Nihonshu Stand Moto Kayabacho: Standing Bar Sake From ¥390 a Pour
KAMPAI Editorial
One minute from Kayabacho Station Exit 3, Nihonshu Stand Moto is a sake standing bar that relocated from Shinjuku in October 2022. It had been running there for over 12 years. The opening date was October 1st, which is officially Sake Day in Japan.
The Kayabacho area, in Chuo Ward's Shinkawa district, has historical ties to sake. During the Edo period, sake shipped from the Kansai region was unloaded here, and the neighborhood was full of sake wholesalers.
Inside, it's a clean, wood-toned space with a 12-seat standing counter and two outdoor tables. The staff are friendly and regulars chat naturally, so it's easy to walk in alone. It opens at 3 PM on weekdays, noon on weekends and holidays.
50+ Sakes, Starting at ¥390 for 75ml
The lineup has over 50 sakes. At ¥390 for a 75ml pour (roughly ochoko size), it's easy to try several. Expect names like Kid (¥450), Sharaku (¥600), Houou Biden (¥500), Denshu (¥750), and Hanabi Yoku (¥850).
Hard-to-find bottles like Jikon and Kaze no Mori show up here too, available casually at the standing counter. Jikon nigori, Kaze no Mori shop exclusives, Aramasa, and Sankan rotate through. Many are served freshly opened.
Tell the staff what you like and they'll pick something. "Dry," "fruity," that's enough to go on. There's also beer, wine, chuhai, and highball for anyone not drinking sake.
No MSG, and the Maguro Butsu Is the One to Get
The kitchen doesn't use chemical seasonings. The house specialty is the maguro butsu (tuna chunks, ¥730). It's simple, but the freshness comes through directly.
Beyond that: seared bonito, smoked mackerel, niku miso piiman (meat miso with green pepper, ¥430), moto-style tare katsu (¥400), gizzard confit (¥430), motsuni stew, and ham katsu. The gizzard confit has a lot of repeat orders. Fried items are light, easy to eat standing up.
Budget ¥2,000–3,000, Open for Daytime Drinking
On weekdays, arrive before 6 PM for the "Otsukaresama Set" (a welcome deal for after-work drinkers). Figure ¥2,000–3,000 per person. A beer plus five sakes comes to about ¥5,000.
Sunday-only ramen and other specials pop up from time to time.
The bar spent 12 years in Shinjuku before moving to a neighborhood that once housed sake wholesalers. The location changed, but the vibe at the counter — where you end up talking sake with the person next to you — apparently hasn't.