Ekimae Yokocho has become well-known among Nagoya drinkers as it is lined with small bars that are so small that even 10 people will be full!

If you go southeast from Nagoya station with the Yanagibashi market sideways, you will see it in front of the Egawa line. It is also convenient to use the Kokusai Center Subway Station, about 7 minutes walk south along the Egawa Line.

In August 2021, the "second floor" opened in this slightly deep bar district, and the number of stores increased.

Among them, a shop called “Hachigatsuyouka” is particularly noteworthy. In fact, it is a sister restaurant of Izakaya "Kuize", which was published in a famous French gourmet guide.

What is “Kuize” that fascinates hot sake lovers?

Before introducing "Hachigatsuyouka", I must first touch on "Kuize".

Kuize, located in Higashi Ward, Nagoya City, is a shop run by Mr. Atsushi Ozawa that mainly serves warm sake. Mr. Ozawa became aware of the appeal of warm sake when he tasted hot sake called "Hioki Sakura" from Yamane Sake Brewery in Tottori Prefecture at an izakaya in Kyoto.

Mr. Ozawa says, "I used to think that 'good sake should be enjoyed cold' and 'warmed sake should be drunk as inferior sake warmed up.' In 2017, he opened “Kuize” as a result of his love for it, and proposed warm sake and dishes that go well with it. Since then, it has been known as a famous izakaya where hot sake lovers and gourmets gather.

The frontage is wide according to the culture of Ekimae Yokocho

"Hachigatsuyouka" opened on August 8, 2021 as a sister store of "Kuize". It is a little surprising that there are cold sake, highballs, lemon sours, and other drinks that are not available at Kuize at the main store.

Mr. Ozawa: “The shops in Higashi Ward are aimed at customers who like hot sake, but the Meieki area is a location where all kinds of people come. So, even though heated sake is still the best recommendation, we are widening out the selection. But I'm also hoping that they'll say, 'If you're such a big fan of heated sake, I'll give it a try!' and before they know it, they'll realize the appeal of heated sake."

Mayu, the store manager who inherits the DNA of "Kuize"

Mayu Watanabe, the store manager, was entrusted with the new store by Mr. Ozawa.

She says she never used to drink heated sake consciously, but "I find the depth of heated sake in the way the flavor changes depending on the temperature and the time since the bottle was opened. There is no 'textbook' for heated sake, so the fun part of heated sake is that you can only find the answers yourself." I asked Mayu to pair some of her signature dishes with the perfect sake.

1. Hachigo + Chikuzen-ni

First of all, she selected a combination of “Hachigo” (120ml 780 yen) from Kumezakura Sake Brewery in Tottori Prefecture and Chikuzenni (380 yen).

A classic junmai sake made with Yamada Nishiki rice grown in the region called Hachigo. As a limited label for the 20th anniversary, a special illustration of a dinosaur is drawn.

Mayu: “Chikuzen-ni is based on soy sauce, and is layered with shiitake mushroom broth and mirin.

The chikuzen-ni is said to be a recreation of the taste of Mayu's grandmother's cooking, and has a homey flavor without any eccentricity.

At the same time, the seasonings are very sophisticated, perhaps because they are so particular about their seasonings. They are especially particular about soy sauce, and use Yamahisa soy sauce from Shodoshima.

Mayu: "I like the mellow taste without sharp corners."

Never compromise on seasonings, which is the decisive factor in taste, is the common commitment of "Kuize" and "Hachigatsuyouka".

2. Ten-on + fresh wood ear mushroom

Next, she suggested a combination of Itakura Sake Brewery's Ten-on Yamahai Junmai (120 ml, 780 yen) and a fresh wood ear mushroom (480 yen).

Mayu: "It's a sake with a refreshing taste, and you can feel the light acidity in its mildness, which is unique to Yamahai. The wood ear mushrooms are also seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. I tried to select it with the image of adding a slight acidity of sake to it.”

It is recommended to enjoy the kanzamashi, which is heated to around 60℃ and enjoys the change in flavor as it cools over time.

3. Hiokizakura Tanzo Nigori + Okra meat roll

The last pairing is Yamane Sake Brewery's "Hioki Sakura Tanzo Nigori" (120ml 780 yen) + Okra meat roll (480 yen).

Mayu: “Generally, I think that carbonated beverages such as beer and highballs go well with the umami of pork fat, but sake with the strong umami of koji goes well with it. The synergistic effect of each other creates a three-dimensional taste.”

Encounter with a wonderful hot sake that goes well with each dish

“I want our customers to be as healthy as possible,” says Mayu.

All of the dishes served are full of vegetables, and the seasoning is moderately mild. Mayu herself goes to the market early in the morning to buy fresh vegetables. You can see the care and consideration here.

"I don't think there are many shops in this region that specialize in hot sake, so I want to create a shop with a warm atmosphere where people can casually come and enjoy hot sake,'' Mayu says in closing. In addition, like 'Kuize', they also carry a lot of natural wines and in fact, which I would like to secretly share with wine lovers. (from 880 yen for a glass, from 3,900 yen for a bottle)

By the way, these dishes and sake are not always available, and there are many daily specials.

"I make what I want to eat. I accept requests (laughs)," says Mayu. The food seems to be different every day, but I'm sure it will lead you to encounters with wonderful sake that enhance the charm of each dish!