May 10, 2011

Sake Journey - Shuho Aburaya / 酒舗 油屋


The other day I have been to this special Sake store, "Shuho Aburaya".
It locates between Sakurashinmachi and Youga on Tokyo Denentoshi line.

とっておきの酒屋さん、「酒舗 油屋」さんへいってきました。
東急田園都市線、桜新町と用賀の間にあります。


After opening the door, there was another gigantic gate inside the store!
it is named Kabuki gate, used for the entrances for horses around Edo era.
When you looking around the store, all you see is neat dishes, plates, sake cups and glasses...
The answer is... there is a big -5 degree fridge behind this Kabuki gate.

酒屋には似つかわしくない店構えの暖簾をくぐると、店内に大きな門が!
「歌舞伎門」といって、江戸時代に馬が通る為に大きく作られたのだとか。
店内、見回してもお酒のディスプレーは全くなく、あるのは素敵な器やグラスだけ…。
実は、この歌舞伎門の裏に、日本酒用の−5度の冷蔵庫があるそうです。





This sake store has been around for 260 years at the same place, 
however, the 6th owner Mr. Sato has something different and eccentric;
when he spent his collage in Denmark, he often got surrounded by his schoolmates talking 
passionately about their own traditional cultures and architecture, 
however he could not talk anything back, since he did not know anything 
to be proud as Japanese.
Since then he got into Japanese pottery, then Japanese tea room, then Japanese architecture itself.
He entered the company specialized in designing Japanese traditional dining spaces.
Several years ago he returned his family business, Sake store,  and brought everything back to
"what it used to be 260 years ago".
it is the world that many house wive come visit sake store with magnum sake carafes
after purchasing seasonal fish and vegetables in the region.
Therefore, Aburaya's style is the style without labels or brands,
it is a style to find sake that matches well with their dinner dishes.
Currently, most of the customer here is from traditional Japanese restaurant,
Mr. Sato even support the restaurants to design the store or choosing plates, 
and writing menu for the customers. 
It all comes from his experiences.

酒屋自体は260年同じ場所で続いている老舗の酒屋。
しかし6代目店主の佐藤さんのご経歴は、非常にユニーク。
デンマークで大学時代を過ごされ、学生仲間が自国の伝統文化や建築などを
自信満々に語っている横で、日本のことを何も知らない自分を悔やんだそう。
それがきっかけで陶芸、茶室に始まり日本の建築様式そのものに興味を持たれ、
有名料亭の内装を数々設計されている会社に就職。
数年前に先祖代々酒屋を営む実家に戻られ、内装や販売方法など
全て独自のスタイル、「260年前の形に戻した」のだとか。
それはかつて、買い物帰りの奥様方が一升徳利を下げ、
その日に入った旬の魚や野菜に合うお酒を求めに来るような酒屋のあり方。
だから、銘柄次第でもお米次第でもなく、「合わせる食べ物次第」な選び方に徹底。
料亭のお客様を中心に、店舗内装や器選び、お品書き執筆などまで
ご経験を生かされて手がけることも多々あるそう。



I requested sake match with "bamboo shoot", the seasonal vegetable I crave for these days.
Mr. Kato picked "Ryokan, Junmai Ginjo Nama" from 
refreshing and soft on your palate, yet has spring floral aspects on aromas
and slight bitterness at the end. it will go well with Sichuan pepper.
I bought it soon after tasting.
Mr. Kato rolled the bottle in news papers, and wrote the name of sake outside.
he told me the ink oil of newspaper keep sake the perfect temperature.


最近もっぱら食している「筍」と合うお酒を私はリクエスト。
出して頂いたのは良寛の純吟生。
爽やかで柔らかい口当たりともに、生酒特有の春を思わせる花の感じ、
ほんのり残る渋みや苦みが、木の芽や山椒と良く合いそう。
試飲後、迷わず購入。丁寧に新聞紙に包んで、筆で銘柄名を書いてくださいました。
新聞紙に含まれるインクの油が、お酒が冷えすぎず、温まりにくく
保存にとても良いとのこと。


The space filled with care and love of the owner Sato.
This luxurious sake store can be a re-discoverer of what sake store is supposed to be.

店内の至る所にまで、佐藤店主のこだわりや愛情を感じる空間。
こんな贅沢な酒屋のカタチ、あってもいいんじゃないでしょうか。


- Shuho Aburaya
adress: Green Plaza Aburaya 1F,
2-12-18 Youga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
phone: 03-3700-1206
opening hours : 12:00 - 20:00
closed: Sunday, Monday, national holiday


・酒舗 油屋
住所:東京都世田谷区用賀2-12-18
グリーンプラザあぶらや1階
電話:03-3700-1206
営業時間:12:00~20:00
定休日:日曜、月曜、祝日

2 comments:

Sewon said...

What a beautiful store! I've been frequenting Japanese bars around Shanghai, but I still know very little about sake or shouchu. I would love to learn more about Japanese pottery, too!

natsuki kikuya said...

thank you for your message, Sewon!
I heart your photos♥
sake is not easy to learn but worth knowing! i can teach you some!