The gateway to "Aki's Little Kyoto" is Maekawa Liquor Store, which offers the flavors of the Setouchi region, including the local sake of the Takehara Sanzo (Taketsuru Sake Brewery, Fujii Sake Brewery, and Nakao Brewery), and Takehara Roadside Station, located at the gate of the "Townscape Preservation District."
Both stores are run by people who connect "modern Takehara" through food and alcohol. We hear from the store owner, who continues to protect the name entrusted to him by his benefactor, and the stationmaster, who supports the roadside station with great spirit.

From trading company employee to liquor store owner

Maekawa Liquor Store is located in a corner of downtown Takehara. The store stocks around 150 varieties of famous sake from the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, including the three Takehara breweries known as the "Takehara Sanzo."

The store is run by Yamada Noritsugu, who is from Kure City, which is next to Takehara.
Because his father was a regular customer at the Maekawa Liquor Store in Kure at the time, he helped out the store's owner and founder, Yasunori Maekawa, and gained firsthand experience in the distribution industry.

After graduating from university, Yamada got a job at a trading company, but at the age of 28, his father suddenly passed away, which brought a turning point for him. Maekawa approached him and said, "I want you to take charge of the new shop he's opening in Takehara."
He came to Takehara and jumped into the world of liquor sales after being entrusted with the business by a benefactor who had treated him like a son since he was a child.

The Takehara store was incorporated in 2001, with Yamada taking over as its representative. However, the relaxation of liquor sales regulations came shortly after, and large retailers began to emerge. Despite the headwinds, Yamada personally promoted the store not only in Takehara, but also in the neighboring cities of Mihara and Higashi-Hiroshima, steadily building recognition and trust in the local area. At the same time, he frequently visited the three sake breweries in Takehara, engaging in dialogue with the brewers.

As chairman of the Takehara Food Association, which collaborates with farmers, fishermen, and restaurants, he explored the potential of local ingredients and local sake, and increased the value of Maekawa Liquor Store as a liquor store that could convey the region's food culture in a three-dimensional way.

"Takehara has a mountain of treasures that will shine if polished. I want to create a system now that will continue to deliver these to the next 50 years," says Yamada, exuding his presence as a key player in town development.

Recommended local sake available at Maekawa Liquor Store!

Maekawa Liquor Store has long served as a hub for the local area. With a focus on the "Takehara Sanzo" brands of Taketsuru, Fujii, and Nakao, the store stocks around 150 types of local sake nurtured by the Setouchi climate, and many unique bottles that can only be purchased here.

1. Fujii Sake Brewery's "Chinu Zanmai" Junmai Ginjo

On the left in the photo is "Maekawa Sake Shop Original Sasa Sake," a Takehara-exclusive Sasa label sake from Fujii Sake Brewery. It is a pure rice sake made with 60% polished rice, and its mellow flavor pairs well with both Japanese and Western cuisine.

We want people to know more about the true charm of black porgy (chinu), the fish most familiar to us in the Seto Inland Sea. This desire led to the creation of the Junmai Ginjo sake "Chinu Sanmai (720ml, 2,860 yen including tax)," which was conceived by the "Setouchi no Blessings Project," a group of volunteers led by the owner of an Italian restaurant in the city.

Black porgy is caught in clean waters with good tidal flow, and properly prepared seasonal fish are as delicious as red sea bream. On the other hand, individuals that live in areas with poor water quality can lose their quality due to the influence of food, which can cause them to have a sea odour or muddy smell, making them a popular fish among anglers.

"Chinu Sanbu" was born from the desire to share it with "black sea bream lovers" all over Japan. It has a refreshing taste, a gentle acidity that brings out the umami of the seafood, and a subtle sweetness of rice in the aftertaste. When paired with sashimi, grilled fish, or carpaccio, the delicate sweetness of the fish and the umami of the sake come together. It is truly a bottle that reflects the bounty of the Seto Inland Sea.

The "Maekawa Sake Shop Original Sasa Sake" on the left side of the photo is a rare bottle that can only be purchased here in the store. If you visit Takehara, be sure to look for it. (Some of it is also provided for hometown tax donations.)

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2. Nakao Brewery's "Maboroshi Kurobako Junmai Daiginjo Genshu"

Nakao Brewery releases the limited edition "Maboroshi Kurobako" (720ml, 3,300 yen including tax) only once a year. The rice is polished to 45% and has an alcohol content of 17%. This popular brand is only sold at Maekawa Liquor Store in November each year, and is sold out once it is gone. It is a special bottle for an anniversary or makes a wonderful gift.
The sake, made with apple yeast, gives off a fruity apple-like aroma and has won first place at a national sake tasting competition, and has been selected as the Imperial Family's New Year's sake for three consecutive years.

The Kurobako sake is made using the same brewing methods as the original, and when poured into a glass, a gorgeous aroma reminiscent of green apples rises. One sip and the pure clarity and powerful rice flavor that only undiluted sake can offer fills the mouth, leaving a lingering aftertaste that invites the next sip. It is recommended to chill it to around 10°C and enjoy it in a wine glass. Pair it with oysters in oil or white fish sashimi, and the sake's rich flavor will bring out the delicate umami of the seafood.

<Maekawa Liquor Store>
https://www.takeharakankou.jp/souvenir/18523

"Key people" who support roadside stations

The Takehara Roadside Station, located at the gate of the townscape preservation district, is an important base that functions as the "gateway to Takehara tourism." Okubo Fumiyo has worked at the roadside station since it first opened and was appointed station manager last year, supporting the station.

"The truth is, I'm not good at being in front of people."
Okubo laughs as he steadily builds up his career over the course of 15 years, becoming a "walking dictionary" relied upon by staff and exhibitors alike.

From 2014 to 2015, the NHK morning drama series "Massan," based on the life of Takehara native and founder of Nikka Whisky, Masataka Taketsuru, and his wife Rita, was broadcast, and the number of visitors to Takehara Roadside Station exceeded 20 per year, with large buses arriving one after another and the station packed to capacity every day.

As the boom died down and the coronavirus pandemic hit hard, Okubo saw it as an opportunity to reconsider his situation.

"Now that I have more time off, I can go and help out at cafes, farms, and processing plants. I've noticed that there are so many delicious things out there, like lemons, potatoes, and seafood, and I wonder why they're not on the market."

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the store's product lineup has changed to include "truly delicious and long-standing items" from the local area and neighboring towns, and the focus is now on items that customers would want to buy for themselves and their families.

Approximately 200 companies, including farmers, fishermen, confectioners, and workshops, are exhibiting their products. Currently, the most popular items are locally produced oysters pickled in oil (810 yen), smoked nuts from Mihara, lemon cake from Ichikawa Confectionery (150 yen), bento lunches made by local mothers every morning, and a marinated white fish bowl (1,880 yen) made with the roadside station's original sauce. Okubo says that he perfected the dish after repeated trial and error, saying things like, "It should be a little sweeter" or "It should be a little spicier."

"I've been involved in the planning of all of the roadside station's original products," Okubo says casually, but behind this is a strong desire to "ensure that producers don't have to stop making them."

"Even if we catch a lot of black porgy and sea bream, the selling price is low locally and we don't make a profit. But if we make them into marinated rice bowls, customers from outside the prefecture are delighted and say, 'It's delicious!' I hope that by creating demand in this way, we can continue to do this, even if just a little."

The designated manager of Roadside Station Takehara is Yamada-san, of Maekawa Liquor Store, who we introduced earlier. His name naturally came up due to his many years of contribution to the local community. In 2023, he became the representative of the town development company, Iine Takehara Co., Ltd., and now wears two hats: president of a liquor store and manager of the roadside station.

Local sake and snacks available at Roadside Station Takehara

Whether you're traveling or on your way back, Roadside Station Takehara has a wide selection of companions that will make you think, "I'd like to have a drink." Here, I'll introduce some of my recommended "drinking buddies."

1. "Oysters in Oil" that capture the flavor of the Seto Inland Sea

This dish is made by marinating oysters grown in the sea off Hiroshima in oil with garlic and herbs. The umami and rich saltiness of the plump oysters complement the fullness of the junmai sake and the acidity of the kimoto style. The rich umami flavors of these oysters go particularly well with Taketsuru's junmai sake. It's an undeniable "surefire" souvenir.

It's delicious whether eaten as is, on a baguette, or mixed with pasta. It can be stored at room temperature, but must be refrigerated after opening.

2. "Mihara Smoked Nuts" - A delicacy with a fragrant smoky aroma

The smoked nuts made in Mihara are a mix of almonds, cashews, and walnuts, and are a memorable delicacy with the sweetness of the nuts themselves and a fragrant smoky aroma.

It goes well with pure rice sake, and surprisingly, with sake, it also goes well with the fruity aroma of ginjo sake. When paired with a chilled "Maboroshi" or "Ryusei," the Setouchi "ocean flavor" and a smoky aroma reminiscent of the barrel aroma rise in the glass. The crisp aftertaste washes away the oiliness of the nuts. Of course, it also goes well with beer and shochu, but when paired with sake, you can enjoy a more sophisticated "adult evening drink."

3. Condiments of your choice! Takehara's specialty "Bamboo Grilled Salt" and Osakikamijima's "Wooden Soy Sauce"

Takehara Roadside Station also has a wide selection of dried seafood that captures the delicious flavor of the Seto Inland Sea.
However, here we would like to recommend some excellent condiments that will make you want to drink more alcohol.

As mentioned at the beginning, salt was once a specialty of Takehara. Unfortunately, high-quality salt has fallen out of fashion, but "bamboo-roasted salt" is the only product remaining in Takehara, a delicacy made by packing salt into a bamboo tube and roasting it at high temperature.

It has a rounded, mellow saltiness and a subtle umami flavor, and when sprinkled on chilled tofu, just a pinch will accentuate the sweetness of the soybeans in the tofu and bring out the mellow umami of Takehara sake. When sprinkled on edamame or tomatoes, the sweetness of the vegetables is accentuated, and when used as a dipping salt for tempura, it enhances the flavor of the ingredients without overpowering them. When mixed into rice balls, the subtle umami flavor harmonizes with the sweetness of the rice.

It is a versatile seasoning and would make a great souvenir for anyone who loves to cook. It is also recommended as a simple snack or as a side dish for connoisseurs who want to enjoy the unique characteristics of sake at home.

Kioke soy sauce is brewed by Okamoto Soy Sauce on Osakikamijima, about a 20-minute ferry ride offshore from Takehara. This long-established soy sauce brewery maintains the traditional method of aging carefully selected ingredients in cedar wooden barrels for 1 to 3 years, something that is rare these days. The deep flavor and rich aroma are a perfect match for Takehara Sanzo's fine sake.

Additionally, the bento boxes, handmade by local mothers every morning, are also popular. The ingredients change with the seasons, but they have a simple, gentle taste, including tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) and fish dishes of the day. The comforting "mother's home cooking" flavor will soothe your travel fatigue. As quantities are limited, we recommend visiting in the morning to secure one and enjoy it while looking out at the sea of ​​Takehara. It's a great dish to have as a snack between sightseeing, in the car on a drive, or as an accompaniment to an evening drink when you get home.

Takehara Sanzo's local sake is available in a "tasting set"!

Of course, local sake is also available at Roadside Station Takehara.
We especially recommend the Takehara Sanzo tasting set (3 bottles of 720ml each, approx. 4,500 yen). The pleasure of tasting each one and finding the one that suits you best is exceptional. You'll be amazed at how different the flavors of these three sakes, all cultivated with the same town's water and climate, can be.

<Takehara Roadside Station>
https://www.iine-takehara.com/michinoekitakehara

Takehara's "stories" that you can enjoy even after you return home

Whether it's a bottle of sake you choose at Maekawa Liquor Store or a local snack you can find at Takehara Roadside Station, each one quietly tells the "story" of Takehara.

On your next day off, why not take a little trip to Takehara? A town with a swirl of people and alcohol at its heart, awaits you today.

Takehara Sake Map is here!

writer:
Yamaguchi Goko
Graduated from the Faculty of Law, Kyoto University in 1995. Passed the English Guide-Interpreter exam in February 2010. His love of sake led him to become a sake sommelier, an international sake sommelier, and an FBO-certified sake studies instructor. He is also certified by the Sake Educational Council as a Certified Advanced Sake Professional (ASP). Since 2017, he has been writing articles for both Japanese and English media, reporting on trends in sake both domestically and internationally. In addition, since May 2019, he has been teaching WSET sake courses in Shinsaibashi, Osaka as a WSET sake educator.

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