-balanced and crisp taste makes it an excellent drink to accompany a meal.It's not readily available outside the prefecture, so you should definitely try it here.

5. A store where musicians gather

The owner of the shop in Fukui Prefecture was impressed by ``Maibijin'' at Mikawa Sake Brewery, and was awakened to the deliciousness of Japanese sake.While actually talking to the brewers, he learned about the extraordinary commitment of each brewery and realized that, in a good sense, they were a ``gathering of songwriters.''If the maker is a songwriter, the customer who tastes it is also a songwriter.The store is frequented by sake lovers who are knowledgeable about Japanese sake.Of course, beginners are also welcome.We plan to set up a standing bar area in the future, hoping to become a place where people can start liking sake.It looks like it's going to be a fun bar where songwriters invite songwriters.

Kusha Liquor Store

Kusha Liquor Store

Address
373-3 Tameike-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto CityOpen with Googlemap
HP
https://www.kusemonosake.com/
Opening hours
17:00-22:30 (LO/22:00)
Closing days
Irregular

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