When talking about what is quintessential Japanese culture, it’s hard to imagine sake not entering the conversation from the very start. While Yokohama may not be a brewing hotspot, we are fortunate to have one of the premier sake distributor/retailers in the country right at our doorstep— Yokohama Kimijimaya. Yokohama native and 4th generation CEO of the company, Kimijima Satoshi, is a well-known figure in the sake world and around town. His business distributes to some of the most prestigious hotels, restaurants and bars in the country. As Executive Vice President of the Japan Sommelier Association, he also takes an…
Author: Seasider
For years, beer lovers all over Japan have flocked to Thrash Zone near Yokohama Station for its “extreme beer”, meaning strong, boldly flavored craft beers. Owner Koichi Katsuki also unapologetically plays extreme music, meaning punk and metal. For some, it takes getting used to–the beer certainly helps. He now has a new branch in Kannai. The new place, dubbed Thrashzone Meatballs, is much like the original. There’s still extreme craft beer for remarkably good prices. Pints start as low as ¥700 for his own beer, which Kochi brews at a small production facility in Yokohama. His brews take their inspiration…
Sake is one of the world’s most interesting alcoholic beverages. Although most compare its taste with wine, it is brewed more similarly to beer. Its taste is unique and its history and culture run deep. Recent developments in sake should be of interest to both sake novices and veterans alike. Japan’s national drink is in a state of flux. Alarmingly, overall sake sales have been declining for years and it now accounts for less than 10% of total alcoholic beverage market share in Japan. Sake breweries, meanwhile, are declining in numbers, too. The good news is that premium grades of…
October 1st is Sake Day around the globe because it generally marks the start of the sake brewing season in Japan. You may not have known this, but sake is enjoying a renaissance, with production, sale and export of premium styles on the rise. There are several good places in Yokohama to drink premium sake, including Sagan (featured on our cover) in the Motomachi-Ishikawa area. Just a stone’s throw away is the family-owned liquor store Aichiya, which has a tasting bar. In Hanasaki-cho, Hanasaku is another great one. If you’re more interested in sipping at home, Kimijimaya is a well-respected…
The Noge area has literally hundreds of establishments to choose from–something for pretty much everyone’s taste. Now entering its third month of business, Hitsuji is a great option for the young, hip crowd looking for something new. Those in search of lamb dishes will discover none on the menu as the name originates from owner Kawaguchi Masashi’s zodiac sign. What you will find is a specialty rotisserie Daisen Chicken from Tottori Prefecture. Coming in a half or full size (¥1380/¥2480), the juicy rosemary-roasted chicken is easily a meal on its own. The tasty Anchovy Cabbage (¥580) makes for a very…
The bad news is that Japan has one of the world’s highest reported rates of suicide. The good news is that recent efforts to reduce the death toll have been successful: 23,971 people took their own lives in Japan last year, a reduction of 1,456 from 2014, and the sixth straight annual decline. World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th seeks to raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. For the past several years, Japan-based mental health non-profit TELL has organized walks that offer participants a chance to connect with others and to remember lives that have been lost. The…
On Thursday, September 15th, IKEA Kohoku in Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama will celebrate its tenth anniversary. IKEA, the biggest home furnishing company in the world, opened the Kohoku store in 2006, making it their second in Japan at the time. IKEA Kohoku opened their doors with the vision statement, “To create a better everyday life for the many people.” Over the ten years the store has been in existence, it has become more and more popular with customers seeking that improvement in their daily lives. IKEA’s unparalleled design concepts keep customers coming back time and again. The company calls it “democratic design”—…
September always sees a couple of weeks of “zansho” (“late summer heat”), though typhoons and other storms blow that away leaving cool, clear days that are harbingers of autumn. Look for higanbana (red spider lily) to begin popping up in gardens and yards across the city with the moisture. Dragonflies take flight and will be surfing the air in greener parts, too. It’s also jazz season in Yokohama as the city hosts its annual Jazz Promenade. Yokohama is widely known as a city with strong jazz roots, but this multi-venue festival spread across town is when this really comes apparent.…
Sure, it’s a bit toasty out, but escape from the heat is never farther than the ocean or mountains, neither of which are far from downtown Yokohama. Previously, the month of August was devoid of official holidays, but this year the Japanese government has graced us with a new one: Yama no Hi, or Mountain Day. If heading to the coolness of higher elevations was in your plans, now you have another reason to do it and an extra day off, too! We aren’t encouraging you to leave the city completely behind for a month in the woods. For some,…
Ahhh, sake. What attracted us to Kanouya in the first place was their sign out front advertising a wealth of quality nihonshu (sake). With an attractive storefront in one of Noge’s newly remodeled buildings, we had to venture in to find out more. The new interior certainly makes it feel upscale. The sake list is about 20 deep and changes every few weeks, depending on availability and season (glass ¥320〜/180ml ¥640〜). The bar also has its own special, high-end junmai ginjo made by Hayashi Brewing of Gifu (glass ¥500/180ml ¥980). There may be some other items…