Sep 20,2018
In a corner of the Shinshu Souvenir Sando Oraho shopping mall, inside Nagano Station, is a standing bar bustling with businesspeople in suits and tourists. Called Shinshu-Kuraudo, the establishment opened in 2015 at the same time the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line opened. Shinshu-Kuraudo is a fermentation bar, where you can enjoy saké, wine, and other spirits from Shinshu (the former name of Nagano prefecture) along with specialty snacks from Nagano, where the fermented food culture is alive and well. It is also a souvenir store featuring fermented foods from all over the Shinshu Region. The hot spot lures people in for a quick drink in the midst of their souvenir searches.
The saké and other alcoholic beverages sold here are sourced by Matsushita Masayoshi, the store manager and certified kikisake-shi saké sommelier, who personally visits saké breweries and wineries across the Shinshu Region. We asked him why he opened Shinshu-Kuraudo and to tell us about the concept behind the store.
“The store’s parent organization is a large trading company dealing in tourist souvenirs. Initially, the idea was to use this space for souvenir tasting and sampling that would hopefully lead to more purchases. But since we had the space, the concept shifted beyond this to a standing bar where customers can enjoy snacks and a drink. Since Nagano is a thriving center for fermented foods, it was inevitable that the majority of the bar snacks would be fermented foods. Because, of course, both saké and wine are also products of fermentation.”
Matsushita Masayoshi, manager of Shinshu-Kuraudo.
Shinshu is well-regarded for saké and wine, but looking around the souvenir aisles finds a huge variety of miso, soy sauce, and many other fermented products. Since you can sample these delicacies in comfort along with a drink at the Shinshu-Kuraudo fermentation bar, it is an enjoyable place for tourists, both inbound and domestic, as well as visiting businesspeople to stand and have a drink while they wait for the bullet train. More and more locals are reportedly coming into the bar as well.
“Everything you can eat or drink at the fermentation bar is available for purchase in the sales section, so it’s a great place for discovering your favorite items.”
The store stocks over 300 varieties of saké.
In addition to the bar’s popular saké tasting flight, which offers a selection of three saké varieties from more than 10 brands, the featured wines and other alcoholic beverages change with the seasons.
The high-end Dai-Ginjo saké flight includes one appetizer. On the day of our visit, the saké varieties were Nagano Sake Brewery’s Obasute Masamune Junmai Daiginjo, Tanakaya Brewery’s Mizuo Junmai Daiginjo, and Tsuchiya Brewery’s Kame-no-Umi Daiginjo, and the appetizer was local daikon radish pickled in miso.
“We strive to change the saké we have on offer at the fermentation bar each season, because our repeat customers get tired of the same saké varieties. Shinshu has more than 70 saké breweries, and we decide which saké to feature based on information from brewers and information we get through our research. We work on building trust with saké breweries so we can get ahold of saké that is not in wide circulation.”
Many varieties of amazake [a sweet drink made from fermented rice] from local breweries are available.
The number of soy sauces alone is amazing!
Shinshu-Kuraudo has three certified kikisake-shi saké sommeliers, including Matsushita, on staff. It’s nice to know there is always a saké expert on hand to help you pick out saké.
“I have a kikisake-shi certificate, but to be honest, I’m not too comfortable being called a saké expert. [laughs] The world of saké is incredible deep, and there are many people who truly know a lot about terroirs and saké. I have so much to absorb, so it’s a learning experience every day.”
That the restaurant is run by genuine saké lovers, such as Matsushita, is another reason why Shinshu-Kuraudo can be trusted. The food menu includes cheeses, pickles, and vinegared dishes made in Shinshu, as well as local delicacies such as seasoned frozen tofu and otaguri (horse offal stew). The restaurant also has a café with a full menu of soft drinks, including amazake lattes, so even those who cannot drink alcohol or those with children can enjoy themselves.
Clockwise from the left: Shinshu smoked herb chicken and cheese platter, vinegared and salted whole calamari, and otaguri (horse offal stew).
“The mission of our shop is to communicate the appeal of brewing and fermentation,” says Matsushita. He also spoke about the recent surge in new wineries and breweries.
“My overall impression is that we are seeing a generational change among saké and wine makers, with many young people coming into the industry. These young producers are bringing the new approaches and ideas of their generation, and as a result there are more novel products and products with unique promotions. I think this is one of the reasons why more young people and people from abroad have taken notice of our region’s products.”
There are more than 100 wines produced in Shinshu.
Besides saké and wine, Shinshu has many local beers.
Matsushita has seen firsthand the rise in both demand and supply, driven by the recent boom in saké and Japanese wine.
“Shinshu wine, in particular, has been all the rage very recently. And because Shinshu has long been known as an apple producer, attention is now focusing on cider, which is made by fermenting apples. We have quite an extensive selection of ciders, so definitely try some.”」
A magnificent selection of more than 30 Shinshu ciders. The stylish packaging is also a calling card.
Ask the staff at Shinshu-Kuraudo, most of whom enjoy drinking, and they are sure to guide you to a drink you’ll love and the perfect appetizer pairing.
Shinshu-Kuraudo has a great selection that you are sure to want to check out on the souvenir floor. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the tastes of Shinshu, so that you don’t end up drinking too much at the fermentation bar and miss your train.
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