Orizake has always intrigued me. Ori, in Japanese, means bottom or lower. In the context of sake, orizake is a style of sake that incorporates the rice particles that settle at the bottom of the tank while aging. The first time I encountered...
Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 150 members throughout California. Join today! This month, we plan to unveil our very first bar. It will be in the back of our new space at 4027 Broadway in Oakland. Since 2012 we had...
After nearly a month of being closed, we are thrilled to announce that we are OPEN at 4027 Broadway! Thank you for your patience these last few weeks as we have been getting our shop ready for you. We lovingly refer to our new space as Umami...
We're hiring for two positions! We are a retail store, bottle shop, and tasting bar that specializes in Drinks, Design + Japan, seeking a hard-working and knowledgeable bartender and/or shopkeeper. SAKE BAR ASSOCIATE This part-time position will be at our bar located in the back...
Last May, Stonemill Matcha opened in the former Tartine space in the Mission. My brother, Keisuke Akabori, was hired as the executive chef of the cafe – a concept from Japan to introduce matcha culture to the Bay Area, complete with sweets and savory dishes for breakfast and lunch. ...
The Umami Mart Sake Dinner this year happened on April 1st. There were many firsts for this event – in past years, our annual sake dinners were held at Camino, which bade us farewell last year. We needed to find a...
A few weeks ago, author Anders Arhoj was here all the way from Copenhagen, signing copies of his new children's book, Catch Me!. We were so happy to see lots of people come out to meet him. At one point,...
Did you hear we're moving? Pardon us while we are reorganizing ourselves back here. We are open online but not shipping any orders until Monday 4/22 - and to thank you for your patience, we are offering FREE SHIPPING for orders $50+ from now through Sunday...
Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 150 members throughout California. Join today! Does the type of rice affect the flavor of sake like the type of grape affects the flavor of a wine? The short answer is yes. Brewers will...
Hinamatsuri is one of our favorite events of the year – and we are so happy that the turnout gets better every time we do it. We celebrated a little earlier than usual this year, but both Yoko's and my mom came out, which made this...
It was over six years ago on August 3, 2012, we opened our doors in Old Oakland. We had no idea what we were doing – but we had a solid crew that contributed their blood, sweat, and tears to our DIY build out. We had no idea...
Yoko and I are elated to announce that we are MOVING our shop! But don't worry, we'll only be two miles up the road, on Broadway, in Oakland! This is something that we've been working on on-the-sly for about a year now. It's bittersweet for us, as...
Recently, Japanese gin distillery Ki No Bi released Ki No Tou Old Tom Gin, and Ki No Bi Sei Navy Strength Gin, here in California. This is a momentous occasion not just for Japanese spirits, but for the gin world as well. Ki No Bi is...
We love chuhais, the ubiquitous, thirst quenching drink served at any watering hole or found in a can at any conbini (convenience store) in Japan. The word chuhai is a combination of shochu-highball – get it? They have yet to get their day in the limelight here in...
Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 150 members throughout California. Join today! I’ve always been intrigued by genshus. They are fresh, brash, and bold. They are as close as you can get to what comes right out of the press...
When Yoko told me that this month's Sake Gumi theme was genshu sakes, I was so excited. This was a prime opportunity to develop some new cocktails! Since genshu sakes are tank strength, they have not been diluted (most sakes are diluted with water to bring down the ABV) –...
Soba Ichi recently changed their hours to expand into nightfall, essentially turning the noodle shop into an izakaya. We're so excited – an izakaya in Oakland! Last June, Soba Ichi opened as the Bay Area's...
It's hard to believe we've been putting on Japan Beer Fest (JBF) with The Trappist for six years now – and even harder to imagine that this year was the...
Overlooking Lake Biwa from Mt. Shizugatake Sake Gumi is our monthly sake subscription service with 150 members throughout California. Join today! Kayoko and I tend to travel to places in Japan that produce foods and drinks we really like. One of those is sake from Kita Brewery. What...
Shigaraki is home to one of "six old kilns" of Japan, considered sacred and historical. Here you'll find ceramics made with prized red Shigaraki clay, known for its rich adobe hue and incredible heat insulation. We carry many products made with this special clay, including our...
