Maruho Liquor Shop

Small liquor shop, a short walk from Kujo Station, in a lively, busy area full of mixed businesses, small factories, and shops. Forklifts and small trucks buzzing in and out of warehouses. Anyway, the liquor shop is pretty well stocked with a variety of imports (nearly all from the US, and very little from Europe) and a good selection of Japanese micros. Not quite on a par with Asahiya (in Moriguchi), but probably the best in Osaka proper. Very friendly service from two elderly women; not sure if either spoke English or not. I rarely get to this part of Osaka, but I'd certainly go there more often if I lived or worked closer.

The best place to go in you're in the Minami (Namba) Osaka area. Osaka Dome mae and Taisho stations are nearby, or a bus from Namba. A liquor store run by a friendly family, English spoken. Excellent selection of local and imported beer, they get plenty of limited release stuff in good volume. Two fridges of Japanese beer covering core and limited/seasonal stuff from many breweries. Tachinomiya nights have a good local worker vibe. Great all around.

Located 20 min on foot from Taisho or 5 min from Kujo subway station. This liquor store can be broken down into 3 areas: when you walk in you have the office/liquor/sake/domestic craft area, the back houses a standing bar and the walk in fridge with the imports while the right-hand side has a tachinomiya type standing bar area with a limited food menu (open Mondays and Wednesdays I hear). It’s a good place but kind of in the middle of nowhere for me, definitely check it out if in the area for the eclectic selection of roughly 200 brews though it’s a bit light on J-craft (Asahiya’s your best bet for those in Osaka).

Small sake and beer shop between Kujo and the dome. Open for over a hundred years and recently (September 15) started stocking some heavy hitters in the brand new walk-in fridge. Cheapest bottle shop prices in Osaka. Bar area opens on Monday and Wednesday nights for food and in-house drinking. Friendly owner, speaks good English and likes to chat. Non-smoking to boot.