Three popular corner sake shops in Morioka! ｜Hiroko Shoten, Hososuke Liquor Store, Kakisaya Liquor Store [Iwate Prefecture]

Morioka, with its clean river flowing through the city and good spring water, has long been a thriving sake brewing town, and was once home to four sake breweries: Asakai , Kikuno Tsukasa , Sakuragao , and Iwategawa

As a result, there are many liquor stores selling these drinks in Morioka city, and corner drinking (called mokkiri in Morioka) has become a popular part of Japanese sake culture.

Nowadays, there are only two sake breweries remaining in the city: Asakai and Sakuragao (Kikuno Tsukasa has moved to Shizukuishi-cho and Iwategawa has gone out of business), but Morioka City still retains its old townscape and there are still sake shops with a traditional atmosphere

The three liquor stores we will introduce maintain the old-fashioned "mokkiri" tradition, and each has its own unique atmosphere, so even first-time tourists can enjoy a corner drink with the warm hospitality of local regulars

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What is "Kadouchi"?

During the Showa era, there were many privately owned liquor stores in towns where you could buy sake by weight, and they would lend out wooden masu boxes so that you could drink the alcohol you bought on the spot, which is how "Kakuuchi" began

To drink sake from a square masu, you have to put your mouth to the corner, and it is said that the origin of the word comes from the expression "drinking from the corner" being used to describe drinking from the corner

Recently, cheap standing bars are sometimes called "Kadouchi," but the original meaning of "Kadouchi" is a system where you drink alcohol purchased from a liquor store inside the bar

In Morioka, it is more common to call it "mokkiri" rather than "kakuuchi," as it is served in a "mokkiri" cup rather than a masu

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Hirako Shoten

This is a very famous corner bar that is said to be known by all Morioka drinkers

It is located along the Nakatsugawa River in Kon'ya-cho, the city, and across the street the Kikuno Tsukasa Sake Brewery, a sake brewery that has been in business since the Edo period , but the brewery moved to Shizukuishi-cho in 2022.

However, Heiko Shoten remains in Konyamachi and is bustling every day with local drinkers enjoying a quick drink

you can enjoy special sake such as namazake a "mokkiri price."

Recommended brands at Heiko Shoten

They stock a selection of brands from their relative, Kikuno Tsukasa, and the proprietress will explain the day's recommendations

Be careful, as the sake the hostess pours into your glass will likely overflow, so you'll have to sip it without moving the glass

Snacks include the store's canned goods, dried foods, sweets, as well as edamame and pickles made in-house, and in the winter, oden

[Additional Information]: Notice of Heiko Shoten Closure

Heiko Shoten, which has long been loved as a place of relaxation for the people of Morioka, closed its doors on December 8, 2023 (Reiwa 5), ​​marking its 80th year in business

The shop's owner, the mother, was getting older and wanted to start her "second life," so the shop closed to the regret of the regular customers who had been coming for many years

Perhaps one of the reasons for the decision to close was that the related Kikuno Tsukasa Sake Brewery, located across the street, will be relocating to Shizukuishi Town, next to Morioka City, in October 2022

The site of the Kikuno Tsukasa Sake Brewery has been demolished and the lot has become vacant, and with the lights of Heiko Shoten now gone out, the historic area of ​​Kon'ya-cho in Morioka City now feels lonely

Even on my first visit, I was warmly welcomed by the mother and regular customers, and they taught me many things. Locals are constantly expressing their regret over the closure of Heiko School

Thank you very much, Heiko Shoten

INFORMATION

• Store name: Heiko Shoten
• Location: 6-2 Konyamachi, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-622-2753
• Business hours: Monday to Friday 9:30 to 20:00, Sundays and holidays 13:30 to 20:00
• Closed: New Year's Day
• gourmet site
  • eating log

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Hosoju ​​Sake Shop

Located in Nataya-cho, where many Morioka townhouses remain, has been in business for over 230 years , dating back is housed in a charming 130-year-old building.The friendly proprietress who runs the store is said to be the fourth generation owner.

The production and sale of koji has long been a family business, and there is a koji-making area inside the store where you can purchase handmade koji

At the back of the store where the products are displayed is a white curtain, and behind that is the corner bar area

There is a wooden counter with chairs in the dirt floor, and shelves on the wall leading up to the tatami room are piled high with canned goods and dried foods for snacks, with prices written on them

The most historic part of the building is the high-ceilinged room at the back that leads to the dirt floor. With its Shinto altar and decorated staircase, you'll be overwhelmed by the atmosphere, as if you've traveled back in time to the Edo period

Recommended brands at Hososhige Shoten

This restaurant is related to Tsukiwa Sake Brewery, a sake brewery in Shiwamachi, south of Morioka, so you can taste Tsukiwa straight from the brewery

Kinjirushi, a regular sake that can be enjoyed at corner bars, is reasonably priced and has a refreshing taste

There is also a beer server on the counter, and the draft beer that the proprietress pours into ice-cold mugs is also highly recommended

INFORMATION

• Store name: Hosoju ​​Sake Shop
• Address: 3-4 Natayacho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-622-2314
• Business hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00-20:00
• Closed: Sunday
• gourmet site
  • eating log

GOOGLE MAP

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Kagiya Sake Shop

This is a long-established liquor store founded in 1906, located in the Sakanamachi shopping arcade in Morioka City

In addition to local Iwate sake, they also sell carefully selected sake from all over Japan, and you can enjoy these recommended drinks at reasonable corner drinking prices from the evening until 8pm

There are tables and chairs inside the shop, so you can sit down and enjoy your meal at your leisure

Dried snacks are available for sale, but you are free to bring your own as long as they don't have a strong smell

Recommended brands at Kagiya Liquor Store

We recommend two brands from Iwate Prefecture: "Yoemon" from Kawamura Sake Brewery in Ishidoriya, the hometown of the Nanbu Toji brewers, and "AKABU" from Akabu Sake Brewery, which was hit by the tsunami in the coastal town of Otsuchi but has since rebuilt in Morioka

In addition, there are many brands from all over the country selected by the owner's discerning eye, and recently they have been focusing on stocking craft beer

INFORMATION

• Store name: Kagiya Liquor Store
• Address: 1-5-25 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-624-2036
• Business hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00 (Kakuuchi available from the evening until closing time)
• Closed: Monday
• URL: Kagiya Sake Shop Official X (formerly Twitter)
• gourmet site
  • eating log

GOOGLE MAP

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Easy-to-understand rules and system of "Kakuuchi"

The system varies slightly from store to store, but the rules are as follows:

• Payment is made in cash upfront (sometimes you can pay in full at the end)
• Snacks are not limited to products from the store; you can also bring your own

As long as you follow these rules, anyone can enjoy drinking at the bar

However, you should be mindful of the following etiquette:

When you sit down, don't just sit there, ask if it's okay to sit there

In the corner drinking area of ​​a bar, the seats for regular customers are usually reserved, so even if there is an empty seat, it's a good idea to check with the staff and those around you, asking "May I sit here?" before sitting down

If you bring snacks, please check with the staff if it is okay to open them

You are free to bring your own food, but the store also sells snacks, and bringing in snacks with a strong smell may be a nuisance to other customers

Before eating , be sure to ask the staff, "May I have this as a snack?"

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summary

All of the liquor stores in Morioka that have corner bars have been loved and cherished by local regulars as a place for communication

Regulars are always enjoying drinks and chatting happily, so it might take a bit of courage to visit for the first time

However, all of these regulars warmly welcome first-time visitors as "our new friends," recommending the snacks they've brought with them and sharing interesting local information

Why not enjoy a drink at the corner bar while immersing yourself in the warmth of Morioka's people, which was described by the New York Times as "very warm."

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