"sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery" Grand Opening in Narai-juku on June 6

Suginomori Brewery Co., Ltd. (Narai, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture; Representative Director: Hiro William Sandberg) will grand open "sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery" on Saturday, June 6, 2026, in a renovated historic traditional building, "Ichikawa Shoten," located in Narai-juku. The "sagyobar," which started in a warehouse opposite the brewery in 2023, is relocating to a spot along the main street of Narai-juku. This new standing-style base aims to be more accessible to a wider audience. Inside the store, customers can enjoy bottle sales, tasting and standing drinking of the sake "narai," and purchase original items including apparel. Additionally, a limited-edition experimental brew "narai β" will be available exclusively here. The goal is to create a place where both travelers and locals can easily drop by. Furthermore, in line with the place name "Shiojiri" (meaning "salt gathering"), a rice ball specialty shop "Shio-musubi," focusing on salt, will also open within the same store. We look forward to welcoming everyone to this new Narai-juku establishment where sake and food naturally intersect.

sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery

■ What is sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery?

"sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery" is a standing drinking and direct-sales shop operated by suginomori brewery, which brews the sake "narai." It aims to become one of Narai-juku's new tourist destinations, connecting travelers and the local community as a vibrant place where visitors can taste the locally brewed narai on the spot and purchase a bottle they like.

Inside sagyobar stand

The brewing water for narai uses mountain spring water from near the watershed of the Shinano River and Kiso River. This water is a natural blessing, often described as ultra-soft water with a hardness of 25 or less, possessing a mellow, subtle sweetness that has enriched life in Narai-juku since ancient times. At sagyobar stand, visitors can also enjoy drinking this brewing water, an experience unique to this location adjacent to the brewery.

Brewing water for narai

At "sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery," customers can purchase various narai sake products, as well as enjoy paid tastings of narai kinmon, narai sankei, and narai passage. Tasting sets will also be available in the future.

Sake narai

Furthermore, the latest installment of the "narai β (beta)" series, "narai β7," which was previously limited to Nagano Prefecture to allow customers to experience our experimental brewing research, will be sold exclusively at this location with an original label. *National expansion began with β6.

Narai β limited to Narai-juku

The store will also sell original brewery apparel and other merchandise, creating a space where visitors can better experience the world of the sake brewery.

Suginomori brewery apparel

This building is a renovated space of the historic traditional building "Ichikawa Shoten," facing the main street of Narai-juku. Compared to the sagyobar that operated in the warehouse opposite the brewery, this new location is more accessible and offers a more spacious environment. We aim to create a place that makes people want to stop by while strolling through Narai-juku.

Narai-juku street

■ About "Shio-musubi" in the same building

In the same building that houses "sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery," a salt-focused rice ball specialty shop "Shio-musubi" run by the Kojima couple, residents of Narai-juku, will also open simultaneously. "Shio-musubi" is a warm, conversation-friendly food venue offering rice balls made with carefully selected salts from across Japan and rice from Nagano Prefecture.

It pairs excellently with the sake narai, allowing visitors to experience the daily life and local charm of Narai-juku through sake and rice.

Shio-musubi

■ Store Overview

Store Name: sagyobar stand by suginomori brewery
Grand Opening: Saturday, June 6, 2026

Location: 590-1 Narai, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture (Narai-juku Main Street, former Ichikawa Shoten)

Business Hours:
Weekdays: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Weekends and Holidays: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
*Hours may change depending on the season and business conditions.

Regular Holiday: Irregular

Access:

5-minute walk from Narai Station

Approximately 40 minutes by car from Shiojiri IC

Approximately 30 minutes by car from Ina IC

Rice and Sake sagyobar stand

https://youtu.be/P2H5VsusWhU

◼︎ About the narai Sake Brand

Sake brewed by suginomori brewery, revived in 2021, located within the Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Narai, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. Brewing resumed in 2021, starting with the original black bottle narai and experimentally brewing with multiple types of locally grown rice. In 2023, sales of the flagship products narai kinmon and narai sankei began. Known for its light yet distinct rice flavor and acidity, it is used in a wide range of restaurants, from Japanese cuisine to French, Spanish, and Chinese dishes. Currently, it is exported primarily to Asia, as well as Europe (France, Spain, Netherlands, etc.) and Canada, proposing ways to enjoy sake to people around the world.

Sake narai

■ About the Brewery

We brew sake amidst the historic streetscape of Narai-juku, the longest post town in Japan, located in Nagano Prefecture. Winters in Narai-juku can get as cold as nearly -20°C, freezing the mountain water. After the harsh winter, the area is surrounded by fresh greenery, with clean air and pleasant seasons. In autumn, the mountains are vividly colored with autumn leaves, a location rich in nature where you can feel the traditional Japanese four seasons. We have a belief in passing on the sake culture to the future, and to that end, we re-examine conventional wisdom and take on new challenges. We explore sake with free ideas, going beyond brewing, and convey its appeal.

Photo: Takatoshi Yamano, Yusuke Nishibe

■ Suginomori Brewery Co., Ltd.

"Suginomori Shuzo," founded in 1793, went dormant in 2012, and was revived as "suginomori brewery" in 2021, resuming production. It produces the sake "narai."

URL: https://www.narai.jp