Shinshu Osake Mura

It's hard to imagine spending a whole evening in this well-lubricated shrine to Nagano Prefecture, but it'd be a good place to start one. Tucked away in a dowdy building directly opposite Shimbashi Station, Shinshu Osake Mura (lit. 'alcohol village') is as bare-bones as they come, with just a few counters, no stools, and decor that seems to consist entirely of saké labels and posters advertising liquor. Homely it ain't, but when they're serving Nagano-made nihonshu and craft beer at retail prices, you'd be a churl to complain. The saké list ranges from budget ¥300 offerings to classy tipples like Genbu Daiginjo Premium (¥1,000 a glass), with cheap testing sets allowing curious drinkers to sample three varieties apiece from each of the prefecture's main regions. If it's beer you're after, they've got around two dozen bottled and canned varieties – from the ubiquitous Yona Yona Ale (¥600) to offerings from Shiga Kogen, Oh! La! Ho! and Minami Shinsyu Beer – plus a couple of brews on tap. The food menu is limited to appetisers like salami, smoked duck and wasabi-flavoured nozawana, all of it served straight from the packet.