A stylish kaku-uchi restaurant was found on the premises of the Chiyonosono Sake Brewery, a long-established sake brewery founded in 1896, in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Kaku-uchi is a standing drinking bar, usually located a small corner of sake brewery or sake shop. Very unique place to visit.
The barbershop has been renovated into a beautiful space. The lighting is nice and relaxing.
Jazz music, which the owner loves, plays in the cozy space. The high ceiling and excellent speakers combine to create good acoustics with the analogue sound of records. This is an elegant kaku-uchi bar.
You may order sake, liqueurs and non-alcoholic drinks.
I recommend to taste the ‘Sampler Set’, which allows you to choose three different brands from the Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo brands and enjoy a small portion to taste. Because the sake brewery is directly managed, the prices are reasonable and you can enjoy the variety of sake.
Yamaga City is committed to preserving the traditional landscape of the town. In the main streets, utility poles have been undergrounded. The atmosphere of the early Showa period is preserved. It is even more enjoyable to walk through the streets in a tipsy mood.
The shop is marked by a tall chimney. The chimney was once used as a boiler. After the 2016 kumamoto earthquakes (April 16, 2016, a magnitude 7.0 mainshock ), experts conducted a survey and were able to keep the chimney as it was. It has become a symbol of the town, so I hope it will remain as it is for a long time.
Yamaga City flourished as a post town on the Buzen road linking Kumamoto and Kokura. It was a rice-gathering centre utilising the Kikuchi River, which flowed nearby. Chiyonosono ran a rice wholesaler in this rice-growing area at that time. It is also nice that you can buy your favourite sake at the sake shop right next door.
Enjoy drinking delicious sake while reminiscing about the days when Yamaga City was prosperous, and enjoy the conversation with now fourth-generation owner.
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1782 Yamaga, Yamaga-city, Kumamoto Prefecture
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