Ginjo Shubo Aburacho — Local services in Kyoto

Me and my bf were looking for a while after a place that can offer sake tasting, and we were lucky enough to pass by this place. At first we stopped because we wanted to buy sake to bring it home, and afterwards we discovered that they also offer sake tasting. The experience has been very unique since you can notice that the owners are very passionate about sake and they take their time to explain to you the process behind it. They have a small bar where you are seated so you can do the tasting, and we also received some snacks to enjoy between tasting and after. They will offer you the opportunity to chose the type of sake you want to taste based on flavours and ingredients used in production. We got 3 types of sake each. You can also talk with them in advance to establish your budget for the sake tasting, so you are not surprised when you pay at the end - I consider this a big plus. Since we really enjoyed some of the sake types that we tasted we decided to purchase them from the store. Payment by card...

Our sake journey continued at Ginjo Shubo Aburacho, a liquor store with a small bar where you can sample sake. The staff was knowledgeable and guided us through a tasting of three different sake varieties. The sake labels can be a bit confusing, with two percentages listed—the higher number (e.g., 60%, 40%) refers to how much of the rice grain is polished away, while the lower percentage indicates the alcohol content (15%-18%). I went for the “matured & rich” (umami) palette, while Jasper chose the “light & smooth” and “rich (umami)” options. Everything was served with a delicious side of smoked, root-like vegetables. A must-visit for sake enthusiasts!

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A brilliant place to either buy some local sake, or do a small tasting. The selection of sake offered is staggering, with most (if not all?) coming from the local Fushimi area.

I did a tasting of three different aged sake, accompanied by some light snacks, and ended up buying a bottle for what seemed to be a staggeringly affordable price!

I would recommend anyone to go if you're interested in tasting some local sake, or if you're looking to buy alcohol in general. English menu for sake tasting is...