Alcohol

Morioka Liquor Stores: Enjoying a Kakuuchi Drink! 2026 Edition [Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture]

In the past, when sake was sold by weight at liquor stores, there was a system in place where you could drink the sake you purchased directly inside the store, along with snacks such as canned goods sold in the store

This is the "Kadouchi" that remains even now that selling by weight is no longer available

Nowadays, it has become easy to purchase alcohol at supermarkets and convenience stores, and the liquor stores that used to be found in every town are becoming less common as they are replaced by convenience stores

In this situation, we bring you the latest information about a liquor store in Morioka City that offers a new type of "Kadouchi" (drinking at the corner) experience that differs from the traditional method of selling drinks by weight

Liquor stores offering kakuuchi in Morioka City

Corner bar
Sake poured to the brim into a glass

Two years ago, I introduced three long-established liquor stores in Morioka City where you can enjoy corner drinking (Heiko Shoten, Hososhige Shoten, and Kagiya Sake Shop)

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Morioka's 3 Popular Corner Bars! | Heiko Shoten, Hosoju ​​Sake Shop, and Kagiya Sake Shop [Iwate Prefecture]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/25559
With a pure river running through the city and abundant spring water, Morioka has long been a thriving sake brewery. It was once home to four sake breweries: Asakai, Kikuno Tsukasa, Sakuragao, and Iwategawa. As a result, Morioka boasts numerous liquor stores selling their products, and kakuuchi (known as mokkiri in Morioka) has become a beloved part of Japanese sake culture. Today, only two sake breweries remain in the city: Asakai and Sakuragao (Kikuno Tsukasa has moved to Shizukuishi-cho, and Iwategawa has gone out of business). However, Morioka still retains its old-fashioned streetscape, and there are still sake shops with a traditional atmosphere. The three liquor stores we'll introduce are traditional mokkiri...
read more
Corner bar
Heiko Shoten, the mecca of the now-defunct "Kakuuchi" bar

One of these, Heiko Shoten, which boasted an 80-year history in Konya-cho, closed on December 8, 2023, just after the article was written, much to everyone's regret

On the other hand, however, an increasing number of liquor stores have started offering kakuuchi, much to the relief of kakuuchi fans who want to casually enjoy local sake

Two new liquor stores in Morioka now offer kakuuchi (drinking at the counter)

Sakamoto Shoten
Illumination of the street in front of the station and Sakamoto Shoten

The two stores we will introduce are considered long-established in Morioka, and both are liquor stores known for their focus on selling local sake from Iwate and around the country

Both restaurants have local sake recommended by the owners on the menu, which you can easily enjoy at the corner bar

Sakamoto Shoten (Ekimae-dori)

Sakamoto Shoten
Sakamoto Shoten, which was renovated a few years ago, is piled high with beer cases

It is located at the foot of Kaiun Bridge, along Ekimae-dori from the east exit of Morioka Station

This long-established liquor store is known for its wide selection of sake, and the current owner is the sixth generation owner

Sakamoto Shoten
A signboard with a slightly stylish and modern atmosphere

The young, sixth-generation owner personally visits breweries all over Japan to purchase and sell his favorite sake, and these recommended local sakes are also available at the corner bar

Sakamoto Shoten
The glass case is filled with local sake from around the country. There is a refrigerator in the back that you can access freely

There is a refrigerator at the back of the store for controlling the temperature of sake, and you can freely go inside to look for sake

Sakamoto Shoten
You can enjoy the sake you ordered while looking at the bottle

In the standing bar area, small bags of dried foods such as butter peanuts are available for customers to enjoy as snacks while drinking

Sakamoto Shoten
Butter peanuts are complimentary, but be careful not to eat too much

Due to its convenient location in front of the station, it is visited by many tourists as well as Morioka residents

Sakamoto Shoten <Information>

  • Store name: Sakamoto Shoten
  • Address: 10-4 Morioka Ekimae-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
  • Phone number: 019-622-2451
  • Business hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00-19:00
  • Closed: Sundays
  • URL: Sakamoto Shoten official website

Google Map

Local sake shop Yoshimoto Sake Shop (Uchimaru)

Yoshimoto Liquor Store
The torii gate of Sakurayama Shrine in the back seems to be stuck in the wall. There is a queue at the nearby Jajamen restaurant "Hakuryu" today

Located near the ruins of Morioka Castle and Sakurayama Shrine, this restaurant, which looks as if a shrine's torii gate is sticking out of it, was founded in 1954

Yoshimoto Liquor Store
There is a standing bar next to the entrance with beer cases stacked up

This liquor store has long been known for its excellent selection of sake, and there is a standing bar next to the entrance so that you can sample the drinks at your leisure

You purchase alcohol inside the store, and then you take your drink in a plastic cup filled in 1-go units and enjoy it at your leisure in the outdoor space

Yoshimoto Liquor Store
There are many kinds of alcohol in the store. Unfortunately, the store was closed on this day, so we couldn't enter

In addition to sake, you can also drink wine and canned beer at the corner bar

Yoshimoto Liquor Store
The menu posted outside the store

What's unusual is that they also offer pre-mixed shochu that has been diluted with water and left to age to make it smooth, and you can also enjoy this as a quick drink

They will also warm your sake on cold days, so please ask the owner if you would like this service

Local sake shop Yoshimoto Sake Shop ＜Information＞

Google Map

Two liquor stores where you can still enjoy kakuuchi

Hososhige Shoten and Kagiya Sake Shop, which we introduced last time, still offer corner drinking

For more details on these two establishments, please refer to the previous article

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Morioka's 3 Popular Corner Bars! | Heiko Shoten, Hosoju ​​Sake Shop, and Kagiya Sake Shop [Iwate Prefecture]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/25559
With a pure river running through the city and abundant spring water, Morioka has long been a thriving sake brewery. It was once home to four sake breweries: Asakai, Kikuno Tsukasa, Sakuragao, and Iwategawa. As a result, Morioka boasts numerous liquor stores selling their products, and kakuuchi (known as mokkiri in Morioka) has become a beloved part of Japanese sake culture. Today, only two sake breweries remain in the city: Asakai and Sakuragao (Kikuno Tsukasa has moved to Shizukuishi-cho, and Iwategawa has gone out of business). However, Morioka still retains its old-fashioned streetscape, and there are still sake shops with a traditional atmosphere. The three liquor stores we'll introduce are traditional mokkiri...
read more

Hosoju ​​Liquor Store (Natayamachi)

Hosoju ​​Liquor Store
Natayacho, where Hosoju ​​Sake Shop is located, is full of the atmosphere of a Morioka townhouse

Hosoju ​​Sake Shop is known as one of the oldest liquor stores, having been in business for 230 years in Natayacho, an area that still retains the atmosphere of Morioka townhouses

In Morioka City, it is a "local liquor store" known for its corner drinking establishments, on a par with Hirako Shoten, which sadly closed two years ago

Hosoju ​​Liquor Store
The corner bar, reminiscent of a candy store, also has a microwave so you can warm up any snacks you bring with you

The liquor store is run by the fourth generation proprietress, and many local residents, attracted by her personality, visit the store every day, both day and night, to enjoy a drink

Hososhige Liquor Store <Information>

  • Store name: Hosoju ​​Sake Shop
  • Address: 3-4 Natayacho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
  • Phone number: 019-622-2314
  • Business hours: Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 20:00
  • Closed: Sundays

Google Map

Locksmith (Nakanobashi-dori 1-chome)

Locksmith
Stores facing the arcade

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

In addition to local Iwate sake, they also sell carefully selected sake from all over Japan, which you can drink at their standing bar

Locksmith
There are snacks (dry snacks) on the corner drinking table. Inside the store, there is a wide selection of local sake, wine, and craft beer from all over Japan

There is a table in the middle of the store where you can enjoy a glass of alcohol, but when the liquor store is busy, you may not be able to drink at the corner

If you are coming from afar, we recommend calling the store to check before visiting

Locksmith ＜Information＞

  • Store name: Sake no Kagiya
  • Address: 1-5-25 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
  • Phone number: 019-624-2036
  • Business hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-19:00, Sunday 10:00-18:00
  • Closed: Mondays
  • URL: Sake no Kagiya Official Instagram

Google Map

All you need to know! Rules for enjoying a Kaku-uchi bar

Corner bar
When a beer maker pours a glass of chilled sake to the brim, the first thing you do is take a sip and sip it to avoid spilling

Each store has different rules, and snacks and other items are self-service, and generally snacks and drinks are paid for in advance in exchange for cash, but recently some stores have started accepting credit cards and PayPay

Corner bar

It's important to follow the store's own rules, and if there's anything you don't understand, ask the store staff or regular customers, and they'll usually be happy to explain

Additionally, regular customers often bring their own homemade snacks with them, and if you become friends with them, they may even treat you to their favorite snacks

And once you start drinking, it's smart to finish quickly without lingering

The spirit of Kakuuchi is to be considerate of other customers and to "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."

summary

In addition, Iwate Sake Shop Kikizakeya, located on the first floor of the Morioka Station Building Fezan, offers a "Kadouchi" service where you can sample local sake for a fee

New genres of corner drinking establishments, such as wine shops where you can drink wine on the corner and craft beer corner drinking establishments, are also popular

I will introduce these stores in more detail in another article

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