Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center - Tokyo, Japan

Hello Sake and Shochu lovers,

Happy New Year 2017!
Today, I introduce a great place for you to learn and experience sake and shochu.

Must visit Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center when you visit Tokyo, Japan.

This is a very informative place for foreign sake and shochu lovers where you can get a variety of information on sake and shochu (museum and concierge) both in English and Japanese, affordable tasting from a long list of sake and shochu at the cozy table with a tablet device. I spent a very good time there to taste some sake while read articles on the tablet. Don't miss it.

Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center

A cozy cafe style atmosphere

long list of sake and shochu for tasting

They usually offer 50 varieties of sake and shochu from 100yen per glass

I chose sparkling sake, aged sake and kijoshu, today.

It's very difficult to chose from the attractive list.

Cheers!

A short trip to Ueda City

Early in the morning, I left Tokyo for Ueda City in the Eastern Region of Nagano Prefecture, which is located almost in the center of Japan. It is 190 km from Tokyo (1 hour 20 minutes by the Shinkansen, bullet train).

Ueda is a small pretty city where history and traditional landscape of the middle ages is still alive in and has become better known across the country because of the popular “Sanada Maru” television drama series broadcast in 2016 about a samurai warlord clan connected to Ueda.

Arrive at Ueda Station

The emblem (6 coins) of the Sanada clan on the wall.

The remains of Ueda Load's house. 

The high school is build there now.

Ueda Catsle Park

Ueda catsle was build in 1583 by Sanada clan, replaced by Sengoku clan in 1622, and by Matsudaira clan in 1706. 

It was dismantled, leaving only the stone ramparts and one yagura around 1868 with the end of the Edo period, the samurai 

ara and the site was made into a public park. The two yagura shown on the photo above were rebuilt in 1990s.

Only one yagura was remained

CIty view from Ueda Castle Park

Yanagimachi on Old Hokkoku Kaido (street)

where historical landscape still alive

Yummy local delights

The signature food is Soba. Fish and vegetables from the mountains

 Yummy Local Sake and Wine

Shinshu Kirei from Okazaki Brewery(left) and unfiltered nouveau from Hasumi Farm

The sake brewery and the wine shop is located on the street.