Yamaoka Sake Shop

Good selection of bottles. Friendly owner. Easy to reach by bus from the central train station.

Thanks to KansaiBeerLvrs for taking me here! Unassuming shop with five or so refrigerators of Japanese craft beer. Pretty small and narrow space so it can get a little cramped with more than two people shopping. Very nice selection of bottles including some rarities. Prices about average for Japan. A bit out of the way but well worth a stop.

Completely unsuspecting shop away from the city centre. Run by a nice, friendly family, with three marvellous fridges full of beer from all over Japan.

The first time I went there I wasn’t sure I was in the right place but after going in past all the bins of fruits & veggies out front I found a few large fridges full of Japanese beers. To give you an idea of the selection available there you should know that Yamaoka is the shop that helped start up the Kyoto Craft Beer Festival so they have a great relationship with the breweries. When I went to a few festivals in Kansai and asked breweries “Where can I get your beer in Kyoto?” the answer was always “Yamaoka”. So as is typical in Japan, almost all beers are kept refrigerated and they have all the regulars and many seasonals that change often. A nice thing is that they don’t seem to favor any one style so you’ll find whatever kind of beer you’re looking for: IPAs, barleywines, weizens, stouts, porters, etc. Their prices are reasonable and the staff are friendly. They also organize events at their shop from time to time. The only real negatives I can think of is the location. It isn’t so easy to get there using public transportation. You have to take a bus from Kyoto Station or Hanku Omiya, get off at Senbon-Imadegawa, and walk North about 100m (Yamaoka’s on the left). Otherwise, you have to grab a subway to Imadegawa and walk west quite far(or hop on a bus) to Senbondori Street.

Great little shop. A couple fridges full of micros including seasonals. Extensive sake selection too but honestly I had no idea what I was looking at there. Picked up a few bottles to drink later. I didn’t try the vegetables so can’t comment on the food. Lady in the store was friendly and made for a pleasant transaction for both parties involved. I’m happy to recommend.

Visited on 09.09.2011
The best place to buy Japanese microbrews! Stands next to a green arch (grey in google street view) and looks like a vegetable shop. But once you look right, you see lots of microbrews in two fridges. Had to ask for Hitachino Beers from the staff (I could do that much Japanese) and they moved some bottles. And there they were. Much rarities I found nowhere else on my two-week trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Like elsewhere in Japan, the beers are cold and only cash is accepted.

This is a litte tiny shop thats very easy to miss. But from what I’ve been able to see this may be the best Liquor shop in all of Japan. It has many Japanese craft beers and seasonals that change. The people who work thier are nice. But it doesn’t offer a place to sit or any REAL food options. Its also strangly hard to find. Nonetheless amazing selection for Japan

Followed KyotoLefty’s directions and found it quick enough. The ambiance is lovable with the fresh vegetables outside. We picked up 8 beers of which the best (in our opinion) were the Takahashi Imperial Stout and Hitcahi’s Commemorative Ale. The store clerk helped with some English to answer a question or two. Reasonable prices. Overall a great spot to pick up some jbeer.

Wow. It looks like any other mom and pop vegetable store - it doesn’t even have a front door - but with a huge twist. Bar none the best place to get Japanese craft beer in Japan. 100% exclusive focus on Japanese micros with top names and lots of seasonals. This guy is doing it right. A must stop if you are in Kyoto - much better than Tanakaya for local stuff. Thanks Mark for taking us there.

This place is easy to miss but shouldn’t be if you can make it. Most amazing selection of local sake and Japanese micros I know of. No English spoken but it doesn’t really matter.