Sake, Rice and More at GOBURIYA Honten
Published: February 19, 2018
Stroll east from Ojima Station along Shin Ohashi Street and you simply can’t miss GOBURIYA; it’s that stunning, vivid yellow shop with all those cases of beer stacked up outside. It’s more than just a liquor shop though, as the effervescent manager Mr. Hoshi explained recently.
“We’ve been here for about a hundred years, serving the neighborhood with the best quality drinks at the most reasonable prices. The name GOBURIYA actually means “5% profit is enough” and that’s still our motto today. We deliver to homes and businesses and also sell top-quality Niigata rice at amazing prices,” said Mr. Hoshi.
Asked for a sake recommendation Mr. Hoshi doesn’t think twice, pulling this bottle of Oppe Daiginjo from Saitama Prefecture off the shelf. “Saitama produces a lot of top quality sake and this is very tasty, easy to drink and incredible value at less than 2,000 yen. We buy direct from the brewer so we can sell it at such a reasonable price.”
“While this is a classic from the Hakkaisan Sake Brewery in Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture. Uonuma is generally recognized as producing the best rice in all Japan and is famous for its deep snow in winter. The local water is super soft and this results in a clear and tasty sake,” adds Mr. Hoshi. At 2,576 yen including tax it seems a real bargain.
And here’s some of that Koshihikari rice from Uonuma. GOBURIYA sells three different types; this is the premium one. Why not pick up a bag while you’re here?
The premium imported brands are well represented.
As are the popular Japanese brands. “Yamazaki is sold out unfortunately,” says Mr. Hoshi, “It’s so popular right now that it just flies off the shelves when we have some. I can only suggest that customers pop in as much as possible to check if it’s in stock.”
GOBURIYA has a wide selection of wines, including many from California. Mr. Hoshi’s choice is the Joel Gott Zinfandel, at the nice price of 2,480 yen (incl. tax). The Grace Kayagatake red from Yamanashi is an increasingly popular domestic wine that goes very well with sushi and tempura.
Punk IPA is the most popular craft beer sold at GOBURIYA but Asahi and Sapporo are the top sellers. Super Dry is 4,490 yen (incl. tax) for a case of 24 350ml cans while a case of 500ml ones will cost you 5,990 yen (incl. tax). Look at those prices!
Increasingly popular around the world, and especially in France, are these sake nouveau brands. From left to right is Okunomatsu from Fukushima Prefecture, Suigei from Kochi and Hakkaisan from Niigata. They’re fresh and fruity with deep, rich flavours. They’re also strong, up to 19% alcohol by volume in some cases, so drink with care!
If sake nouveau is currently enjoying a boom amongst some of France’s most celebrated restaurateurs then amazake is the drink du jour for ladies in Japan. The non-alcohol or low-alcohol drink is made from fermented rice or sake lees and is believed to be very nutritious, containing a variety of vitamins and amino acids. This is Kunigiku amazake from the Shinozaki Company in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Many people are now drinking amazake as a smoothie, mixed with fruit such as strawberries or kiwi.
GOBURIYA not only has a wide variety of reasonably priced drinks but also is a lively, busy shop. Even on a chilly midweek February afternoon delivery trucks arrived and departed, the staff were constantly in motion and a steady stream of customers entered the shop: a homemaker picking up a bottle for the weekend, a businessman knocking off early and treating himself to something tasty, and a gaggle of students buying beer for a party. Mr. Hoshi is an excellent guide to the world of both Japanese and global booze. If you’re in the area and thirsty then pay him and his dynamic staff a visit. You’ll be glad you did!
*All prices as of February 8th. 2018
Story and Photos by Stephen Spencer
