Jizakeya Noboru

A laidback, nihonshu-fuelled evening complete with great food is the recipe at Noboru, a spacious and welcoming pub found on a quiet corner just a few minutes’ walk from the bustle of Oimachi Station. Quality sake – our visit saw offerings like Ehime’s Kagiya and Yamagata favourite Toyo Bijin – is naturally the main draw for most patrons, while beer enthusiasts will have fun with the surprisingly decent Harvestmoon brews, hailing from the Ikspiari shopping mall at Tokyo Disneyland (yes, really). As for the cuisine, make sure to sample the homemade pickles before digging into the ample sashimi options, cut from fish brought in fresh every day from Hiroshima and/or Ehime’s Matsuyama. For a reasonably priced sit-down dinner in Oimachi, Noboru ticks all the boxes.