Recently, a major topic of interest among Edo locals became the “New Sake Race.” Ships sailing from the Kansai region competed to be the first to reach Edo’s Shinkawa River. The ship that arrived first was called the “Shinkawa First Ship,” and the sake it carried commanded high prices for an entire year. For Edo locals who loved the first of the season, the new sake arriving first in Edo was surely cherished as an auspicious drink. Thus, Shinkawa flourished as a historic sake town. While the riverbank where barrels were unloaded from the delivery boats has been reclaimed and no longer exists, the town’s memory lives on through preserved facilities and customs. One example is the “Shinkawa-shime” practice, passed down from the Edo period to the present among sake wholesalers. It has been preserved as a business custom confirming the conclusion of a deal.

Imada Shoten has ties to Hiroshima, so it carries the largest selection of Hiroshima-produced local sake in Tokyo.

Rather than focusing on well-known brands with strong brand recognition, they deliberately stock sake from lesser-known breweries that aren’t widely available in Tokyo. They visit breweries that pique their interest, and mutual understanding leads to business relationships. The sake curated by Imada Shoten is then introduced to many customers through events like the “Local Sake Tasting” at their standing bar, which began about seven years ago, or events featuring brewery owners and master brewers. These experiences delight customers’ palates. Imada Shoten’s website bears the words: “Abundance and Passion: Connecting People, Shinkawa’s Liquor Store.” In these words, one senses the fourth-generation owner’s conviction and resolve: “Through sake, we wish to connect the city and the countryside, modern life and history/culture, and the passion of producers with the joy of consumers.”