Good news for sake lovers
In Kurashiki, there’s a restaurant where you can enjoy famous sake from all over Japan without leaving the city. The restaurant is called “Washu Rakushoku Seribe.”
The owner is a huge sake fan. He has carefully selected sake from all over Japan for fellow sake lovers.
There are more than 100 varieties. It’s a dream come true for sake lovers.
One of the joys of sake is savoring the distinctive character of each region, brewery, and brand. Local sake unique to the place you’re visiting is a big part of the fun of traveling, isn’t it?
You can enjoy all of that at one restaurant. What’s more, every dish they serve pairs well with sake.
Another attraction is getting to talk sake with the owner. Seribe also serves sake recommended for beginners.
Here’s an introduction to Seribe, a restaurant that everyone can enjoy, from sake enthusiasts to those who don’t drink much sake.
The information presented here is current as of when this article was published in March 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Seribe? A restaurant devoted to sake, serving dishes and obanzai that pair well with sake
Seribe is an izakaya that specializes in sake.
It also opens for lunch, and its satisfying lunch menu is popular.
Seribe’s owner, “Berry”—whose real name is Sudo Kazutaka—is a huge sake fan. Enjoy sake from all over Japan, carefully selected by Berry, a sake lover himself.
The dinner menu also features dishes that pair well with sake.
The many kinds of obanzai lined up on the counter are especially recommended. It’s also fun that the selection of obanzai changes every day.
Seribe is just south of the Bikan Historical Area, along Hakukabe-dori. The Kurashiki River flows right beside it, and the restaurant is ideally situated, with views of the townscape along the river from inside.
▼The restaurant mainly has counter seating.
Being able to chat with the friendly owner across the counter is another of Seribe’s charms.
▼There is also a table for four by the window.
▼Bottles of sake are neatly lined up inside.
You can tell right away that this is a restaurant devoted to sake.
The owner’s recommended sake, sourced from all over Japan
Seribe’s owner, Berry, is an avid sake lover.
At Seribe, the owner personally selects sake from all over Japan.
There are more than 100 varieties.
The brands change with the seasons, so you can enjoy a different selection each time you visit.
We asked Berry to recommend some brands from the wide selection of sake from across Japan.
▼“Fish in the Shade.”
This sake is from KAMIKOKOROSHUZO CO., LTD., located in Yorishima, Asakuchi City, just west of Kurashiki City.
The moment you take a sip, a fruity aroma spreads, almost like white wine.
Of course, since it’s sake, it contains no fruit juice at all. And yet it has a refreshing aroma like muscat grapes.
I think it’s a great sake that even people who don’t like sake can enjoy.
Kamikokoro is a long-established brewery, but it also takes on new challenges.
▼“Azakura” Special Junmai, Unfiltered Nama Genshu, Extra Dry.
This sake is from Azakura Shuzo in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture.
It has the crisp finish characteristic of dry sake, along with rich umami. Its full-bodied aroma spreads through your mouth and rises through your nose.
▼“Keigetsu CEL 24” Junmai Daiginjo 50.
This sake is from Tosa Shuzo, a brewery in Tosa Town, Kochi Prefecture.
It uses the yeast “CEL24,” developed at the Kochi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center. It is characterized by a sweet, fruity aroma, and has a flavor that everyone from connoisseurs to beginners can enjoy.
▼We tried it alongside “Keigetsu” Extra Dry Special Junmai Sake 60, which doesn’t use CEL24, and the difference in flavor was immediately clear.
The Junmai Daiginjo 60 made with CEL24 has a distinctive refreshing aroma. By contrast, the Special Junmai Sake 60 made without CEL24 had a crisp, clean flavor.
▼“No.6” X Type.
This sake is from Aramasa Shuzo, a long-established brewery in Akita City, Akita Prefecture.
With its stylish design and name written in Roman letters, this stylish sake doesn’t look like sake at first glance.
The X in X Type stands for Excellence.
It’s a popular brand with many fans.
It has a clean, crisp finish and an elegant aroma. That’s why it apparently has many female fans, too.
▼“Gonai” Junmai Ginjo.
This sake is from Kumaya Shuzo, a long-established brewery in the Gonai district of Kojima, Kurashiki City. Kumaya Shuzo is known for its brand “Ishichi.”
This brand, Gonai, is made using Asahi rice grown in the Gonai district, where the brewery is located. That’s why it takes its name from the district.
It’s a sake full of local pride: a local brewery uses locally grown rice that represents the area.
It has a light, clean mouthfeel and is easy to drink. I also noticed a faintly sweet aroma.
There are many other brands available, too.
If you’re unsure or have any questions about sake, please feel free to ask me, Berry!
He can recommend sake for connoisseurs to those who know their sake, and beginner-friendly options for people who don’t drink much sake.
Talking sake with Berry is another reason to visit Seribe.
I also found that tasting different kinds of sake side by side makes it easier to appreciate the unique character of each one. Why not try a tasting?
Please note that the sake introduced here is not always available.
▼They also have shochu, beer, soft drinks, and more.
Prices include consumption tax. As of March 2024
Please ask the owner, Berry, about the prices of each sake.
Seribe’s dinner menu
▼Here is Seribe’s dinner menu.
Prices include consumption tax. As of March 2024 (Reiwa 6)
Here are Berry’s recommendations from the dinner menu.
A wide variety of “obanzai” dishes lined up on the counter
▼The top recommendation is obanzai.
When dinner service begins, a variety of obanzai dishes are lined up on the counter.
The obanzai selection changes daily.
You can choose whichever dishes you’d like from among them.
▼One example of the day’s obanzai: “kimchi chijimi.”
Each obanzai dish costs 390–600 yen (tax included).
They are all home-style dishes that pair well with sake.
“Berry’s Special Potato Salad” is the owner’s own home-style recipe
▼“Berry’s Special Potato Salad” is a popular menu item.
It is also served with the Seribe Gozen lunch set, but the dinner-menu portion is a little larger.
“Berry” is the nickname of the owner, Sudo.
This potato salad was originally one of Berry’s home-cooked dishes. When Berry brought it in to share with coworkers at a previous workplace, they loved it.
After opening this restaurant, Berry added it to Seribe’s menu.
The “Five Kinds of Delicacies” are perfect with sake
▼Berry especially recommends the Five Kinds of Delicacies.
Berry personally selects and serves five kinds of delicacies that pair well with sake.
Every one of them makes you want another drink. Note that the selection of delicacies varies by day.
The delicacies available at the time of our visit were:
- Scallops dressed with roasted sesame
- Japanese flying squid with white miso and yuzu pepper
- Whelk and leaf wasabi salad
- Firefly squid dressed with vinegared miso
- Herring roe kelp and mekabu seaweed salad
If you enjoy sake, we hope you’ll try the five delicacies alongside one of the sake selections chosen by Berry.
Enjoy steak honed through experience cooking on a teppan
▼Seribe also offers beef steak.
▼Choose from the following four cuts.
- Sirloin
- Tenderloin
- Ichibo (rump cap)
- Hiuchi (top blade)
Berry previously worked at a teppan restaurant.
The steak, made using that experience, is a real treat.
Seribe’s lunch menu
▼Seribe’s lunch menu is as follows.
Prices include consumption tax. As of March 2024 (Reiwa 6)
Here are the owner Berry’s recommendations from the lunch menu.
The “Seribe Gozen” is a generous set featuring thick-cut sashimi and a wide selection of tempura
▼Berry’s recommended lunch menu is the Seribe Gozen.
It is the restaurant’s signature dish, named after the restaurant.
The Seribe Gozen includes:
- Rice
- Miso soup
- Sashimi (sea bream, greater amberjack, salmon)
- Tempura (2 shrimp, shishito pepper, eggplant, sweet potato, pumpkin)
- Berry’s Special Potato Salad
- Salad
- Small side dish (changes daily)
- Pickles (pickled plum)
- Dessert (changes daily)
It’s a generous meal with a wide variety of dishes!
▼The highlight of the Seribe Gozen is the sashimi.
▼Look how thick the sashimi is. It’s satisfyingly substantial.
▼The freshly fried tempura is also worth a look.
The tempura comes with matcha salt.
We recommend lightly dipping it in the matcha salt.
▼The tempura includes:
- 2 shrimp
- Shishito pepper
- Pumpkin
- Sweet potato
- Eggplant
It’s nice to have such a variety.
▼Berry’s Special Potato Salad is also a popular item at dinner.
The portion is smaller than the dinner-menu serving.
▼A salad packed with vegetables.
▼The small side dish changes daily.
On the day of our visit, the small dish was simmered eggplant.
▼The large pickled plum had a pleasant balance of tartness and sweetness.
▼The rice is locally grown in Kurashiki.
▼The dessert changes daily. On the day of our visit, it was black tea pudding.
Seribe Gozen comes with such a wide variety of dishes.
By the time we finished eating, we were full and satisfied.
“Tendon” Comes with Five Shrimp Tempura and Even Kakiage!
Also, “tendon” is said to be a popular lunch menu item.
▼The tendon is generously portioned.
The tempura on the tendon includes five shrimp tempura and, amazingly, even kakiage!
It also comes with miso soup, pickles, and dessert, making it a great value.
Washu Rakushoku Seribe is appealing for its carefully selected sake and wide range of dishes.
We spoke with the owner of Seribe, Berry, also known as Sudo Kazutaka.
Washu Rakushoku Seribe details
| Name | Washu Rakushoku Seribe |
|---|---|
| Address | 1F Rose Garden Building, 1253-1 Funagura-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-436-6824 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Reservations can be made by phone, through Gurunavi, Hot Pepper Gourmet, and other services |
| Seating | 14 seats ・Counter seats: 10 ・Table seats: 4 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking during lunch only |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair access available (step at the entrance) |
| Website | Washu Rakushoku Seribe |
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Seribe’s biggest selling point is sake!