Nuchigusui
Experience a taste of Okinawa in old-town Asakusa

Photos courtesy of Zokei Syudan

Every region in Japan, it seems, has its own specialty food or drink. Osaka has okonomiyaki; Kyushu has shochu and Nagano, soba. Okinawa, with its awamori liquor, is no different. But you don’t have to hop a plane to sample a little of what this island has to offer—just grab a train to Asakusa. Just a short walk from the subway you’ll find Nuchigusui.

The building is an old one, two stories and wood-framed. Large planks of the upstairs floor are exposed through the ceiling of the first floor, giving the place an aged (and slightly disconcerting) feel. Gnarled and unruly twigs and sticks are artfully weaved about a pillar in the center of the first floor and also all through the ceiling structure. Combined with the mosaic glass artwork on the sand colored walls, the wood tones in Nuchigusui radiate a warm and natural feel.

The atmosphere is also festive. Staff members wear Hawaiian shirts and are casual and friendly—one especially helpful waiter offered to slip out and pick us up a pack of Hopes mid-meal. In a word, Nuchigusui is comfortable. So much so that it’s easy to forget all about time.

Nuchigusui’s awamori list, on the other hand, is something you’ll remember (if only in patches). Awamori tastes similar to sake but is much stronger—and it has a tendency to sneak up on you if you’re not careful.

That in mind, yours truly started out with an Asahi, one of the big bottles (¥700), and some Okinawan-style clear broth soup with noodles and green onions, which was included in the table charge. In addition to awamori and beer, Nuchigusui also serves cocktails, sours, red wine, white wine, iced tea, hot tea and fruit juice. Most items run about ¥650. Going out for Friday night drinks is similar
to building a house: you need a good foundation to make sure the whole structure doesn’t collapse when you attach the weather vane. Thumbing through the food menu, we decided on the yakisoba (¥880) to provide the base we needed. The entrée was pleasantly spicy and large enough for two. The food dishes by and large cost between ¥500 and ¥1,000.

Eventually, it was time to try the awamori. Following the waiter’s suggestion, we started with the Tokiwa (¥480). Served in a highball glass over a hand-chipped sphere of ice, it proved to be strong yet mellow—and definitely tasty enough to order seconds. One more beer and it was time to step it up another notch, with Nuchigusui’s “cobra brew,” called habushu (¥780). The bartender smiled when the waiter told him our order, then brought the liquor over to our table for a closer look. Sure enough, there was a snake floating around in the unmarked bottle. Served on the rocks, the drink’s taste was anything but unpleasant: sort of a cinnamon and licorice combination, with a touch of spice we couldn’t quite put our finger on. All with the territory, I suppose.

As the liquid in our glasses began to wane, so too did our stamina. Nuchigusui had offered us a fine taste of Okinawa on a chilly Tokyo night. The only thing missing was the beach—but come Ocean Day, we’ll be on the first train to Shonan.

1-20-5 Asakusa, Taito-ku. Tel: 03-5828-6788. Open Mon-Fri 5:30-11:30pm, Sat-Sun noon-11:30pm. Menu in Japanese only. Nearest stn: Asakusa. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g748501

Got something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.

Listen to the Metropolis Podcast, the coolest guide to what goes on this week in Tokyo.

Looking for international friends? Check Japan, Inc. Friends now - it's 100% free!