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Magazine

ブレンド日本酒を積極的に提供!創業35年、京滋で9店舗展開する[shioriya]の取り組みをインタビュー!

Actively offering blended sake! An interview with the initiatives of [shioriya], which has been in business for 35 years and operates nine stores in Keiji!

The sake [Assemblage Club] was realized with the cooperation of three Kyoto sake breweries, and [My Sake World] is a spot where individuals, restaurants, and businesses can create their own original blends of sake. We asked the people who support this new challenge of blending sake that transcends breweries about their current thoughts.
shioriya Co., Ltd. operates a variety of restaurants in Kyoto and other cities, focusing on creative Japanese cuisine, and is actively offering sake blends at its restaurants. We interviewed the company's representative director, Nao Nishizuchi, and product development manager, Akiya Katagiri, about their thoughts and efforts behind this unprecedented "sake blending" project, as well as the impact it has had on their business.

For 35 years, a unique cuisine has been gaining fans

Shioriya began as a small 28-seat restaurant in 1988. Currently, the restaurant has nine outlets, mainly in Kyoto, that offer creative Japanese cuisine. Since its establishment, the company has placed importance on "a restaurant where customers are truly satisfied and want to come back again. This vision has remained unchanged for more than 30 years. The fact that the restaurants are always crowded with local customers is proof of this.
What has won the hearts of customers over the years are the many refined dishes with a twist. Using local vegetables from Kamigamo and Kumiyama, fresh seafood purchased daily, and other ingredients, each restaurant makes its own soup stock and prepares it with care. The restaurant's chef, Mr. Kikuchi, says, "I want my customers to be impressed with the taste! I am particular not only about the taste, but also about the presentation," says Akiya Katagiri, who has 25 years of culinary experience and is in charge of product development.

The sake lineup includes local and well-known brands that go well with the cuisine. The lineup includes "Assemblage Club Taro´ (Taro Dash)," a blend of sake from three Kyoto sake breweries that has been added to the lineup since 2024. When asked why he chose to create such an unusual sake blend, he replied, "I came across it just as I was thinking about expanding my sake lineup, and I thought it would be interesting! I thought it was interesting! The managers of the restaurants who tasted the sake also liked it, so they decided to introduce it. It's very easy to drink, and I think even people who don't like sake can enjoy it," said Nishizuchi. I think it's very easy to drink and even people who don't like sake can enjoy it," said Nishido-San, who also likes the taste.

Original blended sake that goes well with dashi, "Ogetsuju.

When I heard that we could make original sake, I wanted to try it. I wanted to try it because the blended sake has a good reputation even though the price is high," said Nishidori. We actually experienced blending at "My SakeWorld," a facility where sake can be blended. Mr. Katagiri, who joined us, said, "I like whiskey, so I had no resistance to blending and was excited to enjoy it.

For the original sake, we decided on "sake that goes well with dashi," which is appropriate for shioriya, and ordered the blend from "My SakeWorld," a professional sake blender. Then, three types were proposed. The choice of which sake to select was decided by a vote with the manager of each restaurant also participating. The overwhelming vote went to the most easy-drinking sake, which was later named "Arigatoju. (The sake that won the overwhelming vote was the most easy-to-drink sake, which would later be named "Arigatte 10. The godparents of "Arigatteju. was named after the founder, Katsuaki Hasegawa. The name was inspired by his desire to express his gratitude to his customers.

The result is an assemblage of brands from three long-established sake breweries. is a junmai (pure rice) sake with a clean and refreshing taste that lingers in the mouth. We recommend the restaurant's signature dashimaki and sashimi to accompany such sake.

The "Thank You!" has only been in stores for a month, but it has been well received by customers. I have a lot of feelings about it because it was created in line with shioriya's cuisine," says Katagiri. It's also nice to be able to enjoy the special feeling of being able to drink it only here," says Katagiri.
Next, we plan to create original sake at each store. The manager of each store blends the sake and is in charge of naming the sake. Nishizuchi's passion for sake is evident.

We want to continue to offer rare sake.

Finally, we asked them about their goals and aspirations for the future.
In addition to blended sake, we would like to focus on rare sake, such as fresh new sake bottled in the morning, or sake that is only available at that time of year," said Nishidori.
We will also brush up our cuisine to match the taste and presentation of the times," says Katagiri. I want to continue to create dishes that are as sophisticated as ever," says Katagiri.
I am grateful that many customers continue to visit us even after the Corona Vortex, and I believe that what we have built up over the past 35 years has become the foundation of our business. We will not rest on our laurels and will continue to make every effort to ensure that our customers leave satisfied.
He says there are many things he would like to do, such as opening new stores and exploring new genres. We can't wait to see how the shioriya led by Nishido-San will develop in the future.