Crazy about Sake Flowers vol.1

"I want to create a place where we can face our customers and everyone involved without any pretense."
The passion for Japanese beer that resides in each glass brings smiles to customers' faces

Cellar & Tap Origins Table Shuji Kurumiya x Sake no Hana Hazy IPA

In our series "Heads-on with Sake no Hana," we visit various professionals who handle our funs brewing "Sake no Hana" series and explore the reasons behind their popularity. We unravel the appeal of the Sake no Hana series by glimpsing the passionate commitment of each individual through their honest words.

This time's pro: Cellar & Tap Origins Table Owner Shuji Kurumiya

After graduating from university, he spent five years in New Zealand. He gained experience at the New Zealand Winemaker's Centre, which exclusively handles New Zealand wines, and eventually obtained permanent residency. After returning to Japan, he worked for a company that inspects cargo before export, and in 2021 he founded his own wine import company, Wins Japan. In April 2025, he opened Cellar & Tap Origins Table in the Challenge Shop in front of Shin-Urayasu Station. The restaurant offers a selection of beer, wine, sake, and other "authentic" alcoholic beverages personally selected by Kurumiya. There is no set menu for food, and customers are free to bring their own.

* What is a Challenge Shop? As a project run by Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture, the shop rents out a facility in Plaza Mare, in front of the Shin-Urayasu Station, as a base for entrepreneurs and new business ventures for a certain period of time. The shop will currently be open until the end of February next year.

A place where genuine passion gathers, carrying on the passion of producers

While Kurumiya was proud of his pre-export inspection work, which carried a great deal of responsibility, he began to feel that he wanted to do a job that he truly loved and that would allow him to directly experience the joy of customers. This is when he decided to try his hand at working in the restaurant industry.

The concept behind the newly launched Cellar & Tap Origins Table is "a place where true passion comes together." Its origins lie in an experience he had while living in New Zealand. The New Zealand Winemaker's Centre, where Kurumiya works and which retails and exports New Zealand wine, was an environment where winemakers would bring their wines directly to him every day, asking him to carry them.

"My boss at the time was a well-known figure in the wine industry, and whenever he spoke to winemakers he would always ask, 'What was your passion for making this?' I watched him do this for so long that I naturally began to feel that 'it's amazing how passionate and hard-working winemakers are, not just for wine, but also for beer and sake.'"

Kurumiya says he was impressed by the makers' attitude of "making what I want to make without worrying about trends or the market." He says he has been struck many times by the strength of their passion and dedication, and how seriously they approach their creations.

"When I come into contact with true passion, such as 'the reason for choosing this material,' 'the background behind the effort that went into creating it,' and 'the desire to truly make someone happy,' I always thought it would be wonderful if I could take on that feeling and convey it to people I have no connection with, bringing a smile to their faces."

He wants to convey the passion of the creators through his own words and services. His desire to create such a place and to play such a role naturally led him to come up with the concept of "a place where genuine passion comes together."

<A wide selection of carefully selected drinks on the menu>
The introductions are carefully written in Kurumiya's own words, detailing the characteristics and particularities of each winery, making you excited to choose one. The menu also includes wines from New Zealand, where Kurumiya's roots lie. While he was impressed by the deliciousness of New Zealand wines during his stay, he found that many of them were not widely available due to the large number of family-run wineries.

"In reality, the only wine that comes into Japan is one that's machine-picked instead of hand-picked, and lacks the winery's commitment. I was extremely frustrated that people would drink it and think that's all New Zealand wine is. I wanted to somehow bring the real thing into Japan so that people could experience the same excitement I had."

Rather than novelty, we want to offer a special dish that you can enjoy anytime.

When selecting sake for his shop, Kurumiya always values "good balance." Balance doesn't simply mean being in the middle. Kurumiya's idea of good balance is not one in which just one element stands out, but rather one in which the elements that determine flavor, such as sweetness, sourness, bitterness, umami, and aroma, are all well-balanced at a high level, creating a harmonious overall taste.

"Such alcohol doesn't just make an impact with the first sip; the more you drink, the deeper and more you feel its aftertaste, making you want to have another glass or try it again. Rather than choosing something flashy, I try to choose something that is well-balanced and that you'll want to drink again and again."

- Introducing a part of our carefully selected lineup -

Japanese Sake: Terada Honke Daigo no Shizuku

The slightly sparkling taste is like wine made from rice.

This sake brewery is located in Kozaki-machi, Katori-gun, Chiba Prefecture. It is made using the traditional "Bodaimoto" method, and its greatest feature is that it uses almost no polishing of the rice (80% polishing ratio), bringing out the rice's natural flavor. "I was impressed by their commitment to traditional methods and their approach, which is different from other sake breweries."

Wine: Deep Down Wines Organic Chardonnay

A bottle that lets you discover a Chardonnay you've never heard of before

This family-run winery is located in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. His first encounter with this wine was a chance drink he had at a restaurant in New Zealand. He was so impressed by how delicious it was that he immediately had a sommelier introduce it to him. This experience inspired him to launch the import company Wins Japan in 2021, becoming the official distributor of this wine in Japan! Kurumiya was impressed by the winery's philosophy of using no additives, and considers this Chardonnay to be the most delicious.

*The photos are from left to right: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir

I want to create a place where we can face our customers and other people involved without any pretense.

Although they have a carefully selected lineup, Kurumiya says, "Ultimately, it's the customer who makes the decision."

"I believe that the best alcohol for a person is the one that they find delicious. I think that explanations that force your own preferences on the customer, or unnecessary information such as "I like this part" will get in the way of the customer's sensibilities. What we need to do is to honestly and matter-of-factly convey the passion that goes into making each product."

Kurumiya-san mentioned that the one policy of his shop that he will not compromise on is "transparency and honesty."

"I want to work with people I can trust wholeheartedly and honestly convey the details, including their background, without any distortion. I want to make this a place where I can interact with customers and everyone involved without hiding anything."

He focuses on the invisible feelings that go into the sake, selects it with his own palate, and serves it to customers without giving them any unnecessary information. I think Kurumiya is a professional who acts as a bridge between brewers and customers. I get excited thinking that any sake selected by Kurumiya is bound to be delicious!

"I could drink it forever" - I fell in love with the first sip of this Hazy IPA, the flower of sake.

Hazy IPAs have been popular in New Zealand for a long time, and Kurumiya has been exposed to a variety of hazy IPAs. However, he says he wasn't particularly fond of standard IPAs. However, he was shocked by funs brewing's Sake no Hana Hazy IPA, saying, "It's different from any IPA I've had before."

"It has a delicate flavor, yet retains a firm core. And above all, I was simply blown away by the pleasant aroma, smooth mouthfeel, and refined aftertaste that are just like my favorite sake. I've truly fallen in love with it, and I could drink it forever!"

Kurumiya first tried a bottle, then traveled to the funs brewing store in Osaka to taste it. His amazement grew with each sip, and he was convinced he was hooked on Sake no Hana Hazy IPA. Kurumiya says that in addition to being able to sense the excellent balance that Kurumiya values, the beer's passion and determination to "create new flavors while cherishing the culture of sake and Japanese cuisine" was a perfect fit for the store's concept of "a place where true passion comes together."

"Using sake yeast and sake lees is not an easy thing to do, is it? But it's amazing that someone like me has managed to turn it into a successful business and thinks there's nothing else as delicious as this. I don't think it can be done without passion and determination."

Sake no Hana Hazy IPA's "Otomo"

by Cellar & Tap Origins Table

At Cellar & Tap Origins Table, you are free to bring your own food.
This is also in line with Kurumiya's desire to "enjoy the experience freely according to one's own sensibilities."

"Rather than choosing from a set menu, I think the freedom to find a food pairing that suits your taste will open up new ways to enjoy food and alcohol," says Kurumiya, who is truly wonderful for respecting the sensibilities of his customers.

However, if you don't know what to prepare, don't worry. The restaurant also has a variety of food items on the menu, and here are some that Kurumiya recommends as being particularly compatible with Sake no Hana Hazy IPA.

Enjoy freshly cut Iberian Bellota

One of the highlights at Cellar & Tap Origins Table is the Jamon Iberico Bellota, a premium cured ham cut straight from the log! It's the finest cured ham imported from Spain by business partner Mikami. Its impressive presence on the counter catches your eye the moment you enter the store.

"The fatty meat of the Iberico Bellota is brought together by the crispness of the Sake no Hana Hazy IPA, creating a wonderful balance," says Kurumiya. When you order, they will serve you a cut of meat on the spot. Customers who order Sake no Hana Hazy IPA with the meat are served a cut that is slightly fatty.

I also had this prosciutto, and I'm not kidding when I say it was the most delicious prosciutto I've ever eaten. Its dark color makes me think it'll be very salty, but when I tried it, it was surprisingly not too salty. The umami flavor spreads across my tongue and then quickly disappears in my mouth.
Here, I took a sip of Sake no Hana Hazy IPA. Ah, they go together! The light taste of Sake no Hana Hazy IPA doesn't interfere with the umami of the Iberico Bellota, and the two create a synergistic effect that brings out the best in each other, creating an endless loop. I realized that this is what Kurumiya meant when he said that it's well-balanced and makes you want to drink it again and again!

Cheese from Cheese Factory Sen, the world's best

Another special item served was cheese from Cheese Factory Sen. This is not yet a regular menu item, but they hope to add it to the menu in the future. It is made by Shibata Chiyo, a cheese craftsman who has won numerous awards both in Japan and overseas. In 2024, they achieved the remarkable feat of winning GOLD (No. 1 in the world) at the World Cheese Awards!
In fact, Seki-san, who is a colleague at his day job and also supports the store's operations as a staff member, is his younger sister.

I also tried this, and the cheese was absolutely delicious. It wasn't too strong, yet had an exquisite balance that left a lasting flavor in the mouth. When paired with Sake no Hana Hazy IPA, the soft richness of the cheese and the gentle juiciness of the beer blended together, and before I knew it, I couldn't stop eating it...I finished it in no time.

In fact, Sake no Hana Hazy IPA was originally created as a beer specifically for shabu-shabu. Brewed with sake yeast, it has a light mouthfeel and just the right amount of crispness, allowing you to enjoy the refreshing taste of shabu-shabu's fat. It was a new discovery for us, too, that this design also matches the fat of prosciutto and cheese!

They also have snacks you can buy in the store, and you can even take the prosciutto home with you, which is great.

*Cheese will be officially added to the menu in the future.

A unique taste that combines novelty and comfort

People who tried Sake no Hana Hazy IPA at the store said things like, "This is so well-balanced, I could drink it forever."

"IPA fans will be surprised by the difference, but I think that surprise will be transformed into a pleasant sensation by the delicate and well-balanced flavor of this sake."

Kurumiya also says that he would like even people who don't like IPAs to try it. He says that the soft, gentle sweetness derived from sake yeast and sake lees is complemented by the bitter body that is characteristic of the IPA style, making it a new discovery. Sake no Hana Hazy IPA may be a beer that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, regardless of their tastes.

All of the sake sold at Cellar & Tap Origins Table is one that Kurumiya has been inspired by, thanks to the passion of the brewers and the stories behind them. Kurumiya approaches his sake with care and sincerity. The warmth of the passion of Kurumiya and his staff seems to ooze out from this shop. Spend your time freely in the open atmosphere of the shop, with a drink full of passion in hand. Before I knew it, I found myself wanting to stay there long after the interview was over.

I hope you will come to a place like this and enjoy Sake no Hana Hazy IPA, spending some time relaxing and letting your energy flow!

Store Information

Cellar & Tap Origins Table

1 minute walk from Shin-Urayasu Station
16:00-21:30 (Closed Mondays and Thursdays)
www.origins-table.com

〒279-0012
1F Shin-Urayasu Station Plaza, 1-2-1 Irifune, Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture