Bringing 'KAKU-UCHI' to the World: IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO Opens at TOFROM YAESU, Directly Connected to Tokyo Station, on September 10

Imadeya Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chuo-ku, Chiba; President: Shuichi Ogura; hereinafter 'the company'), which operates the sake specialty shop 'IMADEYA' in Chiba (main store), GINZA SIX, Kinshicho PARCO, Chiba Ekinaika, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Karuizawa, and Matsuzakaya Nagoya under the corporate slogan 'Sake is fun,' will open 'IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO' on Thursday, September 10, 2026, within TOFROM YAESU, a new facility directly connected to Tokyo Station via underground passage.

Main Concept: Making Japan’s Unique 'KAKU-UCHI' a Global Common Language

What the company aims to communicate through this flagship store is Japan’s unique cultural approach to alcohol: the 'KAKU-UCHI' (corner drinking) style.

While many countries have strict regulations on alcohol sales and public drinking, Japan is a rare country that boasts a 'KAKU-UCHI' culture, where people can casually enjoy high-quality sake at a corner of a liquor store.

In recent years, Japanese terms such as 'IZAKAYA' (Japanese pub) and 'BENTO' (boxed meal) have become globally recognized. Now, 'KAKU-UCHI' is gaining attention and recognition overseas as the next uniquely Japanese food culture.

At this store, we will further promote this unique and rare culture, aiming to establish 'KAKU-UCHI' as a global common language alongside 'SAKE'.

Background and Purpose: 'Reiwa-era Drinking Communication' Enabled by Quick, Accessible Kaku-Uchi

In developing the new store, the company conducted surveys and one-on-one interviews with business professionals working around Yaesu. Notable insights included senior staff expressing difficulty inviting subordinates for drinks, and a common sentiment that finding the right spot for a casual first or second drink (0th or 2nd round) is surprisingly hard in business districts.

In today’s society, where awareness of alcohol harassment and responsible drinking is rising, 'KAKU-UCHI'—where individuals can freely control the amount and duration of drinking—represents a healthy, open, and smart form of communication.

IMADEYA reinterprets Japan’s traditional 'KAKU-UCHI' within a modern context, offering not only sake but also carefully curated non-alcoholic beverages, proposing a new space for interaction that anyone can enjoy, regardless of whether they drink alcohol.

Sub-Concept: Standing bar with感动-level drinks and cuisine—A quick taste journey across Japan

Featuring seasonal Japanese side dishes (obanzai) that change monthly, and Tokyo-style oden served with three distinct sauces

Leveraging its location at Tokyo Station and Yaesu—the gateway to Tokyo—the concept of 'travel' is also a key sub-theme. Through premium sake selected from across Japan and signature dishes curated by popular restaurants, we offer a感动 dining experience that lets customers 'travel' across Japan’s regions, even amidst their busy daily lives.

A Taste Journey Across Japan

Inside the store, Japanese sake, Japanese wines, distilled spirits (such as authentic shochu, gin, and whisky), craft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages are displayed by region, allowing customers to freely sample different drinks by the glass. We place particular emphasis on 'Japanese wine,' which has recently gained global attention, aiming to become the store with the largest selection of Japanese wine near Tokyo Station.

Perfect Pairings with 'The Ultimate Dish'

Snacks curated by popular restaurants emphasize Japanese ingredients and incorporate regional culinary elements to complement local alcoholic beverages. These are offered at an accessible price point of ¥3,000–¥4,000 per person, including drinks. The sublime pairing of liquor-store-crafted delicacies with carefully selected drinks delivers a unique and unforgettable experience.

Additionally, while maintaining the functions of a liquor store, the store will operate primarily as a retail space during daytime hours, broadly meeting the needs of tourists visiting Yaesu, business travelers returning from trips, and office workers seeking 'business souvenirs' for important clients.

【Overview of Target Audience Needs Survey】

First Survey (Quantitative Questionnaire)

Target: 40 business professionals working around Yaesu

Main questions: Understanding drinking needs, acceptance of the new store concept, etc.

Second Survey (Qualitative Individual Interviews)

Target and method: In-depth online interviews (60 minutes each) with 6 individuals selected from the first survey

Main questions: Frequency and occasions of drinking, deeper insights into personal drinking preferences and purchasing behaviors

About IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO

Concept color inspired by the brick façade of Tokyo Station

'SAKE' has become a universally recognized term worldwide.

Yet, Japan’s SAKE culture is incomplete without 'KAKU-UCHI'.

The style of standing and drinking at a corner of a liquor store—'KAKU-UCHI'—

is, in fact, a uniquely Japanese drinking culture rarely seen elsewhere in the world.

IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO is the store that will transmit 'KAKU-UCHI' from Tokyo to the world.

Only Japanese alcoholic beverages are available here.

Premium sake from across Japan are displayed by region, allowing customers to 'travel through Japan' with each glass.

Drinks and snacks are quick and casual, yet each glass and dish delivers genuine deliciousness.

Transcending titles and barriers, freely enjoying high quality in a casual way.

A stylish space where we can share the joy that 'sake is fun'.

That is the updated 'KAKU-UCHI' reimagined by IMADEYA.

One by one, we will grow the global population of 'KAKU-UCHI' lovers.

From Yaesu—a place where diverse sensibilities intersect—a new food culture begins.

Store Name

IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO

Opening Date

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Location

TOFROM YAESU TOWER 1F 1-6-1 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0028

Access

· Directly connected to Exit 16 of JR Tokyo Station and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line 'Tokyo' Station via underground passage (via Yaesu underground street)

· 3-minute walk from 'Nihombashi' Station on Tokyo Metro Tozai, Ginza, and Toei Asakusa Lines

· 6-minute walk from 'Mitsukoshimae' Station on Tokyo Metro Hanzomon and Ginza Lines

Business Hours

11:00–23:00 *Subject to change after opening

Official Instagram

About the Location: TOFROM YAESU

The 'YNK (Yaesu-Nihombashi-Kyobashi) District,' where TOFROM YAESU is located, represents the cutting edge of Tokyo, where tradition and innovation converge. In this area, which has inherited rich cultural traditions in food, art, and craftsmanship since the Edo era, IMADEYA will contribute to new innovation and cultural exchange through the medium of 'sake'.

About IMADEYA Co., Ltd.

Operating 7 stores and an online store under the slogan 'Sake is fun' in Chiba and Tokyo, IMADEYA conducts business with over 7,000 restaurants nationwide. We are a liquor merchant ('akihito') committed to preserving and passing on the charm of sake to future generations, currently handling around 200 sake breweries, 80 Japanese wineries, 60 shochu distilleries, and imported wines from around the world.