This article introduces the drinks available at Masumasu Masuda, including Japanese sake, wine, umeshu, whisky, and gin, as well as how we select beverages to complement our seasonal Japanese cuisine.
For visitors to Kyoto who would like to enjoy Japanese food together with Japanese drinks and local culture, we hope this article helps you discover another side of dining in Kyoto.
This article explores the topic above while sharing insights into Japanese cuisine, Kyoto culture, and the chef’s perspective. We hope it helps you enjoy your visit to Kyoto even more.
At Masumasu Masuda, we believe that drinks are an important part of the Japanese dining experience.
Rather than simply offering a large selection, we carefully choose beverages based on one question:
“Will this drink complement our cuisine?”
Our omakase course changes every month according to the season.
As the ingredients and flavors change, so can the ideal drink to accompany them.
We therefore consider the balance between each dish and the beverages we offer, allowing guests to enjoy both food and drink as part of one complete experience.
Japanese sake is one of the most natural companions to Japanese cuisine.
At Masumasu Masuda, we offer sake from Tochigi Prefecture, the chef’s hometown, as well as carefully selected sake from breweries throughout Japan.
Tochigi is blessed with beautiful nature and high-quality water, and the region has a strong sake-making tradition.
For our chef, serving sake from his hometown in Kyoto is also another way of expressing the connection between Kyoto and Tochigi that is central to Masumasu Masuda.
Of course, our selection is not limited to Tochigi.
We choose sake from different regions depending on the season and the dishes being served.
Different types of sake can have completely different aromas, sweetness, acidity, umami, and finishes.
A sake that works beautifully with delicate dashi-based dishes may be very different from one that pairs better with grilled fish or meat.
We enjoy finding these combinations.
Many people associate Japanese cuisine with sake.
Sake is certainly a wonderful match for Japanese food, but wine can also create fascinating combinations.
At Masumasu Masuda, we offer wines selected to complement our seasonal omakase course.
Light and elegant wines can work beautifully with seafood, vegetables, and delicate dashi-based dishes, while fuller wines can complement dishes with deeper flavors.
The goal is not for the wine to overpower the cuisine.
Instead, we look for combinations in which the food and wine enhance one another.
We also offer umeshu, a traditional Japanese plum liqueur.
Umeshu has a characteristic combination of sweetness and gentle acidity, making it approachable even for guests who have never tried Japanese alcohol before.
It can be enjoyed before a meal, alongside certain dishes, or slowly toward the end of dinner.
For international visitors who are curious about Japanese drinks but are not accustomed to sake, umeshu can be a particularly enjoyable introduction.
Whisky is also available at Masumasu Masuda.
Being a Japanese restaurant does not mean that guests need to choose sake.
If you enjoy whisky, you are welcome to have a glass according to your preference.
For some guests, a whisky enjoyed slowly toward the end of dinner is the perfect way to finish a seasonal Japanese meal.
One of the most distinctive drinks we offer is Nishi-gin, an original gin connected to the Nishijin area of Kyoto.
Nishi-gin is available only at a limited number of establishments in and around Nishijin, making it a particularly interesting drink for visitors who want to discover something connected to the neighborhood.
Nishijin is historically known as Kyoto’s famous textile and weaving district, particularly for Nishijin-ori textiles.
There is also an interesting connection between the area’s textile culture and one of the botanicals used in Nishi-gin.
Silk threads are produced by silkworms.
And silkworms feed on mulberry leaves.
Mulberry leaves are blended into Nishi-gin, creating a connection between the gin and the history of Nishijin’s silk-weaving culture.
In this way, a single glass of gin can tell part of the story of the neighborhood.
We hope our guests can experience not only Japanese cuisine but also the culture of the neighborhood where our restaurant is located.
A drink connected to Nishijin.
Seasonal ingredients from Kyoto.
Japanese sake from the chef’s hometown of Tochigi.
And carefully selected ingredients from throughout Japan.
These details allow a meal to become more than simply dinner.
They can become a way of experiencing Kyoto itself.
Some international guests tell us:
“I have never tried sake.”
“Is sake very strong?”
“I don’t think sake is for me.”
There is absolutely no need to choose sake if it is not your preference.
You can enjoy wine, umeshu, whisky, or gin instead.
If you are unsure what to order, please feel free to ask us.
We can recommend something based on the dishes being served and your personal preferences.
Choosing a drink together can also be part of the enjoyment of dining at a Japanese restaurant.
Masumasu Masuda is a small Japanese restaurant with counter seating.
The chef prepares the dishes directly in front of guests, and we enjoy talking about the ingredients, cooking techniques, Japanese culture, and the stories behind the food.
The same applies to drinks.
You might ask:
“Which sake would you recommend with this dish?”
“I’d like to try a Japanese drink, but I don’t know where to start.”
“Is there a drink that is unique to Kyoto?”
Please feel free to ask.
Enjoying a drink while talking about Japanese food and culture is an important part of the hospitality we hope to offer.
At Masumasu Masuda, you can enjoy a variety of beverages alongside our monthly changing Japanese omakase course:
From the sake of the chef’s hometown to a gin inspired by the history of Nishijin, each drink can offer another way to discover Japan.
When you visit Kyoto, we hope you will take your time, enjoy the seasonal cuisine, choose a drink that suits you, and experience the food, culture, and conversation that make a meal at Masumasu Masuda unique.
We look forward to welcoming you to Nishijin, Kyoto.
ますます増田
住所：京都府京都市上京区旧大宮通中立売上る庇町１８７−１
