This was super useful. I'm coming to Tokyo in March and I didn't know that they have prefecture flagship stores in the city. I would love if you could do a segment(s) on the different prefecture flagship stores in Tokyo (and which prefecture is known for what products) so that I can get a taste of rural Japan during my stay. Thank you for all your hard work xox
Your videos always cheer me up. It was my birthday today but sadly I also lost my friend this morning to pancreatic cancer. So this videos really helped me escape from things for at least a short while so thank you John. 🙂
We just got back from Japan a few days ago and I wanted to say thank you for all your Japan vids! It helped us plan ahead and enjoy all the Japan has to offer! We vlogged our experience too!
I wish I could drink with you I want to run away from my home. I want to fly back to Japan, it's my real home since I first came there. Thank you so much for your videos John coz it really bring smile to my face whenever I watch it.
Just wanted to say thanks for tip about this place, it's an interesting little store, lots of great products. I just came back from 6 days in Tokyo and made a visit here - picked up a bottle of the Echigo Tsurkame (should I drink it hot or cold?), as well as some rice which apparently they're famous for, and a couple of other little things. I had a bit of a chat with the owner as well, as he was wrapping my bottles for travel. It's a cool little neighbourhood, which I probably wouldn't have visited if it weren't for your video. Thanks also for all your videos - I didn't have a lot of time to waste and thanks to you I was able to hit the ground running. Your airport/train videos were invaluable!
Tokyo looks so nice! Clean streets, polite people, things are working the way they should and very modern. Unfortunately also outrageously expensive but I guess there's no free lunch. If you want a nice place to live you've got to pony up.
Actually you can buy Echigo Tsurukame in various shops in Tokyo. These prefectural shops are overpriced, though convenient, if you are looking for something specific from that area. Echigo Tsukurukame is a very famous sake though, and for example in some big BIC Cameras and bigger department stores like Seibu you can find it. Even my local supermarket (Yaoko) has Echigo tsurukame, cheaper than the Omote sando shop. Some shops even have different varieties of Echigo Tsurukame.
Greetings from Texas! These videos are so helpful. I feel like I am cramming for a test, using these videos as a study guide for my upcoming trip in April. I think I will attempt to find this place when I come. I would love to bring some quality sake home. Let me know if you need any U.S. comforts from home!
Daisi Sake is awesome. Thanks for the info about Omotesando info. This will help immensely. I remember my mom telling me (and my sisters) about Niigata. I don't remember much since I was 4 or 5 when we left Fussa in '82. (my father was stationed @ Yokota back then).
Cool video John, enjoy that sake. You deserve it! I'm definitely going to this shop when I get back to Japan in the future. A good sake is great, didn't know about this one yet ^^ I didn't know about these satellite shops yet. Very good to know! I would definitely like to see a stream about other shops in the future. The back streets is definitely where it's at. I alway make a point of going off the beaten track,that's where you find the best places wherever you go:)
Thanks for the recommendation John! Will be in Tokyo for work next week for a few days. My office is very near omotesando and I have a few meetings there, will definitely buy Echigo Tsurukame from the store!
Have you ever found Momokawa in Japan? It's made in Forest Grove, OR and their diamond label is my favorite sake - it was the one that really taught me to love sake. :D
i cant seem to able to catch up your live stream, cause it either in the middle of the night or soo early in the mornig. or i just asleep the whole day
DooMMasteR it really is :p I actually scheduled this for 10 minutes later but ... we’ll keep trying, the tech will keep getting better :) so I believe in the platform.
That's real cheap. I'm used to buying $80-$250 whiskey bottles. I like the finer drinks when it comes to alchohol. I mean if you're putting poison in your body might as well put the real good stuff. You should really try some "suntory yamazaki" really good japanese whiskey and real hard to find here in the states.
John, were you ever a fan of the Himitsu no Kenmin show? They used to have so many good prefecture specialities on that. I wonder if the prefecture-kans in Tokyo stock them?
Do you know if any of your favourites are available at Narita or Haneda? When I visit, I'll be travelling with carry-on only so will have to wait and buy post-security on my way back to Canada.
Hey! Could you suggest what type of sake for beginners to try and also which sake do you mean has the bad taste? Another question, do they provide free drink/try to their customers?
Oleksandr Zubchenko oh my!! Def need to try it. When I was visiting friends in Romania, I always drank homemade Țuică made from plums I think ... so good - so strong! My friends father made us drink a shot every day we woke up! Haha
Hakkaisan has many levels of sake, this is - of course - at the top. It doesn’t make it better though. I prefer the one that’s kind of cheap. Price doesn’t means better - just means harder to make :p
Need to show this to my husband! Hey, can you tell me why some sites or vendors like at Tsukiji don't want you to video their products? I always ask, but sometimes the seem angry! Just curious.
John san..... my mentor in sake, Beau Timpken (Beau sama), sent me a a Hokkaido sake called God of Suwa (forgive spelling) junmai daigingo which is to this day my my favorite. It reminded e of falling into a high mountain steam many years ago, while on vacation.
Hi Mike! I haven’t had many sake from Hokkaido, but with the pristine environment up there, I don’t doubt it’s amazing. I will search this out and ask about it at the Hokkaido store in Tokyo too. Thanks!
No. Not Ben & Jerry's. 😢 I too love Ben & Jerry's. We even went out of our way to go to Vermont for Ben & Jerry's main plant. They have all the fun flavors.
I'm in Australia and can not watch livestream it would be so great tho if I could....... nice video, oh we got Ben and Jerrys ice cream at a gas station one minute away, would you like me go get you some John lol? I hardly ever eat ice cream- fitness goals and all. 👸👑💚💜
LMAO. Sorry John, but the lady behind you at just under the one minute mark and on is sneezing on your back. Good distance away but it is funny to see, while you're doing your talk of sake & sake regions.
Please John can you elaborate on the availability on dark beers like German Dunkel's and even stout beers like imperial stout, oatmeal stout and milk stout's. If they are not available can you explain why?
Shorty's they are available everywhere now. ASAHI makes a black beer. Ebisu has one too. Nationwide, craft beer is booming because laws are becoming more relaxed. Even a friend of mine started his own beer brand! I’ll have to have him in the show sometime soon. In Tokyo, you have EVERYTHING!
ヴァレンティーナ impossible to really predict the Sakura. Last year, it was VERY late in Kyushu. Some years, it’s a week early! If you go west, you’ll see them a little earlier. Depends where you are! The have already bloomed in Okinawa for example )
Because the blooming period is short and does not occur on the same day each year, this enhances the anticipation and excitement of the nature's wonder and magic in Japan.
