Kuri

Located in the heart of the bar district, just a few minutes from the JR Shimbashi station, Kuri is Tokyo's prime-time, premier-placed nihonshu knock-out.

It stocks more than 100 sake at any time with seasonal selections that change every week. 

“Flights of four to five sake are all reasonably priced, starting at ¥1,000. Or, just order by the glass,” says certified sake expert Etsuko Nakamura.  

The nihonshu ranges from the freshest just-pressed, unpasturized, unfiltered namazake to aged sake from various regions. It helps if you have at least a little nihonshu knowledge before you head here, as the selection can be somewhat daunting, but “Either way, you will be properly introduced to the sake world by the knowledgeable staff," says Nakamura.

“Try a few to start with," is Nakamura's advice. "Then the sake sommelier will guide you through the bottles in the big refrigerators."

The bar seats about 30 people, but fills up quickly. They serve mostly little snack plates of tsumami, or nibbles, but limited meal service is also offered.