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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (National Sake Day)

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
National Sake Day is October 1. Since the brewing year used to start in October, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association designated October 1 as the National Sake Day in 1978. Events are held nationwide with participants toasting with sake to celebrate this day. The weekday of this event was Tuesday this year, thus the toasting event was held on a weekend in many cases. I attended the event held at the izakaya restaurant “Daidokoro Soma” in the Yoyogi area of Tokyo. 
 
Izakaya restaurant “Daidokoro Soma” (“Soma’s Kitchen”) is in the Yoyogi area of Tokyo, a restaurant district where many new restaurants opened in the last few years due to redevelopment. Many young customers frequent the area. The izakaya restaurant consists of eight counter seats, where older customers can sit comfortably and enjoy a drink, and a table that seats four guests. The event started on a Sunday at noon. The restaurant was filled by a wide range of solo guests between the ages of 20 to 60. 
 
The six seasonal fall sake selections served are “Akagisan Hiyaoroshi Honjozo” by Kondo Shuzo Co., Ltd., “Iwamiginzan Tokubetsu Junmai” by Ichinomiya Sake Brewing, “Nagatorogura Junmai Ginjo” by Fujisaki Sobei Shoten, “Takizawa Junmai Ginjo” by Shinsyu-Meijyo Co., Ltd, “Sanzui Junmai Ginjo” by Hakuro Shuzo, and “Honshu-ichi Junmai” by Umeda Shuzojo. 
 
The difference between each sake specification and the brewery that produced the sake can be savored with each sake that exuded a mellow fall flavor. The meal consisted of twelve courses, each devised by the restaurant owner Soma-san specifically for this event. Several appetizers prepared from vegetables kicked off the meal, followed by the chef’s original Char-siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), smoked duck, sausages, grilled shrimp, etc. Both young and elderly guests expressed satisfaction with the menu selections served. 
 
The bottles of sake prepared for the event gradually disappeared. The restaurant consisted of counter seats, where I watched the guests pour sake from each of the six bottles of seasonal fall sake for each other as they enjoyed the delicious food and lively conversations, exchanged contact information, and promised to meet up at “Daidokoro Soma” (“Soma’s Kitchen”) to drink together. I was reassured in my belief that sake is a communication tool. 
 
Three hours quickly passed as the guests enjoyed lively conversations, and the drinking event where adults toasted with sake ended. Every guest seemed full, slightly tipsy, and quite satisfied. I have no doubt that some guests who had not consumed enough sake went on to another restaurant afterwards. I often hear that guests who don’t usually drink sake are invited to drink sake on National Sake Day. I invite consumers who regularly enjoy sake to toast with sake not only on National Sake Day, but in everyday life with delicious food and great company.
 
 
 
東京地酒散歩（日本酒の日） 
 
　１０月１日は日本酒の日である。以前は酒造年度が１０月から始まっていた為、１９７８年に日本酒造組合中央会が日本酒の日と定めた。近年、全国各地で日本酒で乾杯するというイベントが行われている。今年は曜日が火曜日だったこともあり、乾杯イベントを週末に行う場合も多く、その中で、東京代々木の居酒屋「台所そうま」で行われたイベントに行ってきた。台所そうまは、この数年、再開発などで新しい飲食店街が出来、若者が多く飲み歩くようになった代々木の中で、年齢が少し高めの層の人々にもゆっくり酒を飲んでもらえるカウンター８席、４人テーブル１卓の落ち着いた店である。日曜日の昼１２時からスタートした会は満席で一人での来店が多く、２０代から６０代までと幅広い年齢層の人が集まっていた。並んだ日本酒は全て秋の季節酒で、群馬県近藤酒造の赤城山本醸造ひやおろし、島根県一宮酒造の石見銀山特別純米ひやおろし、埼玉県藤崎惣兵衛商店の長瀞蔵純米吟醸瓶火入れ、長野県信州銘醸の瀧澤純米吟醸ひやおろし、新潟県柏露酒造のさんずい純米大吟醸生詰め、広島県梅田酒造場の本洲一純米秋あがりの６種類。それぞれ、スペックと蔵の違いを楽しめ、まろやかで秋を感じることが出来る酒だった。料理は全１２品と盛りだくさんで、店主の相馬さんがこの日の為に用意した日本酒に合う最高に気のきいた料理が出てきた。野菜が中心の前菜数種から始まり、自家製チャーシュー、鴨スモーク、ソーセージ、エビのグリルなど若者も年配者も満足出来るコースだった。当然、酒が進み用意されていた日本酒の減りも早い。カウンター中心の店なので、参加者同士6種類の酒を回し注ぎあいながら、秋の酒と美味い料理で話が盛り上がり、連絡先を交換し、普段も台所そうまで酒を飲む約束をしている姿を見て、やはり酒はコミュニケーションツールなのだなと再度実感した。盛り上がっているうちに、あっという間に予定の３時間が過ぎ、大人の日本酒乾杯イベントは終了した。皆、腹も膨れほろ酔い状態で大満足といった感じであった。その後、飲み足りないメンバーが次の店に消えたことは言うまでもない。普段は日本酒を飲まない人達も１０月１日は日本酒のイベントに誘われ参加して日本酒を飲むという話をよく聞くので、飲めるのであれば、日本酒の日だけではなく、普段から日本酒で乾杯し美味い肴と酒で交流を深め楽しい日本酒ライフを送ってほしいと思う。
 

#alljapannews #japanese #japanesefood #japanesesake #jizake #nationalsakeday #sake #soma

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Tokyo Jizake Strolling: “Heigsoba Katsura” serves Niigata specialty soba dish “Hegisoba” in Tokyo 

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
Buckwheat Noodle Restaurant “Hegisoba Katsura” is located near the Shin-Nakano subway station on the Marunouchi Line along the Oume Kaidou Highway, running east and west of Tokyo. “Hegisoba” is a buckwheat noodle (soba) dish, a local favorite in Niigata prefecture and a specialty of the Echigo region, characteristic for using Funori seaweed instead of flour. The chewy soba noodles are renowned for their flavor and go down smoothly. “Hegisoba Katsura” serves this traditional specialty dish of the Echigo region in Tokyo. Owner Michio Katsura trained to prepare Hegisoba in a renowned restaurant in Niigata prefecture before opening his community-based restaurant Katsuraya in 2019. 
 
Menu selections besides soba noodles include other specialties of Niigata prefecture, such as “Fried Tofu from Tochio” and “Nuka Iwashi” (Sardines Marinated in Rice Bran with Plenty of Salt). Despite its location in Tokyo, Hegisoba Katsura serves only Niigata sake selections. Tempura is delicious as expected of a soba noodle restaurant, in addition to fresh and delicious fish selections such as sashimi, rarely served in a soba noodle restaurant in the city. Business hours are from 11:00 to 22:30, open between lunch and dinner without closing in between, also rare but welcome news to sake fans.    
 
My impression is that workers employed near the restaurant come in during peak lunch hours, followed by mothers in the neighborhood, retirees who enjoy a drink in the afternoon, then businessmen who stop in after work. Owner Michio Katsura’s experience managing various restaurants is instrumental in creating this wonderful restaurant, popular among soba noodle fans and sake fans alike. 
 
The restaurant’s monthly event – Full course with monthly sake selections from different sake breweries - is popular among regulars, Hegisoba fans, and sake fans alike. The sake brewery of the day introduces their sake and converse with guests enjoying a full course meal of soba noodles as the main dish with sake. The menu selections served at Katsuraya complement sake, with most guests getting tipsy on a full stomach. The 2-hour event stretches into 3 hours each time. 
 
Sake brewery staff and guests who long enjoyed Hegisoba are not always familiar with how soba noodles are prepared. Many guests marveled that they never enjoyed such delicious Hegisoba, even in Niigata prefecture. The gourmet website “Hitosara” also ranked Hegisoba Katsura as the Number 1 soba noodle restaurant in Tokyo in 2023. With such delicious Hegisoba readily available in Tokyo, Hegisoba might be a welcome choice of toshikoshi soba (soba noodle dish traditionally enjoyed on New Year’s Eve) to ring in the new year?
 
 
 
 
東京地酒散歩（東京でへぎそば） 
 

　東京を東西に走る青梅街道沿い丸の内線の新中野駅傍に「越後へぎそば桂屋」がある。新潟では一般的に親しまれているこの「へぎそば」だが、正式には越後地方の名産で、小麦粉を使用せず布海苔（ふのり）と呼ばれる海藻をつなぎに使用するのが特徴である。喉越しが良くコシが有り、風味の良さが売りの蕎麦である。そんな越後地方伝統のへぎそばを東京で食べられるのが「越後へぎそば桂屋」である。店主の桂 三智夫氏は新潟の有名店でへぎそばを修行し東京に２０１９年、地元密着型の桂屋をオープンさせた。「栃尾の油揚げ」や「ぬかいわし」など蕎麦以外の料理も新潟にこだわり、日本酒ラインナップも新潟の酒だけと東京にいながら新潟を堪能出来る店だ。もちろん蕎麦屋なので天麩羅も美味いし、街の蕎麦やとしては珍しいが鮮魚の刺身も美味い。営業時間も酒呑みとしては嬉しいアイドルタイム休憩が無く、午前11時に開店してから午後10時30分まで、これまた町の蕎麦屋としては珍しい通し営業なのである。私の感覚では昼のピークタイムはお店の近くで働いている方々が来店し、それが落ち着くと近所のママさん達が集まり、夕方からは近くのご隠居さんが呑み始め、次第に仕事終わりのサラリーマンが呑みに来るといった感じである。店主の桂 三智夫氏は多数の飲食店の立ち上げや統括を経験していることから、この素晴らしい蕎麦好きにも酒好きにも愛される店を作れたのだろうと思う。そして、常連様やへぎそば愛好家や日本酒愛好家を喜ばせているイベントが、月に一回行われるお店のフルコースと月替わりの酒蔵の日本酒が飲み放題の酒蔵イベントである。その日は酒蔵の蔵元が酒の説明をしながら、参加者皆で語らいながら酒と蕎麦をメインとしたフルコースを楽しむことが出来る。桂屋の料理で酒が進まない訳がないので、皆酔っ払い、腹いっぱいになって、本来２時間くらいを予定しているイベントが３時間になるのは毎回のことである。参加者だけでなく、新潟の蔵元達もへぎそばを昔から食べているが、どのように蕎麦が打たれているかなどは知らなかったし、新潟でもここまで美味いへぎそばは食べたことがないと皆口を揃えて言うのである。グルメサイトの「ヒトサラ」でも２０２３年の東京の蕎麦屋で１位になった名店である。それほど美味いへぎそばが東京にあるのだから、いつもと違い、年越しそばはへぎそばという選択肢も今年は有りではないだろうか。
 
 
#BuckwheatNoodle #alljapannews #echigo #hegisoba #japanese #japanesefood #japanesesake #jizake #sake #soba #tokyo

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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (Shimbashi Koichi Festival)

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
 
The “27th Shimbashi Koichi Matsuri (Festival)” was held in the middle of summer near the “Shimbashi Station” in Minato Ward, Tokyo, a popular hangout spot among business professionals, on July 25 and 26. The Koichi Festival was named to invite residents, workers, and visitors to the Shimbashi Station area to stop by and have fun for an hour. Many food stalls were set up in three locations – Karasumori-Dori street, areas surrounding the New Shimbashi Building (“SL Square”), and Sakurada Park – where the Yukata (unlined cotton summer kimono) beauty pageant was held, along with plenty of entertainment and outdoor events over a two-day period. 
 
The festival, scheduled to start at 12:00 noon until the day before, was delayed until 3:00 PM due to the scorching heat. On the first day, I couldn’t stop sweating in drizzling rain due to the maximum humidity. Visitors totaled approximately 14,000 in two days. I wiped my sweat as I headed towards the Nihonsakari booth of a close friend. 
 
Familiar aluminum can-shaped bottles (“bottle cans”) and raw, unprocessed, undiluted sake lined the Nihonsakari booth, along with chilled sake, perfect to enjoy while strolling the festival sites. I purchased two bottles of raw, unprocessed, undiluted sake and strolled through the food stalls before the rain got heavier. Food stalls sold omuyakisoba (omelet fried noodles), skewer-grilled scallops, sake by the Fukushima Prefecture Sake Brewers Cooperative, and beer, while the stage showcased live taiko performances, Hawaiian Hula, and Bon Odori (traditional Japanese regional folk dance). The festival offered great food, beverages, and live performances. 
 
I couldn’t leave the festival in just short of an hour. I previously helped in food stalls, before the festival was canceled for 4 years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The festival finally resumed last year in 2023. Despite initial concerns over the turnout, many visitors came and enlivened the festival, no different from previous years. The pandemic popularized work-from-home and remote work, which reduced the number of commuters to the office. Yet, the turnout seemed high at the Koichi Festival, held at a popular hangout spot for business professionals, in fact, even higher than previous years. The rain started to get harder while strolling, so I sought shelter from the rain in the New Shimbashi building. 
 
I visited the “Jinsei Sakaba,” a sake pub and restaurant introduced in a previous report, where I presented the Nihonsakari raw, unprocessed, undiluted sake I purchased earlier as a souvenir. I asked if the building got crowded during the Koichi Festival and was told business was the same as usual. The restaurant inside the building has many repeat patrons, thus customers who come from the festival during peak business hours are sometimes turned away. The owner said, “The weather is often rainy on the day of the Koichi Festival.”  
 
Hot weather with heavy rainfall is common during summer festivals. Still, I felt excited to attend a festival that was previously canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. As the summer festival season soon ends in each region and the Olympics are now over, and once the summer baseball games are over, fall is fast approaching. Next, I’m planning to find and attend a fall festival. 

 
 
東京地酒散歩（新橋こいち祭り） 
 

夏真っ只中、サラリーマンの聖地「新橋」にて第27回新橋こいち祭りが開催された。
 
こいち祭りとは、新橋で住む人、働く人、遊ぶ人を対象に、新橋で小一時間遊んで行ってくださいという思いで命名されたお祭りであり、烏森通り会場・SＬ広場ニュー新橋ビル周辺会場・桜田会場の３か所に沢山の屋台が出店し、浴衣美人コンテストや盆踊りなど催し物盛り沢山の野外イベントが2日間行われる。昨年までは昼12時からスタートだったが、あまりの猛暑の為、今年からは15時スタートとなっていた。私が訪れた初日は小雨が降っていて蒸し暑さもМAＸで汗が止まらなかったが、そんな蒸し暑さは何のその。来場者数は２日で約14万人とのこと。汗を拭きながら、仲の良い日本盛のブースへ。お馴染みのボトル缶やサーバーからの生原酒を販売しており、お祭りで飲み歩くにはピッタリの冷たい酒が並んでいた。サーバーの生原酒を２本購入し、雨が強くなる前にまた屋台を散策。オム焼きそば、ホタテの串焼き、福島県酒造組合、もちろんビールの販売ブースもあり、和太鼓の演奏やハワイアンフラなどのステージからの盆踊りと飲んで良し、食べて良し、踊って良しの楽しいお祭りだった。もちろん小一時間で帰れないのは言うまでもない。私は、数年前に出店者側でお手伝いをしたことがあるが、その後コロナ禍で４年間中止されていた。昨年2023年にやっと再開が出来、人の流れが心配されたが例年と変わらない多くの来場者で盛り上がったとのこと。コロナ禍で在宅やテレワークが普及し、以前よりも会社に出社する人が減ったにも関わらず、このこいち祭りに関しては、サラリーマンの聖地ながら以前よりも活気が増しているように感じた。散策中、流石に雨が強くなってきたので、ニュー新橋ビル内で雨宿り。以前ご紹介させていただいた「人生酒場」に先ほど買った日本盛の生原酒をお土産に避難した。こいち祭りの時のビル内の飲食店はどうなのか聞くと、あまり普段と変わらないとのことだった。ビル内の飲食店は常連様が多く、ピークタイムにお祭りから流れてくる人達が来ても入れなかったりするらしい。「それにしても、こいち祭りの日は雨が多いねー。」と店主が言っていた。とにかく暑いし急な雨が降るのが夏祭りなのだ。それも含めて、コロナ禍で開催されなかった祭りに参加出来るようになったことを嬉しく思う。そろそろ各地の夏祭りも終わりオリンピックも終わり、夏の甲子園も終われば、もうすぐ秋である。次は秋祭りを探して遊びに行こう。
 
#Shimbashi #alljapannews #japanese #japanesesake #jizake #sake #tokyo

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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (Niigata Sake Festival) 

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By Ryuji Takahashi 
 
The largest sake event in Japan is the “Niigata Sake Festival,” held annually in Niigata prefecture over two days. True to its name, sake breweries from throughout Niigata prefecture gather in one place to attend this event. The concept of this event is to welcome guests from Tokyo to enjoy the atmosphere of this event. Therefore, the event “Niigata Sake Baru in Meguro” was organized at restaurant “Niigata Sake Baru Fukidamari” in Meguro ward, Tokyo. 
 
The two-day event held over a weekend was attended by 7 sake breweries - “AOKISHUZO The Sake Brewery Co., LTD.,” “OFUKU SHUZOU Co., Ltd.,” “Kiminoi Shuzou Co., Ltd.,” “Sasaiwai Sake Brewery,” “Taiyo Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.,” “Tamagawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.,” and “Minenohakubai Shuzo” - as exhibitors, along with a joint booth between 3 breweries from the sake shop - “Kanemasu Sake Co., Ltd.,” “Hakuro Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.,” and “Shiokawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.” – totaling 10 breweries with over 30 different sake selections from Niigata prefecture. Echigo Beer Co., Ltd. and Iwanohara Vineyard Co., Ltd. also exhibited booths on this balmy day to serve chilled beer and white wine.      
 
Rice from Niigata prefecture and pickled vegetables were served at a booth, while pizza and yakisoba were served out of a food truck at the Niigata Sake Festival site. The event venue was studio EASE along the Japan Railways (JR) railroad tracks between Meguro ward and Gotanda district, a chic outdoor space reminiscent of a European cityscape usually used to take photographs. Admission was free, and a space was available where children played freely with many families that attended. Sake was enjoyed by purchasing several tickets for 500 JPY each. Tickets were submitted at each booth according to the sake classification - ordinary sake required one ticket, while Ginjo required two tickets. 
 
Guests with reservations arrived at the “Niigata Sake Baru Fukidamari” beforehand with all-you-can-drink tickets already purchased for 3,500 JPY each, an economical option that offered all-you-can-drink sake, regardless of the sake classification. Light showers never required an umbrella both days. The evening lights illuminated the venue with metropolitan apartments visible behind the European-style cityscape in an enchantingly beautiful sight that was indescribable. 
 
Since tickets were accepted instead of cash, customers casually enjoyed sake and food while other participants traded food and beverages with each other in a very friendly atmosphere staffed with volunteers. The venue was filled with a comfortable, wonderful sense of unity. Although various sampling events and sales events are also organized in Tokyo for sake brewed in Niigata prefecture, few opportunities exist to sample and compare various sake brands. Therefore, this is an event that I would love to see continue in the future. 
 
 
東京地酒散歩（新潟酒バルの陣）
 
　新潟で１年に一回２日間にわたって開催される「新潟酒の陣」という国内最大級の日本酒イベントがある。名前通り新潟の酒蔵が一堂に集結して行われるイベントである。東京の人にも、このイベントの雰囲気を少しでも味わってほしいというコンセプトで、「新潟酒バル吹溜」という東京目黒の飲食店が「新潟酒バルの陣ｉｎ目黒」というイベントを開催した。土日の二日間で行われたこのイベントは日本酒蔵ブースが７蔵、「青木酒造」「お福正宗酒造」「君の井酒造」「笹祝酒造」「大洋酒造」「玉川酒造」「峰乃白梅酒造」酒販店の酒蔵3蔵合同ブース「金升酒造」「柏露酒造」「塩川酒造」を合わせ１０蔵、３０種類以上の酒蔵の新潟酒が楽しめ、他にも越後ビールや岩の原ワインなどもブースを出しており、暑い日だったので冷えたビールや白ワインなどを楽しむことが出来た。食事は新潟のお米や漬物が味わえるブースやピザや焼きそばのキッチンカーが出ており、しっかり小さな新潟酒の陣の風景となった。開催場所はＪＲの線路沿いで目黒と五反田の間にある、スタジオＥＡＳＥという場所で、ヨーロッパの街並みを模したおしゃれな屋外スペースで普段は写真撮影などで使われる場所とのこと。会場には無料で入場出来て、子供たちがフリーに遊べるスペースもあり、家族連れも多い印象だった。まずは１枚５００円のチケットを数枚購入し、その後、酒のランクによって普通酒は１枚、吟醸酒は２枚の様に、各ブースにチケットを渡し、酒を飲むシステムである。事前に「新潟酒バル吹溜」に来店して予約済みの人達は飲み放題チケットを３５００円で購入しており、酒のランク関係なく好きなだけ飲み歩けるというお得なシステムだった。少しだけ雨を感じる時間もあったが２日間通し傘の出番は無く、夕暮れには会場にライトが灯り始め、ヨーロッパの街並みの後ろに、都会的なマンションなどが見える不思議な光景が、何とも言えない素敵な雰囲気だった。チケット制だからなのか、現金を出すよりも、軽い感覚でお酒や料理が頼めるので、参加者同士でご馳走しあったりしていて、非常に和やかで、スタッフ側も全員ボランティアで会場の一体感は心地良く素晴らしい状態だった。新潟の酒蔵に単体で出会える試飲会や販売会などは東京でも色々あるが、様々な新潟の酒蔵に１度に出会えて飲み比べ出来る機会は少ないので、今後も続けてほしいイベントである。
 
 
#alljapannews #japanese #japanesefood #japanesesake #jizake #sake #tokyo

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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (“Nihonsakari” is a quality sake brand)

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
I always felt major sake breweries must become successful first to invigorate the Japanese sake industry. Major sake breweries are always involved in preserving jizake breweries by various means, such as one sake brewery selling sake to another sake brewery to be sold as the purchaser’s sake, through merger & acquisition (M&A), etc. 
 
Nowadays however, many sake fans feel jizake is authentic sake, while sake brewed by major breweries are not. However, recent sake products by major sake breweries are delicious and yet affordable. Therefore, we organized an event titled “Meeting to Learn about Sake.” This is a meeting strictly to learn about sake, not to sell sake. Nihonsakari Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo, paper-packed sake, and purine-free sugar-free sake were lined up and introduced by a sales representative. Anyone was allowed to participate. Participants included men and women of all ages. The older generation of participants had a bias towards major sake breweries, such as Nihonsakari, while some young participants never heard of Nihonsakari.    
 
When many sake fans get together, discussions get more interesting. Although the purine-free sugar-free sake was not as popular at first, one participant who used to drink it constantly for weight loss enthusiastically explained its health benefits more passionately than the sales representative and won over other participants. Also, young participants who held no bias towards major sake breweries were surprised to learn such delicious sake products are sold at supermarkets for affordable prices, while one senior jizake fan listened with a grimacing face. 
 
I repeatedly said in this meeting that both jizake and major sake brands should be available in restaurants and in liquor shops to increase options and make the selection more fun for consumers. If food reliability and safety is a concern, then major sake brands are good options to select from. Although packed sake and cup sake target middle-aged and senior consumers, I believe this event clarified that certain products and events can prove effective to court young consumers as well.  
 
Younger generations will soon increase their alcohol consumption and become regular consumers of alcohol with zero bias towards major sake breweries. Therefore, younger generations may select national sake brands in the same way they select beer sold by major beer manufacturers. Delicious, packed sake products are economically priced for this younger generation, whose earnings will soon increase. If this younger generation in their middle-aged and senior years pass on these delicious flavors to the next generation, major sake brands can lead the Japanese sake industry to also raise the familiarity of jizake breweries and invigorate the entire sake industry.
 
 
 
東京地酒散歩（日本盛は良いお酒） 
 
　日本酒業界が盛り上がる為には、ナショナルブランドが元気である必要があると昔から考えている。桶売り、桶買い、M＆Ａ等々、地酒蔵を維持する過程にナショナルブランドが昔から絡んでいたことは疑う余地はないだろう。しかし、昨今日本酒愛好家は地酒こそ日本酒という考え方をする人が少なくない。ナショナルブランドの日本酒は悪だと思っている人もいる。しかしながら、昨今のナショナルブランドの酒も非常に美味い。しかも安い。ということで、「日本盛を知る会」というものを開催した。あくまでも知る会で販売会ではない。日本盛の純米大吟醸や純米吟醸は当然ながら、スーパーで販売されているパック酒やプリン体・糖質ゼロなども並べ、営業マンの説明付きで誰でも参加できる会にした。訪れた人達は老若男女、幅広く日本盛等ナショナルブランドに偏見がある年代から、日本盛の存在すら知らない若者もいた。沢山の酒好きが集まると話も面白いもので、プリン体・糖質ゼロは最初のインパクトとしては評判が良くなかったが、以前ダイエットの為に飲み続けていたという人が、その酒の良さを営業マン以上に熱く語り、いつの間にか皆納得してしまう現象が起きていた。そして、ナショナルブランドに何の偏見もない若者たちは、安くスーパーでこんな美味い酒が買えるのは知らなかったとビックリしていたが、その隣で地酒信者の年配者は苦い顔をしていた。私がこの会で言い続けてきたことは、地酒もナショナルブランドも楽しめた方が、飲食店でも酒売り場でも選択肢が増えて酒選びをより一層楽しむ事が出来る。しかも、もし食の安心安全が気になるなら、ナショナルブランドの酒を選ぶべきだと思う。パック酒やカップ酒のターゲットは中高年世代だと思うが、今の若者にもアプローチするアイテムや企画があっても十分効果があることが今回解った気がする。ナショナルブランドに偏見がある年代は、そろそろ酒の消費量が減りつつある。これから飲酒量が増えて飲酒習慣が身につく若者世代は、ナショナルブランドに全く偏見が無いので、大手ビールメーカーを選ぶのと同じように日本酒も選んでもらえるのではないだろうか。稼ぎもこれから増える世代にとって、美味いパック酒は財布に優しい。その若者達が良い思い出として中高年になった時に次の若者世代にその美味さを伝えていく様になれば日本酒業界をナショナルブランドがけん引し地酒蔵もひっぱり上げ、業界全体が盛り上がるのではないだろうか。
 

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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (a collaborative sake pairing event held in an Italian restaurant)

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
I’ve authored several articles on collaborative projects that served sake with Italian cuisine in an Italian restaurant. The theme of this project was to determine if sake pairs well with Italian cuisine. 
Our venue was the usual restaurant “Karibe-Tei” in the Shimokitazawa area. The menu selections to be paired with sake took time to select. Thanks to the many helpful suggestions from Chef Karibe, Italian menu items with a Japanese twist were selected for pairing with sake. The restaurant was filled by word-of-mouth only without any promotion on social networking sites, indicative of the high satisfaction among guests who attended past events. For sake, seasonal selections from spring to early summer were selected along with traditional sake selections. In total, eighteen bottles of nine different sake selections were prepared for the event. 
The menu items served were: “Amaou Strawberries and High-sugar Tomato Caprese,” “Sicilian Potato Salad topped with Salted Cuttlefish,” “Smoked Firefly Squid from Toyama Prefecture and Clams,” “The Season’s First Bonito Carpaccio,” “White Asparagus with Grilled Anchovy Garlic Sauce,” “Thawed Oysters from Iwate Prefecture sauteed with Bamboo Shoots,” “Sakura Shrimp and Mustard Flowers Spaghetti topped with Herb Breadcrumbs,” and “Beef Hind Shank alla Romana with Saffron Risotto.”
It’s difficult to determine from the menu names alone if some menu items have a Japanese flavor. Japanese seasonings such as soy sauce were used in sauces to add Japanese flavor. For this reason, sake bottles emptied the fastest during this event out of all past events. I heard that recently, many restaurants in Italy serve Japanese-style Italian cuisine, an encouraging trend that also inspires a novel approach to serve sake. 
Japanese sake industry professionals can propose pairing sake with various cuisines worldwide to encourage various world cuisines to be prepared with a Japanese flavor for better pairing with sake as an innovative approach to introduce Japanese cuisine overseas. This collaboration concluded successfully with no incidents - all participants were full, tipsy, and quite satisfied. Someone said that loneliness and an empty stomach was not good for people. Delicious food and alcoholic beverages are sought in every country worldwide. It may not be too far in the future that Japanese culture becomes even more popular worldwide, sake enjoys the same popularity as wine worldwide, and sake appears on dinner tables worldwide.
 
 

 
東京地酒散歩（イタリアンコラボ企画）
 
　過去、何度かイタリア料理店と日本酒のコラボ企画の記事を書いてきた。基本はイタリアンに対して日本酒が合うかどうかというテーマで行われたイベントだったが、今回は、イタリアン側から日本酒の方に寄って来ていただいて、日本酒に合わせるイタリアンの会を開催した。場所はいつもの下北沢「かりべ亭」。かなり料理のメニュー決めに時間がかかったが、苅部シェフの引き出しにずいぶん助けられて和食に寄りすぎていないSＮＳ映えを狙っていない、あくまでも和テイストイタリアンな日本酒用メニューが完成した。ＳＮＳで告知を出すまでもなく、口コミだけで席は満席となり過去数回行ってきたイベントの満足度の高さがうかがい知れた。酒は春から初夏にかけての季節酒としっかりオールドスタイルの日本酒も今回は混ぜて全9種類１８本を用意。料理は「あまおう（苺）とフルーツトマトのカプレーゼ」「シチリア風ポテトサラダ・イカの塩辛乗せ」「富山県産ホタルイカとアサリのスモーク」「初ガツオのカルパッチョ」「ホワイトアスパラガスのグリル・アンチョビガーリックソース」「岩手県産雪解け牡蠣と筍のソテー」「桜エビと菜の花のスパゲッティ・香草パン粉乗せ」「牛すね肉のローマ風煮込み・サフランリゾット添え」。料理名だけだと日本酒に寄せているかどうか解らない料理もあるが、ソースに醤油など和の調味料を使うことで見えないところで日本酒に寄せている。その為か沢山の日本酒が過去最速で空いていった。最近イタリア本国の方でも逆輸入的に日本のイタリア料理の手法を取り入れる料理が作られていると聞いたことがある。これは日本酒に対する新しいアプローチとして考えても良いのではないかと思わせる流れである。今後も海外の色々な料理と日本酒を合わせる企画を日本酒業界側から提案を行い各国料理側に日本酒に寄せて調理してもらう企画が沢山打てれば日本酒のみならず、日本料理の海外進出の新たなアプローチになるのではないだろか。今回の企画もトラブルもなく、参加者が皆、お腹いっぱいで酔っ払って大満足だったと言ってくれた。誰かが言っていたが、孤独と空腹は人間にとって良くないことらしい。旨い料理と旨い酒、これを求めるのは万国共通だと思う。日本の食文化を世界に、そして日本酒が世界のワインなどと同じ土俵に上がり、各国のテーブルに登場する日もさほど遠くないのではないだろうか。
 
 
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Tokyo Jizake Strolling  (The Daikanyama Shopping District)

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By Ryuji Takahashi

With spring fast approaching at the end of March, an event titled “The Daikanyama Shop Association” featured many shops selling niche merchandise at “Daikanyama Address 17dixsept” in Shibuya district, a shopping center located right next to the Daikanyama Station. Our shop selling local sake was also invited and participated for two days during a weekend. The “Daikanyama Address 17dixsept” is a shopping zone located inside an urban shopping complex, consisting of a 36-floor tower above ground on the site of the former Dojunkai Daikanyama Apartment, a housing complex consisting of approximately 500 homes, the Daikanyama Sports Plaza, etc. 
Dix-sept translates to seventeen in French, named after their lot number 17 in the Daikanyama district. Four shops lined up in a shared space on the facility premises and sold merchandise not usually sold by the tenants to take a new approach to customers who utilize the facility.  
Retailers that participated for two days consisted of my local sake shop, an Asian variety store, a flower shop, a vegan shop on one day, and a specialty gift shop the next. It was rumored that the timing the cherry blossoms will bloom could be announced early in the week of the event, and the weather was forecast to be sunny for cherry blossom viewing. Since Daikanyama is close to Meguro River, a renowned spot to view cherry blossoms, my shop narrowed down our merchandise to only two sake sets for flower viewing – a set of five aluminum cans of Nihonsakari sake with plastic champagne glasses and a three-sampler Nagatorogura sake set. Unfortunately, the rumored announcement on the timing the cherry blossoms would bloom never occurred, ultimately announced two weeks after the event.  
Not only did the cherry blossoms not bloom during the weekend of the event, but it also rained with low turnout, both significantly contrary to expectations. Other shops near each other welcomed regulars from other shops. My shop also benefited from their customers since most of the sake sets I prepared sold, and the weekend ended with decent sales.  
I had many takeaways from my first attempt at selling merchandise in the chic Daikanyama shopping complex. Staff members shopped at each other’s shops, and I also became friendly with the shop owners. My onsite pop-up shop was personally a fruitful experience. If I was to be greedy however, I think the facility needs to think of ways to enliven the event. Eventually, I think lining up sake breweries to organize “The Daikanyama Sake Shopping District” would be an interesting idea if I’m asked to participate again.       
 
 
東京地酒散歩（The 代官山商店）
　春の訪れがもうすぐそこまで来ている3月の終わりに、代官山の駅のすぐ側にある商業施設「代官山アドレス・ディセ」にて「The 代官山商店」と銘打った渋谷区のニッチな物販店を集めたイベントが開催された。地酒を販売する当店にも声がかかり、土日の二日間参加することとなった。代官山アドレス・ディセは旧同潤会代官山アパートの跡地に建設された代官山アドレスという地上3６階建のタワーを始めとする約５００戸の集合住宅とショッピングゾーンや渋谷区代官山スポーツプラザなどから構成される都市型複合施設の中のショッピングゾーンのことである。ディセとはフランス語で１７の意味らしく、代官山の１７番地にあることから名づけられたとのこと。その施設内の共用スペースに4店舗並べ、日頃のテナントとは違う販売をすることで、施設を利用する人々に新たなアプローチをしたいといったイベントの様であった。
二日間出店するのは地酒販売の当店と、アジアン雑貨、フラワーショップ、日替わりでビーガンショップとセレクトギフトショップであった。イベントの週の前半に桜の開花宣言が出るとか出ないとかで、週末はお花見日和との情報があり、代官山という立地上、花見の有名スポット目黒川も近いことから、当店は完全に販売商品をお花見セットに絞り、日本盛のボトル缶5本セットにプラシャンパングラス付きと長瀞蔵の3種飲み比べセットの2アイテムのみに特化し販売を行なった。しかし、蓋を開けてみると開花宣言予測は大きく外れ、週末になっても宣言が出る事は無く、結果開花宣言が出たのは2週間後であった。                                                        イベント当日に桜が咲いていないだけでなく、2日間雨が降り、施設の来店客数も少なく、大きく予想を外すこととなった。他店は元々の店舗が近隣ということもあり、常連客らしき人達が来ていたので、その流れに便乗させていただく形となったが、用意していた酒は殆ど売れ、結果オーライで二日間を終えることが出来た。渋谷の端っこからオシャレな代官山への初チャレンジで、学びも多く、店舗間での買い物もあり、他店のオーナーとも仲良くなり、個人的には意味のある出張出店だったが、欲を言えばもっと盛り上がる為に、施設側の打ち出し方を考える必要があると感じた。いつかは酒蔵を並べた「The 代官山日本酒商店」なども面白いのではないかと思う。まあ、次回以降も声がかかればの話なのだが。
 
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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (restaurant Jinsei Sakaba inside the New Shinbashi Building) 

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By Ryuji Takahashi

Shinbashi is a renowned business district where many shops line the streets, reminiscent of the Showa era (1926-1989). One venue familiar to many is the New Shinbashi Building, a large multi-tenant shopping mall on the Hibiyaguchi side of Shinbashi Station, occupied from the first basement floor to the fourth floor by many restaurants, a ticket broker, massage parlors, and shops targeting businessmen. Some call it a mall for old men. The Shinbashi Station west exit started as a black market after World War II and evolved until the current New Shinbashi Building was constructed in 1971.             
The interior of the retro, chaotic mall is long cherished as a mecca for businessmen. Many new commercial buildings were constructed recently to lease retail space to swanky shops featured on TV. The New Shinbashi Building built over fifty years ago offers a heartwarming nostalgic ambiance of the Showa Era, not felt in new stylish buildings. The basement of the New Shinbashi Building is home to many restaurants that serve alcohol during business hours on weekdays. Since I had a day off during the week with nowhere to go on my day off, I walked many rounds inside the basement floor of the New Shinbashi Building like a migratory fish.    
I saw “fans of alcoholic beverages” here and there partaking early in the day. I started to ponder ordering a glass of beer when a female restaurant worker greeted me and said, “We’re serving alcohol right now.” I quickly accepted the invitation and entered the restaurant “Jinsei Sakaba.” What a suitable restaurant name for me, I thought. The worker said, “If you want to enjoy more than one drink, all-you-can-drink is a better deal.” I quickly agreed and selected the 1 hour all-you-can-drink option for 980 JPY. First, I ordered draft beer. 
The cold beer was delicious after walking around inside the mall.       
The food menu listed Chinese style izakaya menu items. I ordered a chilled wakame seaweed salad. My appetite switched on as soon as I took the first bite. I ordered another glass of draft beer, then fried gyoza, Japanese-style omelet with spicy Pollack roe, and fried rice. All menu items were delicious, and the food was served quickly. I got into a lively conversation with the restaurant staff as I ate, and the first hour passed quickly. Of course, I exceeded my time limit and ordered several green tea highballs and shochu highballs. 
Two hours of fun passed quickly before I realized it. The food was delicious, the restaurant was comfortable, and the price was economical at this wonderful restaurant. The New Shinbashi Building is home to this excellent restaurant, currently under consideration for redevelopment due to deterioration. Although it would be sad to see this retro and chaotic ambiance close their doors, changes in the local landscape are inevitable in any era, surely, “all that remains of a warriors’ dream.”  
 
 
東京地酒散歩（ニュー新橋ビル人生酒場）  

サラリーマンの街として有名な新橋には、昭和の雰囲気を色濃く残した場所が数多くある。誰もが思いつく場所のひとつがニュー新橋ビルだろう。ニュー新橋ビルは新橋駅の日比谷口側にある大規模な雑居ビルで地下1階から4階までは飲食店や金券ショップやマッサージ店などサラリーマンをターゲットとした店が数多く存在している。その為、おやじビルなどと言われることもあるらしい。新橋西口は戦後のヤミ市から発展して現在のニュー新橋ビルが１９７１年に建った。レトロでカオスなビル内はサラリーマンの聖地として長く愛されている。最近は大規模な商業ビルが新しく建って、そこに入るオシャレなお店がテレビなどで取り上げられているが、建設から５０年以上経っているニュー新橋ビルには新しいオシャレなビルでは決して感じる事の出来ない気取る事のない昭和の安心感がある。そんなニュー新橋ビルの地下には平日の昼間から酒が飲める店が沢山ある。平日休みの私はある休日に当てもなく、ニュー新橋ビルの地下１階を回遊魚の様にグルグル回っていた。昼間ながら既に酒を飲んでいる兵（つわもの）達をちらほら見受けることが出来た。その姿を見て、私もビール１杯でも飲もうかなと思い始めた時、一人の女性店員に「お酒飲めますよ」と声をかけられ、いとも簡単にその誘いに乗って店内に入った。店の名前は【人生酒場】。今の私にちょうど良い屋号じゃないかとか考えながら「もし、何杯か飲むなら飲み放題がお得ですよ」と言われ素直に１時間９８０円の飲み放題をセレクト。そしてまず生ビールを注文。ビル内を歩き回っていたので冷えた生ビールが最高に美味い。メニューを見ると中華料理ベースの居酒屋という感じだ。軽くわかめの冷菜を頼み口に入れた瞬間スイッチが入った。おかわりのビールを頼み、焼き餃子や明太子入りの玉子焼きや炒飯と次々に注文。何を食べても美味いし提供スピードも速い。途中、お店の方とも話が弾み、あっという間に１時間が終了。しかし当然延長戦に突入。途中から緑茶ハイや酎ハイを何杯呑んだだろう。あっという間に楽しい２時間が過ぎてしまった。料理が美味い、居心地が良い、何といっても安い。三拍子揃っている素晴らしい店だった。そんな素晴らしい店があるニュー新橋ビルは老朽化の為、再開発の話があるらしい。レトロでカオスな雰囲気が無くなる寂しさもあるが、風景の移り変わりはいつの時代も付き物である。まさに「兵（つわもの）どもが夢の後」とはこのことなのだろう。
 
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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (Shibamata Taishakuten)

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By Ryuji Takahashi  

I visited Shibamata Taishakuten Nichiren-shu Buddhist Temple early in the New Year. It’s been thirty years since I moved to Tokyo, yet I’ve never visited the temple once. Since I’ve never seen the film series, “It’s Tough Being a Man,” I was convinced I had no reason to visit. I was proven wrong however. Shibamata Taishakuten is a reputable Nichiren Buddhist Temple built by two monks during the Edo Period (1603-1868) in 1629 (the current building was built after the Meiji Period (1868-1912)). The official temple name is “Hyoei-zan Daikyoji,” yet often referred to locally as “Taishakuten.”     
The temple is mentioned in literary works such as “To the Spring Equinox and Beyond” by author Soseki Natsume. More recently, the temple is most renowned due to the Japanese film series, “It’s Tough Being a Man.” Therefore, a statue of the main character, Tora-san, stands in front of the Shibamata Station. I rode the train to the Keisei-takasago Station and took the Keisei Kanamachi Line to the Shibamata Station. Since the wait time to switch trains was fifteen minutes, and the walking distance from Keisei-takasago Station was also fifteen minutes, I started walking towards Shibamata Station.     
The pathway to the shrine starts in front of the station. Passengers deboarded the train and immediately started taking photos standing next to the statue of Tora-san. Several restaurants stood in front of the railroad station. It seemed many restaurants served yakisoba, perhaps a local specialty. Walking on the bustling pathway to the shrine, I encountered many pedestrians with skewered mugwort dumplings and sweet sake in hand as they passed by. I regretted not visiting this bustling pathway to the shrine for the past thirty years.    
A newcomer to Taishakuten, I eyed the restaurant Freshwater Fish Cuisine, where a long line of guests stood at the front waiting for the eatery to open, and the rice cracker shop, as I passed by without stopping. I thought to first visit the shrine and headed towards Taishaku-do, where a long line of worshippers stood at the Nitenmon entrance. Surprisingly, I quickly reached the front of the Taishakuten and visited the shrine. I drew a fortune slip before returning to the pathway to the shrine just after noon. More visitors have come since I arrived, and the pathway to the shrine was bustling more than before.       

Long lines formed in front of shops selling skewered mugwort dumplings and rice crackers. Since I came a long way to Shibamata, I bought mugwort dumplings at the shop “Toraya” on my way back to the railroad station. I ate as I strolled until I entered the izakaya restaurant “Haru,” once featured on a TV program that explores pubs. I saw no local patrons inside, perhaps due to soaring prices around the New Year that targets tourists. At first, I was the only customer, which made me nervous. However, groups came in afterwards and the restaurant was soon packed to capacity.     
Afterwards, I strolled along the railroad tracks towards Keisei Kanamachi Station in the opposite direction from where I came, enjoying the chilly breeze along the way to sober up. I enjoyed another drink at the Kanamachi Station and headed to Nippori Station, where I enjoyed hot sake at a standing bar in the Yanaka Ginza shopping district before I returned home. I realized during this visit that I should visit other renowned hot spots in Tokyo, a great start to the new year.    
 
 
東京地酒散歩（柴又帝釈天）

　年明けに柴又帝釈天に行ってきた。東京に住み始めて３０年になるが、一度も行ったことが無く、何故か映画「男はつらいよ」シリーズを観てもいないのに行く場所ではないと勝手に思い込んでいた。しかし、決してそんな場所ではなく、江戸時代初期、寛永６年に２名の僧によって建立されたで由緒ある日連宗寺院である。（現在の建物は明治時代以降に建てられたもの）正式には経栄山題経寺だが、地元では帝釈天と呼ばれることが多い。夏目漱石の「彼岸過迄」など多くの文芸作品に出てくるお寺で、近年では「男はつらいよ」シリーズが一番有名の為、柴又駅前には主人公の寅さん像が設置してある。私は京成高砂駅まで電車で向い、そこから京成金町線で柴又駅まで行く予定だったが、電車乗り換え待ち時間が１５分有り、京成高砂駅から歩いても１５分とのことだったので、歩いて柴又駅を目指した。駅前からすぐ参道が始まるのだが、電車から降りてきた人々は先ず寅さん像と記念撮影をしていた。駅前には飲食店が数件あり、名物なのか焼きそばを出す店が多いと感じた。そこから賑やかな参道に入ると皆、草団子や甘酒を片手に歩いている風景に出くわす。こんなに参道が賑わい楽しい場所にも拘らず３０年来ていなかった事を悔やんだ。開店待ちで行列が出来ている川魚料理店や煎餅屋などを横目に帝釈天新参者の私は寄り道をせず、まずはお参りが先だろうと参拝客が列をなしている帝釈堂を目指す。入口の二天門前から行列が出来ていたが、案外すんなり帝釈堂までたどり着きお参りを済ますことが出来た。そして、おみくじを引いて参道に戻るがちょうどお昼を過ぎたくらいだったので、来た時よりも人が増えていてより一層参道が賑わっていた。草団子屋や煎餅屋なども行列が出来ていたが折角、柴又に来たのだからと駅まで戻る途中の「とらや」で草団子を買い、食べながら歩き、某BS放送の酒場探訪の番組にも出たことがある駅前の居酒屋「春」に入店。どうやらお正月＆観光地価格で値段がこの時期は高い為か、地元の人は飲みに来ていない感じで、最初は私以外他の客がいなかった為一瞬不安になったが、のちに団体客などが入り満席になっていった。その後、酔いを覚ます為、冷たい風を浴びながら来た方向とは反対の京成金町駅まで線路沿いを散歩しながら歩き、金町駅でさらに１杯呑み、JRで日暮里まで行き、谷中銀座の角打ちで熱燗を呑み帰宅した。まだ行ったことのない他の東京の有名スポットにも行ってみるべきだなと思わされる良い年始となった。
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Tokyo Jizake Strolling (Year-end sales event)

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By Ryuji Takahashi
 
Three sake breweries were invited to organize the 2023 year-end sales event at Kanemasu Brewery (Shibata city, Niigata prefecture). Thursday, December 28 felt like a half-day workday, yet many visitors arrived to purchase nigori sake “Hatsuyuki,” a popular nigori sake of this brewery. Some customers purchased sake in bulk since Kanemasu Brewery offers few bottled sake products. The sake products featured by Kanemasu Brewery were Junmai Daiginjo “Hatsuhana,” stored at freezing temperatures for two years; and “Kanemasu 36-year-old sake.”      
The container of “Kanemasu 36-year-old sake,” aged for thirty-six years since 1986, is eye-catching. The 360 ml titanium custom-made double wall tumbler was made by the renowned Horie Titanium Co., based in the Tsubame-Sanjo area. After the aged sake is finished, the uneven interior of the tumbler ensures silky froth beer foam. The 360 ml aged sake is priced at approximately 40000 JPY. Explaining the value of this aged sake to customers was very challenging.   
The sales event on December 29 featured “Nagatorogura” by Hakuro Brewery (Nagaoka city, Niigata prefecture) and new sake by both the Hakuro Brewery and Fujisaki Sobe Shoten (Nagatoro city, Saitama prefecture) of the same group. Hakuro Brewery featured their new sake, Junmai-Daiginjo Nigori Sake, and “Sanzui Junmai-Daiginjo Non-filtered Unprocessed Sake,” bottled in low volumes. New sake by Nagatorogura is unprocessed, non-filtered Junmai Ginjo sake with a flavor like fresh green apple juice. Customers came out in droves to the shopping district this day after completing their work for the year to prepare for New Year’s eve and New Year’s day. Many customers purchased fresh sake available only this time of the year. 
Nihonsakari was featured the next day, soon to become a classic sake featured during the sales event on December 30. The special set packaged in the Jinkichi bag (handbag made of durable canvas fabric used to transport sake from the sake shop) consisted of the Ginjo with gold leaf, Daiginjo with gold leaf, and “Souhana Junmai Ginjo,” also used when the Emperor ascended the throne, all products that suit the New Year ambiance. Sales personnel at Nihonsakari taught me the basics of selling sake before my shop opened. For the first time in over a decade, we teamed up so I could learn how to sell sake from a seller of a national sake brand, which is different from how local sake is sold. 
On the final day of New Year’s eve on December 31, two part-time workers were invited to sell out the rest of the inventory of the year. High-end sake sold out in no time, along with various new sake and New Year’s sake products that all sold out and concluded the year by 21:00. 
It is truly unusual to see this much sake sold at other times of the year. The phenomenon of high sake sales raises the question if domestic sake consumption is declining in Japan. If sake sales of this volume are consistent year-round, it would be safe to say the Japanese sake industry has a bright future ahead. 

*Jinkichi bag: handbag made of durable canvas fabric used to transport sake from the sake shop  
 
 
東京地酒散歩（年末販売会）
　年末の販売会が２０２３年も３蔵招いて開催された。トップバッターは新潟県新発田市の金升酒造。２８日というまだ半分ウイークデーの感覚だったが、この酒蔵人気のにごり酒「初雪」を求めた来店者が多く、酒蔵としても瓶詰めがあまり多くない商品ということもあって、まとめ買いをする人もいた。そして目玉は氷温弐年貯蔵の純米大吟醸「初花」と「金升参拾六年古酒」である。この１９８６年に仕込まれた古酒もさながら、この酒が入っている容器が素晴らしい。チタン製造で有名な燕三条のホリエ製で、高保冷２重構造、完全特注品の３６０ｍｌタンブラーに入っている。古酒を飲み切った後もビアタンブラーなどとしても楽しめる様になっており、内部に多少の凹凸がある為、きめ細やかで滑らかな泡立ちのビールを楽しむことが出来るのだ。３６０ｍｌで約４万円。この価値をお客様に伝えるのは非常に難しかった。２９日は新潟県長岡市の柏露酒造と同グループの埼玉県長瀞の藤崎摠兵衛商店「長瀞蔵」の販売会。この販売会の目玉はやはり新酒である。柏露酒造は定番柏露の新酒と純米大吟醸のにごり酒、
少しだけ瓶詰めされる「さんずい純米大吟醸無濾過生原酒直汲み」である。そして長瀞蔵の新酒も、まるで青リンゴ果汁を飲んでいる様な純米吟醸の無濾過生原酒。もうこの日は、仕事納め後の大晦日や正月に向けたお買い物客が多く商店街に出ており、この時期だけのフレッシュな酒を求めた人達が多く訪れた。
翌日は、３０日の販売会の定番となりつつある日本盛。金箔入り吟醸酒、金箔入り大吟醸１８０ｍｌを２本甚吉袋*に入れた特別セット、
天皇陛下即位の際にも使われた「惣花純米吟醸」などお正月の雰囲気にピッタリな商品を並べた。日本盛の営業マンは当店が出来る前に酒の売り方の基本を教えてくれた人であり、十数年振りに、タッグを組ませてもらい地酒の販売とは違う、ナショナルブランドならではの酒販売方法を学ばせてもらった。最終３１日大晦日は、アルバイトの売り子さんを２名招いて、年内最後の売り尽くし。高級酒があっという間に売り切れ、各新酒も売り切れが続出し２１時の時点では新酒やお正月商品が全て無くなり、年内最後の営業を終えた。
本当に年末だけは異常なくらいに日本酒が売れていく。本当に国内消費量が年々下がっているとは思えない現象が起こるのだが、これが通年の出来事であるならば、まだまだ日本酒の世界には未来があると言えるのだが。
＊甚吉袋: 酒屋からお酒を運ぶ時に使われていた丈夫な帆布生地でできている手提げ
 
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