Located in the glitzy Ginza Six department store, this elegant bottle shop sells a wide range of sake, shochu, beer, spirits as well as domestic and international wine. On any given day, Imadeya Ginza will stock around 400-500 types of sake, plus up to 500 varieties of other liquors.
Aside from stocking the essentials, Imadeya Ginza is the place to go looking for rare, boutique booze. Think umeshu aged for over 45 years, offering a rich, lucious flavour, to sake made from rice that's been polished down to 1 percent or less of its original size. The neatly organised refrigerators and shelves have English labels, and there are knowledgeable English-speaking staff on hand to assist you.
Another compelling reason to visit Imadeya Ginza is the the small on-site bar, where you can taste a wide variety of Japanese alcoholic drinks as well as wine from all over the world (from ¥500-¥1,000 per glass). You can easily spot Imadeya Ginza by its striking logo created by renowned Japanese artist Michiaki Mochizuki. The interior is an expression of modern Japan, with light-hued timber, muted tones and Japanese earthenware on display.
For those who want to learn more about sake, the shop offers monthly English-friendly sake classes led by WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) sake educators. During the classes, you'll get a lesson on nihonshu basics as well as a chance to sample six to eight types of seasonal and rare sake. For more details on the classes, you can contact Imadeya via Instagram.