Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro Revises Usage Fees from 5 Kikizake Coins for 500 Yen to 1,000 Yen, Launches New Services and Experience Menus

Ponshukan (Ponshukan Niigata Co., Ltd., Location: Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Representative: Hideo Takamura), a specialty food store selling Niigata products unknown even to Niigata residents, will revise the usage fees for its Kikizake-dokoro (sake tasting areas) attached to its Echigo-Yuzawa Station, Nagaoka Station, and Niigata Station stores, as previously announced. The revision will take effect on July 1, 2026 (Wednesday).

For 31 years since the opening of the Kikizake-dokoro at Echigo-Yuzawa Station in 1995, Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro has operated with the fee of "5 Kikizake Coins for 500 Yen (tax included)." During this period, operating costs have increased numerous times due to rising prices, but we have maintained this policy with the strong desire to be a place where people can easily enjoy Niigata's sake.

However, recent price surges have significantly exceeded previous expectations, making it difficult to maintain the quality of service under the current fee structure.

In order for Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro to continue to provide opportunities for visitors to Niigata to encounter Niigata's sake and breweries, we will revise the usage fee for Kikizake-dokoro to "5 Kikizake Coins for 1,000 Yen (tax included)" starting July 1, 2026 (Wednesday).

Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa Station Kikizake-dokoro

Evolves into a "Place for Experience, Learning, and Discovery"

Going forward, the Kikizake-dokoro will not only enhance the quality of its services to satisfy everyone from sake beginners to advanced enthusiasts, but will also offer menus that allow visitors to experience Niigata's sake from various angles, such as the placement of sake concierges, food pairing experiences, and tasting experiences with different sake vessels.

Kikizake Machine

Overview of Usage Fee Revision

《Revised Stores》

Kikizake-dokoro at Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa Station, Ponshukan Nagaoka Station, and Ponshukan Niigata Station.

《Revision Date》

July 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

《Revision Details》

The fee will be revised from "5 Kikizake Coins for 500 Yen (tax included)" to "5 Kikizake Coins for 1,000 Yen (tax included)."

《Examples of New Experience Menus》

◼️ Kikizake Courses by Sake Type and Theme

The Kikizake machines at the Kikizake-dokoro offer 129 types at the Echigo-Yuzawa Station store and 111 types at the Niigata Station and Nagaoka Station stores.

Many visitors are unsure how to compare them. Starting July 1, we will offer 50 recommended tasting courses.

In addition to courses by "region" and "flavor," we will also offer unique courses such as "First Sake," "Pairs with Cheese," "Coastal Breweries / Mountain Breweries," and "Crispness Championship." Please choose according to your mood.

◼️ Sake Recommendations by "Kikizake Concierge"

Starting July 1, each store will have a "Kikizake Concierge" to assist with brand selection and customer experiences. (*Kikizake Concierges may not always be available.)

◼️ Tasting Experience of Sake Brands with Food Pairings (Food requires coins)

We will propose recommended sake brands for the food prepared at each store. You can select your sake from the Kikizake machine.

◼️ Tasting Experience with Different Sake Vessels

Choose 2 out of 4 types of sake vessels and compare the same brand. You can experience the difference in aroma and taste due to the shape of the vessel.

We will continue to update our services and experience menus.

With gratitude to our many customers who have supported Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro, we will continue to strive for further corporate improvement. We appreciate your understanding.

【About Ponshukan: "Telling the Story of Uonuma, Echigo Through Food"】

Ponshukan is a sake museum where you can taste representative brands from all Niigata breweries, and a specialty food store selling Niigata products with an overwhelming selection, offering items unknown even to Niigata residents. In 1995, we opened the Echigo-Yuzawa Station store with the concept of "Telling the Story of Uonuma, Echigo Through Food." Currently, we operate a total of 5 stores within the premises of the three major stations in Niigata Prefecture (Niigata, Nagaoka, Echigo-Yuzawa), as well as an online shop. Our specialties include the Kikizake-dokoro, which offers tastings for one coin, and "Bakudan Onigiri" (bomb rice balls) made with self-milled Koshihikari rice from Minami Uonuma and cooked in a large cauldron. We also offer Ponshukan original products such as Western confectionery and rice crackers that maximize the appeal of local ingredients, contract-farmed Minami Uonuma Koshihikari rice, seasonings like miso and soy sauce loved in various regions, cooking utensils and knives crafted by artisans, and tableware by artists, all while focusing on sake and rice to convey the charm of Niigata from various angles.

【About Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro】

"Taste Representative Brands from All Niigata Breweries Here"

You can experience the breadth and depth of Niigata sake through tasting representative brands from all Niigata breweries. We offer not only representative brands from each brewery but also seasonal and rare sakes.

Upon payment at the reception, you will receive a rental ochoko (sake cup) and 5 Kikizake Coins. You can enjoy tasting your preferred local sake from the rows of Kikizake machines. You can taste up to 5 cups of sake.

*Admission is not permitted for individuals under 20 years of age or for those accompanied by children. Please understand this in advance.

<Ponshukan Website>

https://www.ponshukan.com

<Ponshukan Online Shop>

https://shop.ponshukan.com

<Ponshukan Kikizake-dokoro Stores>

・Ponshukan Niigata Station Store

〒950ー0086 1-96-47 Hanazono, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture CoCoLo Niigata Metsu Building TEL: 025ー240ー7090

・Ponshukan Nagaoka Station Store

〒940ー0061 1-611-1 Jonaicho, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture CoCoLo Nagaoka Main Building 2F TEL: 025ー894ー4313

・Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa Station Store

〒949ー6101 2427-3 Yuzawa, Yuzawa Town, Minami Uonuma District, Niigata Prefecture CoCoLo Yuzawa TEL: 025ー784ー3758

【Ponshukan Niigata Co., Ltd.】

In addition to having Ponshukan stores within the premises of major stations in Niigata Prefecture, we also operate an online shop. Ponshukan develops and offers impactful products and services such as the Kikizake-dokoro with its tasting machines, "Bakudan Onigiri," Koji Lattes, sake baths, and original products that maximize the appeal of local ingredients, making it a destination for travelers, in addition to its overwhelming selection of products.

Representative: Hideo Takamura, President and CEO

Location: 1-96-47 Hanazono, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture

https://www.ponshukan.com