Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2011
Photo by James Hadfield
I’ll take my nihonshu chilled, thanks. After all, who doesn’t have turpentine memories of an evening spent with hot sake and the sorry, blinding hangover the next day? But wintry weather calls for some soul warming, and it was during a recent snowy snap that we happened upon Kaikan, a Kichijoji local specializing in kanzake, or heated sake.
Nestled in the backstreets of the salubrious Yodobashi-ura district, Kaikan cuts a nondescript figure, a noren curtain and empty sake bottles the only clues into what lies upstairs. The bar deals only in junmai (pure-rice) sake from boutique brewers and at any time has about 10-20 styles on the go.
Inside, the decor is equally unexceptional, but we’re not here to bang on about the interior, we’re here for booze after all. That said, the L-shaped counter seats 11—or more, if you’re particularly amorous—and takes up almost all of the space.
We luck out and are seated in the prime corner area, allowing us to spy on fellow customers and Kaikan master Ogura-san at will. The clientele are locals of all shapes and sizes: dating couples, friends catching up after work and, toward the end of the night, restaurant owners and other sake bar managers. In our book, a good sign.
We start with the obligatory otoshi (¥300)—in this case, piquant pickles from a local provider—and put ourselves in Ogura’s capable hands.
First up is a flask of Suiryu from Nara Prefecture (¥810 per 180ml go), a clean, round number the color of pale straw. It’s big, but certainly not oafish, and takes the edge off the woolly weather.
Next, a drop from Western sake brewer Philip Harper, the Yanwari from his Tamagawa Sake line (¥800). It’s smooth and plump like its predecessor, but we detect a slight tartness that Ogura attributes to pre-modern kimoto natural lactation acid fermentation techniques. For the neophytes among us, that’s a traditional method of making sake’s yeast starter, and it’s not very common nowadays.
Kaikan’s food menu features Japanese and fusion options such as grilled aburaage tofu pouches stuffed with cheese and homemade pickles (¥550), but it’s winter so we opt for the Kaikan daikon nimono (¥350), its sweetness a suitable foil for the Yanwari’s bite.
Following is Kimoto no Dobu (¥900). A cloudy or unfiltered nigorizake, it’s a funky revelation boasting a full-bodied texture and a strident and non-cloying aftertaste.
In the background, The Doors’ “Riders on the Storm” urges us to stay inside and ride out our libationary journey, so we take to grilled chicken thighs marinated in miso and sake lees with gusto (¥700). Marinated for over a week and bursting with umami, the chook is blushing and succulent, and packs a smoky punch.
Our bellies truly warm, we indulge in one last tipple before heading out into the elements, a 20-year-old aged koshu junmaiginjo sake (¥900 per 90ml). Nutty yet mellow on the front palate, it’s dry with mineral undertones and reminds us of Spanish sherry.
