Go drink some cool sake! 9 Stylish Sake Bars in Tokyo
Sake is growing in popularity both nationally and internationally. Please enjoy the rich aroma and the deep flavors of sake during your trip so it can become a fond memory! Here are some sake bars in Tokyo where you can try different types and find the one for you.
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1. SAKE HALL HIBIYA BAR Ginza [Ginza]
This elegant sake bar gathers sake from around the country from 7 different breweries. The chic, Japanese-modern interior is popular because it's stylish yet relaxing. They offer carefully selected sake from each brewery, so many sake fans gather here. Please spend a relaxing yet fun time enjoying the collaboration between delicious appetizers and sake.
Sake Hall Hibiya Bar Ginza is the world's first sake cocktail specialty bar. Please try these original Japanese cocktails. There are private rooms made in the image of a sake brewery for a stylish yet private space, so please enjoy a leisurely time here.
Information
Business hours: 5 PM - 11:30 PM (last order for food is 10:30 PM, last order for drinks is 11 PM)
Open all year round
HP: http://www.hibiya-bar.com/sakehall (Japanese Only)
Address: Miyuki Building B1F, 5-6-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
About 5 minutes away from Ginza Station
2. Nihonshu Stand Moto [Shinjuku]
This sake bar is a tachinomi (stand-and-drink) that you can easily enter. It has a homey atmosphere even though it's so small that it can only hold 15 people, so it's always filled with sake lovers. The sake line-up changes daily, so many people come on regularly. You'll definitely enjoy your sake time here thanks to the friendly staff and fun conversation with other customers!
There's so many types of sake you won't know what to order.
Information
Business hours: Monday to Friday 3 PM - 11 PM (last order for food 10 PM, last order for drinks 10:30 PM)
Saturday/Sunday/holidays noon to 9 PM (last order for food 8 PM, last order for drinks 8:30 PM)
http://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13111891/#anchor-rd-detail
Address: Hakuho Building B1, 5-17-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
5 minutes from Shinjuku Sanchome Station
3. Akaoni 39 [Sangenjaya]
This bar allows you to enjoy a wide variety of sake and delicious food at a reasonable price, so it's always full of people. It's a rare bar that has more than 100 varieties of brand sake from all over the country. They're not picky just about the sake, but also the delicious appetizers that go with it. There are dishes that are only served one day, so many people come to see what's on the menu.
Juuyondai is a sake that's popular for being fruity, mellow, and sweet
Akaoni is popular because you can try rare brand sake only available here. They offer the entire line-up of the incredibly popular daiginjou (sake made from rice polished to 50% or less) from Yamagata called Juuyondai as well as rare vintage sake. There are many experiences that you can only have here. You can dive into the deep world of sake.
Information
Business hours: Monday to Friday 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Saturday/Sunday/holidays 5 PM to 11:30 PM
HP: http://www.akaoni39.com/hajimete/ (Japanese Only)
Address: Sangenjaya 2-15-3, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
About 5 minutes from Sangenjaya Station
4. Shushu [Kanda]
The huge wooden door with the logo right in the center and the dimly back-lit showcase of sake are stylish and have a European feel to them. That's because the owner created the bar to be like a Spanish bar where you can leisurely enjoy sake. The varieties of sake offered change by the season and the food is delicious and made with carefully selected ingredients, so it attracts a lot of customers.
The comfortable interior has warmth created by soft wood, so you can relax and enjoy sake and a meal. Please fully satisfy yourself with the food made from fresh ingredients paired with sake!
Information
Business hours: 5 PM to 11 PM (last order 10 PM)
Closed on Sundays and holidays
http://kanda-shushu.com/
Address: Kanda Konyacho 5-5, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
3 minutes from JR Kanda Station east exit, 4 minutes from Kanda Station exit 1, 4 minutes from Nihonbashi Station exit 6, 4 minutes from Mitsukoshimae Station exit A10
5. Suju Dining Rokkaku [Roppongi]
At this restaurant, you can enjoy wonderful food that has been passed down since ancient times with sake. It's not too showy, and the simplicity of the food makes the natural ingredients taste even better. There are all types of sake as well, and if you have some with your meal, you can enjoy a detailed, deep flavor. You can enjoy various types, from very dry to smooth, sweet sake. The big windows that reach to the ceiling show off refreshing greenery by day and the beautiful nightscape and night sky in the evening.
The modern Japanese interior is calm and elegant, so the food, sake, and even the envrionemtn are beautiful. They have sake ranging from nama-genshu (unpasteurized fresh, refined sake made without being diluted with water) to daigenjo. If you order the kikizake (sake tasting) set (1000-1300 yen), you can choose 3 different sake from the menu and compare them.
Information
Business hours: 11 AM to midnight (last order 11 PM)
Open all year
HP: http://www.suju-masayuki.com/shop/ (Japanese Only)
Address: Inside Tokyo Midtown, Galleria Garden Terrace 2F, Akasaka 9-7-4, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Access: Connected to exit 8 of Oedo Line Roppongi Station, connected to exit 4a of Hibiya Line Roppongi Station, 4 minutes from exit 3 of Nogizaka Station, 10 minutes from exit 1 of Roppongi Itchome Station
6. Kurand Sake Market [Asakusa/Ikebukuro/Shibuya]
Kurand Sake Market is a very interesting place because it has its own unique system. You can take the sake you want to drink out of the fridge and put as much as you want in your glass your self. The idea is that you can physically pick a sake, look at the label, and choose exactly how much you want to drink. They have over 100 types of sake from all over the country, so you can take your time and enjoy various types. Something else that's interesting is that you can bring your own food or go out and buy some while you're there. Before you go to the shop, you can buy something to eat at a depachika (food area in a department store), order some appetizers at a restaurant, and even go buy more food while you're there. You're free to do what you want. It's a new type of sake bar that hasn't been seen before!
Another interesting thing is...
Once an hour there's a time for cheering with water. You might think "huh? Water?" Actually, it's said that to prevent hangovers, you should drink 1.5 times the amount of sake you've drank of water. The price is 3000 yen plus tax per person, and it's an all-you-can-drink without a time limit. You can bring your own food so you don't have to worry about food charges. This shop has all you need to eat outside food, including a microwave, cutlery, plates, wet napkins, and more. Food that needs to be reheated can be given to the staff and they'll bring it back piping hot. You can also order appetizers inside the shop itself.
Information
Business hours: Weekdays 5 PM to 11 PM (last order 10 PM)
Saturday/Sunday: noon to 4 PM, 5 PM to 11 PM (last order 10 PM)
HP: http://kurand.jp/sakemarket/ (Japanese Only)
Shibuya branch: Matsumoto Building 3F, Dogenzaka 2-9-10, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
3 minutes from Shibuya Station's Hachiko exit
Asakusa branch: Lex Asakusa B1F, Asakusa 1-43-10, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Right by Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express
Ikebukuro branch: S&K Building 4F, Nishi-Ikebukuro 3-27-3, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
5 minutes from Ikebukuro Station's west exit
7. SAKE BAR & JAPANESE RESTAURANT Hotaruzuki [Ikebukuro]
You'll be surprised by this calm atmosphere in the middle of such a lively neighborhood. The wooden interior is relaxing and luxurious, and the sake connoisseur will offer recommendations based on your tastes. The food is made to bring out the flavors of the sake, and is available both in a la carte and course menus, all of which are said to be quite delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant, the service, and the food are all in rhythm with the sake. It's a restaurant where you can leisurely enjoy sake in a calm atmosphere with delicious food.
They offer about 100 types of sake from around the country. The food course menus start at 6000 yen, but there are also a la carte options, all of which are delicious.
Information
Business hours: 5 PM to midnight (last order for food is 11 PM, last order for drinks is 11:30 PM)
Closed on Sundays and holidays
HP: http://hotaruzuki.com/ (Japanese Only)
Address: Sansho Building 1F, Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-31-6, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
7 minutes from JR Ikebukuro Station's east exit
8. Jogo [Ginza]
This popular restaurant offers reasonably priced sake and a meal in a relaxing atmosphere. It's open 24 hours a day, so you can spend a leisurely time here without worrying about the hour. The various types of sake are chosen from all over the country, and you can try them for budget-friendly prices. They have various food like freshly fried, piping hot kushikatsu (fried skewers), sashimi sets, and more, so you'll end up drinking quite a lot.
Casually try different sake from around the country!
The soft lighting and the calm interior design makes this a relaxing restaurant. It's only 2-3 minutes from the station, so its easy access is also a reason for its popularity.
Information
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
HP: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/e849946/ (Japanese Only)
Address: Daiichi Yoshida Building, Ginza 2-6-15, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Access: 1 minute from the Ginza Itchome Station, 2 minutes from Ginza Station, 3 minutes from JR Yurakucho Station
9. Kaitenzushi Sakaba Ginza Namazuko [Ginza]
This is Ginza's only kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant, and it gets great reviews for its huge, fresh toppings so it's always filled with people whether day or night. The fresh fish is directly shipped from Numazu Bay, and you can enjoy it at a reasonable price. The fresh sushi goes perfectly with the deeply flavored sake. The flavors from the sushi and the detailed flavors of the sake will make you smack your lips with appreciation.
The fresh fish and sake combine to make an experience that should be appreciated.
Sushi and sake are now popular around the world, and you can have it at a reasonable price in the shopping neighborhood of Ginza. The restaurant is open from 11 AM to 11 PM, so you can have it for lunch after shopping, when you're a little hungry, or for a casual dinner.
Information
Business hours: 11 AM to 11 PM (last order 10 PM)
Irregular holidays
HP: http://www.numazuko-bar.com/
Address: Kirari Ginza 8F, Ginza 1-8-19, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
1 minute from Ginza Itchome Station, 2 minutes from Kyobashi Station, 5 minutes from Ginza Station, 5 minutes from JR Yurakucho Station
(Thumbnail image: Kentaro Ohno/Flickr)
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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