12 Spring Sakes for ¥200–300 a Glass at Tokyo's Sake Information Center
KAMPAI Editorial
The Japan Sake Information Center in Toranomon, Tokyo (1-6-15 Nishi-Shimbashi, 1F) is pouring 12 seasonal spring sakes — haruzake — by the glass for ¥200–300 each. The selection runs from March through April.
Haruzake are seasonal sakes brewed in winter and released for spring. They tend to be light and fragrant, and the bottles themselves signal the season — pink labels, cherry blossom motifs. Line them up on a shelf and the whole room feels like spring.
12 Sakes, From Akita to Saga
| Sake | Brewery | Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| Kariho Nama Junmai Ginjo | Kariho Shuzo | Akita |
| Hanami Roman Junmai Ginjo | Hanaizumi Shuzo | Fukushima |
| Haruwata Junmai Ginjo | Kin-no-I Shuzo | Miyagi |
| Raifuku Sakura Junmai | Raifuku Shuzo | Ibaraki |
| Asamayama BLOOMIN' Nama | Asama Shuzo | Gunma |
| Sakurairo Junmai | Ayumasamune Shuzo | Niigata |
| Miss Cherry Junmai | Eikun Shuzo | Shizuoka |
| Tedorigawa Haru Karakuchi Nama Junmai | Yoshida Shuzoten | Ishikawa |
| Waka Ebisu Plus 003 Junmai Ginjo | Wakaebisu Shuzo | Mie |
| Spring Ale Saika Nama Ginjo | Kokonoe Saika | Wakayama |
| Keigetsu CEL24 Junmai Daiginjo | Tosa Shuzo | Kochi |
| Amabuki Koisuru Haru Junmai Daiginjo | Amabuki Shuzo | Saga |
"Hanami Roman," "Miss Cherry," "Koisuru Haru" (Love in Spring), "BLOOMIN'" — just reading the names makes you want to plan a hanami. And Tedorigawa's dry nama keeps the lineup from being all sweetness and florals.
These pair well with spring ingredients: nanohana (rapeseed blossoms), sansai (wild vegetables), bamboo shoots, sawara (Spanish mackerel), and hotaru-ika (firefly squid). At ¥200–300 a pour, you can taste your way through several and find a favorite.
100+ Sakes Year-Round, No Reservation Needed
The Japan Sake Information Center is a tasting facility run by the national sake makers' association, stocking over 100 varieties of sake, shochu, and awamori. The 12 haruzake are a seasonal highlight within the permanent collection. No reservation needed. It's on the first floor of a building steps from Toranomon Station.