Food Sake Tokyo conducts private guided field trips to Tokyo’s popular food destinations that is led by food professionals. Yukari Sakamoto is a chef, sommelier, shōchū advisor, and author of Food Sake Tokyo. Shinji Sakamoto is a fishmonger and former buyer at Tsukiji Market. Popular topics include market visits, saké or shōchū tastings, or shopping at local supermarkets. The customized tours are…
Tag: sake
Food Gifts – Omiyage from Tokyo 東京のお土産
Omiyage most often describes gifts that you pick up while traveling that you bring back to your family, friends, and colleagues. For example, on a trip to Kyoto I may select some local jizake or wagashi for friends. For my colleagues at work I may pick up a box of yatsuhashi, a popular confectionary that Kyoto is known for….
Five Questions for Sake Master John Gauntner
John Gauntner has done more to promote sake than any other non-Japanese in the world. John is the author of five books, an informational monthly newsletter, and for those lucky enough to be in Tokyo, he holds interesting tasting seminars at Takara. His accomplishments are too numerous to list all of them here but some…
Sake no Ana: Best Place for Tasting Sake for Lunch in Tokyo – Part 2/2
Sake no Ana 酒の穴 Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-5-8 03-3567-1133 3. Juyondai Honjozo 十四代 本醸造 Premium sake, very hard to purchase retail. Often sold at much higher prices on E-bay (Sakamoto-san, the sake sommelier said that the bottle we had would go for 10,000 JPY even though the retail price is only about 2,500 JPY.) From Yamagata prefecture. http://www.yukinosake.com/juyondai.html (sake brewery site in Japanese)…
Sake no Ana: Best Place for Tasting Sake for Lunch in Tokyo – Part 1/2
Sake no Ana 酒の穴 Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-5-8 03-3567-1133 There are many wonderful izakaya in Tokyo, however finding one that is open for lunch is a challenge. I was in particular looking for an izakaya with a wide variety of sake by the glass that is open for lunch. All of my favorites, including Sasagin and Takara…
Update – Fukumitsuya in Ginza has closed
In Food Sake Tokyo on page 182 I have listed Ginza Fukumitsuya (Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-8) as a sake shop worth checking out. Unfortunately they have closed their doors as of July 31, 2011. It is so sad to see special shops like this shut their doors. FYI, the other shop listed in Food Sake Tokyo…
Drinking Japan by Chris Bunting
Imbibers in Japan, be on the lookout for Drinking Japan, A Guide to Japan’s Best Drinks and Drinking Establishments. The author, Chris Bunting, has an impressive website on Japanese whisky: http://www.nonjatta.blogspot.com/ Here is the link to the book on Tuttle Publishing’s website: http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/book/?GCOI=48053100473120
Yamagata Antenna Shop in Ginza – Oishii Yamagata Plaza おいしい山形プラザ
The Yamagata antenna shop, Oishii Yamagata Plaza in Ginza is home to chef Masayuki Okuda’s restaurant, San-Dan-Delo (see post below). It is also one of my favorite antenna shops in the city due to the variety of products available. Yamagata has some of my favorite foods, cherries, La Furansu pears, pork, wagyu, rice, sake, and…
Murakara Machikara Antenna Shop in Yurakucho
While antenna shops typically represent a prefecture, this shop carries a mishmash of items from all over Japan. The shop is not that organized, so you have to know what you are looking for. There are several antenna shops in the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan, like Hokkaido, Akita, and many more, so definitely worth spending some…
An Insider’s Guide to Depachika
This is the first article I wrote for Metropolis magazine and it is one of my favorites to this day. It is based on my experience working at Takashimaya’s depachika in Nihonbashi. http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/535/dining.asp (text follows) It goes without saying that Japan is a paradise for any foodie. This is the country where cows are indulged…
Food Sake Tokyo 