The Liquor Shop Kakuuchi Festival is one of Japan’s celebrations for drink lovers.
The 11th edition was held from Friday, November 14 through Sunday, November 16 at Takenodai Square in Ueno Park.
Although the event centers on sake, this edition featured numerous shops serving Japanese wine as well.
Here is our report on the festival.
A Festival for Drink Lovers Comes to Ueno
The Liquor Shop Kakuuchi Festival brings liquor stores from Tokyo and other parts of Japan together in Ueno.
As its name suggests, drinks are served in kakuuchi style, giving visitors the feeling of enjoying good drinks at the counter of many different liquor shops under an open sky.
The weather was fine during the festival and large numbers of drinks fans attended.
Crowds also gathered at unusual attractions including a free Tokyo-sake tasting corner, a drinks award, a fair-style area for children and a puzzle-solving activity.
A stage in the center of the venue hosted artists connected with liquor shops and talk shows by retailers.
The result was a festival full of entertainment beyond simply drinking.
Japanese Wine to Enjoy, Too
While each retailer mainly served carefully selected sake, many different categories of alcohol were available throughout the venue.
Craft beer, whisky, awamori, Champagne and even booths evoking Spanish-style kakuuchi all reflected a spirit of enjoying alcohol more freely and more joyfully.
Most importantly, many booths offered Japanese wine this year, and even visitors who do not normally drink it showed strong interest in its delicate flavors.
Kakuuchi Cafe Futaba, a Kuramae liquor shop previously introduced on NihonWine.jp, served only Japanese wine.
Its lineup included hard-to-find 1.8-liter bottle wines such as Iwasaki Jozo’s Maruhonjo label and Enzan Wine’s Gold and Rouge.
Le Milieu president Mr. Shiose personally stood at the booth and served his wines, reinforcing the Japanese-wine-focused selection.
Other liquor shops served wines such as Yamato Wine’s Koshu sparkling and Sun Mamoru Winery’s Tsugaru wine, making Japanese wine easy to enjoy in casual kakuuchi style.
The festival proved friendly to wine fans as well, offering Japanese wine alongside many other drinks.
If It Returns Next Year, Be Sure to Go
Many food booths were also available, offering dishes designed to go well with drinks.
The lineup included imoni stew, salt-grilled ayu, grilled squid, takoyaki, rice-flour churros, yellowtail-cutlet burgers, Hokkaido Kitaakari potatoes with salted squid and butter, and dumplings with coriander chili oil—a menu that almost makes you feel pleasantly tipsy just reading it.
Personally, I found Kakuuchi Cafe Futaba’s fermented fried chicken particularly good with red wine from a 1.8-liter bottle.
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the Liquor Shop Kakuuchi Festival may be held again next year.
There are few festivals where Japanese wine can be enjoyed this casually, joyfully and deliciously.
If this report made you think, “I wish I’d gone,” why not make a point of attending next time?
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