What is sake? How do I drink sake? What do I drink sake with?
We pour you the the truth... the true rice wine!

New year, new taste experience!
The tasty lesson with the kanpai invites you to rediscover Japanese world cultural heritage. Be it the tradition of sake, the artisanal & impressive brewing process, the convivial drinking culture or the exciting food pairing possibilities...

Marc Nydegger- Certified Sake Professional - is looking forward to introducing you to Nihonshu as host of the evening and invites you to taste the different varieties & experience possibilities with several premium drops - in a cozy atmosphere at the shizuku sake lecture with tasting.

Because in 13 years shizuku so far, it has been this interest that has driven the sake expert: «The most beautiful thing for me personally was the noticeable curiosity & thirst for knowledge about Japan and its treasures. Our connoisseurs didn't just want to buy Japanese drinks, they wanted to understand them, which connected us from day one. This shared passion and positive response encouraged me, drove me on and still does - drop by drop.»

Irasshaimase - At shizuku store you will find a piece of Japanese sense of life on more than 60 m2. We look forward to welcoming you and inspiring you at the next shizuku sake lecture.

January 28, 2026

Shochu - The distilled drop of Japan.

Shochu is Japan's second traditional drink besides sake (nihonshu). Sake, the Japanese rice wine, is often mistakenly understood as a distillate. But this is where Shochu comes in, which is actually distilled and, depending on the main ingredient, has a completely different basic taste.

From mugi (barley) to imo (sweet potato), kome (rice) to goma (sesame) - Shochu is extremely diverse in its aromatic facets and, depending on the basic ingredient and drinking method, is suitable as an aperitif, digestive or as an excellent accompaniment to a meal.

10 years in the barrel
The Toki no Choetsu Superiore is a mild, sweet and very rounded barley shochu. Aged for 10 years in French oak barrels, the ideal drop for whisky and rum lovers.

Tasty and lots of umami
The Takeyama Gensui as well as the Kurozaru are two intensive, round sweet potato shochu. Matured in clay pots, both have a great umami taste and a long lasting finish.

Elegance and power
The Mellowed Kozuru Limited (Single Cask) as well as the Mellowed Kozuru Excellence are two incredibly elegant, velvety rice shochu, strong in taste and balanced on the palate.

Gold in the tumbler
The Beniotome Gold - the king with a maturation period of about 8 years - as well as the Beniotome Maru are both extremely mild and elegant barley shochu with a pleasant touch of sesame.

Let yourself be surprised once again by Japan's art - this time with a fine drop of shochu.

January 23, 2026

Is it cooler, we too turn up the heat....

Because drinking a nihonshu warmed up and discovering the resulting aromas and flavours anew is not only fun, but also warms the sake heart. We are happy to recommend different drops, which offer an enjoyable experience from cool to room temperature to hot. Let's warm up...

The Asahimai Junmai| Smooth from 10-50°C
This velvety, full-bodied Junmai will flatter any sake fan. Smooth, with a sweet note and long-lasting finish, this premium sake made from organic rice delights subtly aromatic, with a fresh, minty acidity.

The Kuzuryu Ippin | Crisp and spicy from 10-45°C
Slightly sweet, fruity and with a soft texture, this elegant nihonshu crisp-spicy delights on the palate and, with its fair amount of umami, is also an exciting pairing partner to autumnal, more flavourful dishes.

The Inatahime Ryokan | Round from 10-50°C
Slightly salty, even leathery on the nose, this rather dry sake surprises with aromas of lime blossom, soja, bitter chocolate, coffee, tobacco and nutmeg. And this true classic scores especially with hearty & cheesy dishes such as fondue & raclette.

The Goriki Junmai| Powerfully aromatic from 15-50°C
Tangy, oily, smoky and with lots of umami you will be spoiled with this exciting food companion. Intense notes of paprika, olive tapenade and smoked ham make this sake an aromatic experience even at room temperature.

The Kozaemon Yamahai Junmai| Taste expedition from 10-45°C
Brewed according to the traditional yamahai method, this nihonshu convinces with intense, earthy flavours and makes literally sake hungry. For from cheesy to floral to aromatic-fiery, this drop offers a truly veritable adventure...

The Miyabi | Strong sake art from 15-45°C
This intense Tokubetsu Junmai - brewed according to the traditional kimoto method - is quickly reminiscent of a stone fruit brandy. Earthy, dry and pleasantly sweet on the palate, this Japanese drop is an exciting food companion to meat dishes and your upcoming raclette.

January 9, 2026

1 sake, 2 toasts and a trilogy of the finest cheeses. As simple. As good.
Meikel inspires us in exactly this way again with his latest greeting from the kitchen, adding a touch of gold to the snack.

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku | A golden TOAST to TOAST

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, Artist and Sake Addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: Toast the bread until golden brown. Briefly fry some juicy ham and turkey slices in a pan. Top the toast with a trio of hearty cheese classics: raclette, Gruyère, and red Tilsiter. Season to taste and pop it in the oven - that's it.
Aside: A drop of gold from Yonago in Tottori, the Inatahime Junmai Daiginjo 40. Delicately bitter, with a slight sharpness in the finish, this Junmai Daiginjo conjures up a beautiful balance of intensity and elegance and, with its creamy structure, goes perfectly with melted cheese. A powerful toast to toast.

Culinary conclusion: 'We have succeeded in turning a simple idea into something truly delicious. A classy ham and cheese toast, prepared with love and accompanied by this elegant premium sake: you couldn't ask for a better snack!
The flavours complement each other wonderfully, the consistency is perfect, and you'll want to take another bite and another sip. My tip: make sure you make enough from the start!' laughs Meikel with relish and reaches for the next toast - in the glass and on the plate ;)

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

January 9, 2026

You are a group and want a tasting in a cozy, private setting?
Or are you still looking for a tasty idea for your celebratory team event?
How about a sakelicious tasting?

The team event with the kanpai...
Enjoy with friends, team colleagues, partners or customers, but try something new: We are happy to pour!
Spoil your team with a special treat and give them a culinary experience - with an exquisite Japanese drop.
Sake expert Marc Nydegger will take you to Japan and invites you to live the convivial drinking culture and to taste the different varieties based on handpicked premium drops in a cozy atmosphere.

Would you like to hold your private event at shizuku Store? Great!
Whether it's a birthday party, a team aperitif or the degustation among friends... shizuku is pleased to show you the variety of Japanese works of art so that your team event will be positively surprising and pleasantly remembered.

Please contact us with your wishes, questions and ideas by e-mail to event@shizuku.ch and nothing will stand in the way of your festive kanpai.

Already thirsty? We look forward to you & your guest!

January 5, 2026

«It just fits, it fits with the cheese»

Marc Nydegger from shizuku & Stephan Schaub from Amstad Chäslädeli found each other early on. Because when it fits, it fits.
'Stöphi' was skeptical for a second ;) What does Marc want? A sake and cheese pairing?
Open as he is, a nice & long lasting partnership was born immediately. And Marc has been combining Stephan's cheeses with sake at events ever since...

Umami is the secret!
The close collaboration with the neighborhood store Amstad Chäs­lä­de­li has resulted in exciting combinations that can be enjoyed at the cozy shizuku sake-cheese pairing - in a small, fine setting.

«I want the Swiss to drink sake with their cheese platter, cheese fondue or raclette.»
Marc made this statement years ago. At the time, the young entrepreneur was - understandably - ridiculed. Today he smiles. Because his customers now explicitly ask for the 'fondue sake' and the Sake Fondue house mix.

Discover this exciting pairing, taste various premium wines from Japan together with exquisite cheeses and be pleasantly surprised by this outstanding combination.
Small but nice, your tasting event in a personal setting.

At shizuku Store you will find a piece of Japanese sense of life on over 60 m2. We look forward to welcoming and delighting you at the next shizuku sake cheese pairing.

January 5, 2026

Cooking with sake? Of course!
Deglaze or boil down - for a nice, flavourful sake note in your dish.
Nihonshu in the kitchen makes a good figure not only in the glass...

COOKING SAKE - For more umami in the pan
Whether in mushrooms, tomatoes or cheese - umami is omnipresent and can also be found in our kitchen more than you think - and in sake even more.

umami is another flavour alongside the traditional ones of sweet, sour, salty and bitter. And although umami is difficult to describe in words, tasters notices it immediately. This is because umami intensifies certain flavours and dominates & corrects negative taste sensations. For this reason, umami can generally be described as 'especially delicious' and 'perfectly rounded'.

And with our high-quality cooking sake, you too can bring even more flavour to the pan. Discover Kimoto Junmai, brewed according to the traditional kimoto method. A dry, intense sake in a convenient, resealable 1.8 liter Tetra Pak.

Cook with us, kanpai and enjoy your meal!

January 5, 2026