In my Discovery Japan series, I introduce places in Japan that I have personally visited and found interesting.
These aren’t necessarily places that are trending on social media or famous among tourists.
Instead, I want to share places that, from my perspective as a Japanese person, I think are worth discovering.
This time, I’d like to introduce SAKE BAR SHIZIMA, a small sake bar in Kyoto.
SHIZIMA is run by a friend of mine, and I also help with some of the bar’s marketing.
So, with that relationship made clear, I’d like to share something I personally experienced at SHIZIMA that genuinely surprised me.
I like sake.
Drinking sake with yakitori or sashimi at an izakaya is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
But I’m definitely not a sake expert.
If you asked me which sake comes from which prefecture, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you much.
Even so, I experienced something at SHIZIMA that I had never experienced before.
The sake was exactly the same, but changing the ochoko completely changed the way it tasted.
Same Sake, Different Taste
The experience I recommend most at SHIZIMA is tasting the same sake from four different ochoko, traditional Japanese sake cups.
You drink one sake from four cups with different shapes.
When I first heard about this, I was honestly skeptical.
Could simply changing the cup really make sake taste different?
Then I tried it.
And yes, it really did.
What surprised me was that the difference wasn’t subtle.
With one cup, the sake tasted sweeter. With another, it felt drier and sharper.
Even the aroma changed. One cup brought out a more floral or fruity character.
It was the exact same sake, yet at times it felt like I was drinking a completely different one.
Honestly, it felt a little like magic.
Of course, the sake itself isn’t actually changing.
The height and shape of the ochoko, including how wide the opening is, can change how you experience the aroma and how the sake reaches your mouth.
As a result, the same sake can leave a surprisingly different impression in both taste and aroma.
Even as a Japanese person, I had no idea the difference could be this noticeable.
It made me realize for the first time that enjoying sake isn’t only about what you drink, but also what you drink it from.
Sake, Ochoko, and Food
The experience at SHIZIMA doesn’t stop with the ochoko tasting.
The combinations of sake, ochoko, and food are also carefully considered.
Sake can be surprisingly delicate.
When you pair it with food that has a very strong flavor, the character and aroma of the sake can sometimes get lost.
At SHIZIMA, the snacks aren’t simply dishes that seem like they would go well with sake.
They are selected to complement the characteristics of each sake without overpowering it, helping bring out its flavors instead.
Rather than choosing just one, trying a few different snacks with different sakes is part of the fun.
SHIZIMA even has a pairing guide showing how different types of sake can be matched with the right ochoko and food.
Sake × Ochoko × Food.
One way to experience the whole idea behind SHIZIMA is through the Full Experience.
The Full Experience is divided into two parts.
First, you drink the same sake from four different ochoko.
The sake stays exactly the same.
The only thing that changes is the cup.
This lets you experience for yourself how the shape of an ochoko can change the way you perceive the aroma and flavor.
After that, you try different types of sake, each paired with an ochoko and a snack chosen to complement it.
In the first part, you discover how dramatically the same sake can change depending on the cup.
In the second, you experience how sake, ochoko, and food can work together to bring out different flavors.
So this isn’t simply a flight of different sakes.
First, you discover how the cup changes the sake. Then, you experience how sake, ochoko, and food can work together.
That two-step experience is what makes the Full Experience interesting to me.
If you’re a little hungry and want to experience what makes SHIZIMA unique, I recommend trying the Full Experience.
On the other hand, if you’ve already had dinner and just want to enjoy a little sake, you don’t necessarily need to order it.
You can choose how much you want to experience depending on your mood and how hungry you are.
You Don’t Need to Know Much About Sake
Another thing I like about SHIZIMA is that you don’t need to know much about sake to enjoy it.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m not a sake expert myself.
Choosing sake based on the brewery, region, or label can be difficult even for me.
At SHIZIMA, there is a flavor map that helps you choose sake based on its characteristics.
Instead of knowing specific labels, you can look at the map and choose according to the kind of flavors you enjoy.
There is also guidance on which snacks pair well with each sake.
And if you’re unsure, you can always ask the staff.
An English menu is also available, with explanations of how the system works and how to enjoy the experience.
So even if you know very little about sake, there is no need to feel intimidated.
In fact, if you’re relatively new to sake, the differences you discover through the ochoko tasting might be even more surprising.
Drinking Sake in a 100-Year-Old Kyoto Machiya
Another part of what makes SHIZIMA special is the building itself.
SHIZIMA is located inside a Kyoto machiya that is around 100 years old.
A machiya is a traditional Japanese townhouse. In Kyoto, many machiya were built with relatively narrow fronts facing the street and long interiors extending toward the back. Historically, they were often used as both homes and places of business.
SHIZIMA isn’t a modern building designed to look traditionally Japanese for tourists.
It is a real machiya where people were actually living until relatively recently.
Inside, many elements of the old building remain, including its high ceiling and traditional architecture.
If you look up, you can even see part of the old structure once used to allow smoke to escape.
At the back of the bar, there is also a traditional Japanese room with tatami flooring.
Even in Japan today, many Japanese people don’t spend much time in tatami rooms anymore.
So sitting in a tatami room inside an old Kyoto machiya and drinking sake feels a little special even to me.
If you’re visiting with a few friends, spending time together in this room is a great way to enjoy the bar.
But what impressed me most was how relaxing the entire machiya feels.
Even though it was my first time there, somehow it didn’t feel like a completely unfamiliar place.
It’s difficult to explain, but as a Japanese person, it reminded me a little of visiting my grandmother’s house.
Maybe it’s the warmth that remains in a building where people actually lived for generations.
If you’re alone, you can sit quietly at the counter.
If you’re with friends, you can relax together in the tatami room at the back.
Both feel very natural at SHIZIMA.
And because the atmosphere is so quiet, you can really focus on the taste and aroma of the sake.
That’s one of my favorite things about SHIZIMA.
Rather than being a place to simply drink a lot, it feels like a place where you can slow down and really focus on a glass of sake.
A Kyoto Sake Bar That’s Actually Hidden
There is one thing you should know before visiting SHIZIMA.
It’s genuinely difficult to find.
Honestly, even if I were walking around the neighborhood, I’m not sure I would discover SHIZIMA by accident.
It isn’t the kind of bar in the middle of Kyoto’s busiest nightlife area that you naturally notice while walking past.
In that sense, SHIZIMA really is a hidden bar.
But I think that’s also part of its character.
You search for it, find the old machiya, step inside, and suddenly you’re sitting in a quiet space drinking sake.
If convenience is your priority, there are plenty of sake bars in Kyoto that are easier to find.
But if you’re looking for a sake experience that’s a little different from an ordinary bar, I think SHIZIMA is worth seeking out.
For your first visit, I definitely recommend using Google Maps to find it.
Ordering with Kan’ei Tsūhō
SHIZIMA also has an unusual ordering system.
Inside the bar, you order using tokens inspired by Kan’ei Tsūhō, coins that were actually used in Japan during the Edo period.
First, you take a seat and receive a brief explanation from the staff.
After deciding what you’d like to drink or eat, you purchase the number of Kan’ei Tsūhō tokens you need using electronic payment.
You then use those tokens to order sake and food inside the bar.
So, of course, you’re not literally paying for your drinks with Edo-period money.
You purchase the bar’s tokens digitally first, then use those tokens for your orders.
It might sound like an unusual system at first.
But once you’re inside the 100-year-old machiya, it actually feels surprisingly natural.
You take care of the modern payment first, and from that point on, you can use the Kan’ei Tsūhō while choosing your sake.
To me, it’s a small detail that helps you settle into the atmosphere and focus on the experience.
Any tokens you have left can be used for more sake, snacks, or souvenirs, or you can take them home as a small memory of your visit.
Before You Visit SHIZIMA
How much you spend at SHIZIMA will naturally depend on how much you drink and eat, but I would budget around ¥3,000–5,000 per person.
If you’re stopping by before or after dinner for a few drinks, around ¥3,000 may be enough.
Another nice thing is that SHIZIMA doesn’t charge a cover fee.
Considering the setting, the sake, and the ochoko experience, I personally think it offers very good value.
You can visit without a reservation, but I recommend making one if possible.
SHIZIMA is a small bar.
There are around six or seven seats at the counter, as well as the tatami room at the back, which can accommodate a small group.
Since the bar can be difficult to find in the first place, it would be disappointing to make the trip only to discover that it’s full.
I’d especially recommend checking ahead if you’re visiting with several people.
It’s also a comfortable place to visit alone.
Because the bar is quiet and relaxed, you can drink at your own pace without feeling out of place.
Opening days and hours may change, so check the latest information on Google Maps before visiting.
SHIZIMA Information
Name: SAKE BAR SHIZIMA
Address: 99 Nishirokkakucho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8217, Japan
Google Maps: Open SAKE BAR SHIZIMA in Google Maps
Nearest Station: Karasuma Oike Station
Access: About a 7–8 minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station
Hours:
Mon–Fri: 6:00 PM–11:50 PM
Sat, Sun & Holidays: 5:15 PM–11:00 PM
Closed: Irregular holidays
Reservations: Available
Seating: 12 seats
Smoking: Non-smoking
Opening hours and closing days may change, so I recommend checking the latest information on Google Maps before visiting.
A Sake Experience That Was New Even to Me as a Japanese Person
I’m Japanese.
And I like sake.
But even I didn’t know that simply changing the ochoko could make the same sake taste and smell so different.
Visiting SHIZIMA made me realize that there are still many ways of enjoying sake that I have never experienced.
Sitting inside a quiet, 100-year-old machiya and drinking the same sake from four different ochoko.
Noticing the aroma, comparing the flavors, and then enjoying food designed to complement the sake.
And doing all of it slowly, at your own pace.
SHIZIMA isn’t simply a bar where you go to drink sake.
It’s a place where sake gives you a small window into Japanese drinking culture — from the cups and food to the traditional machiya surrounding you.
If you’re looking for something a little different from an ordinary bar in Kyoto, I think it’s worth seeking out.
Same sake. Different cup. Different taste.
For me, it really did feel a little like magic.
