This past December, Colette Mare Yokohama (next to Sakuragicho Station) welcomed stylish new liquor shop Mirai Saketen YOKOHAMA. In front of the store you can’t miss the traditional sugidama (cedar branch ball) that serves as a landmark for any sake business. Nor will you miss the plethora of attractive bottles beckoning you.
Mirai Saketen offers a range of fine alcoholic beverages, but sake is its core specialty. More than 100 types of sake are available running from junmai, ginjo, and sparkling to koshu (aged sake), kijoshu (sweet, rich sake), and doburoku (cloudy, unfiltered sake). Here you can find some limited releases and creations from innovative brewers pushing the envelope. Additionally, the shop has a small tasting bar where you can do some sampling prior to deciding on a purchase. The staff can educate you about the brands and sometimes brewery representatives are on hand to conduct promotional tastings. To sample many different sake on your own, choose the all-you-can-drink plan (¥2200/hr, tax incl.).
If you are new to sake, try the “YUMMY SAKE” experience (¥2200). The ten selected sake included are designed to pinpoint your preference using blind tasting and AI. Instead of simply choosing what’s popular, this approach makes it personal. Shop manager Kazuhiro Sakamoto explains, “Knowing your favorite taste profile helps you encounter sake you are likely to enjoy the most.” It’s hard to argue with that approach.
Spring is a season to enjoy freshly pressed and new sake as its taste begins to mellow. With temperatures getting warmer and the uplifting feeling of spring, it’s a perfect time to embark on a sake adventure.