3 recommended drinks & sweets of “Ponshukan Niigata Station Store” using plenty of special products from Niigata Prefecture

“Ponshukan Niigata Station Store (ぽんしゅ館　新潟驛店)” is a store that specializes in Niigata prefecture’s products within 3 minutes’ walk from Niigata Station. A great variety of souvenirs unique to Niigata prefecture are line up, such as Japanese sake made with one of Japan’s famous branded rice ‘Koshihikari’, fermented foods like miso and soy sauce, and processed special products of Niigata. From among them, we selected 3 drinks and sweets using plenty of Niigata’s special products.

Just pour your favorite Japanese sake! “Ponshugria” allowing you to make cocktails easily

“Ponshugria (ぽんしゅグリア)” is a 180ml sake cup containing domestically-produced dried fruits and Niigata’s famous confection ‘Hakka Sugar (薄荷糖, like mint). Shiozawa area, located in the south part of Niigata prefecture, has been famous for its Hakka Sugar since ancient times, and Hakka was used as a medicine for all kinds of diseases such as cough, hangover and headache in 1600s. When it gets 1700s, sugar had a lot of market place circulation and Hakka Sugar, Hakka simmered with sugar, was born. Anyway, by pouring your favorite Japanese sake into Ponshugria containing such Hakka Sugar, sugar melts as if fluffy snow was dancing. When everything melts, the original cocktail is complete. After feeling the sweetness of dried fruits, the refreshing flavor of Hakka explodes in your mouth. It matches bubbly water and black tea, so even those who are not good at booze can enjoy the taste.

“Yukiiro Soda” with the sweetness created by Koshihikari from Uonuma

“Yukiiro Soda (雪色ソーダ, snow-colored soda)” is a rare drink made from malted rice of ‘Koshihikari’ from Uonuma. To savor it to your heart’s content, cool it first. Before opening it, slowly upside down and wait for 30 seconds, then return to the original position and hold for 1 minute. When malted rice deposited at the bottom of the bottle floats and it becomes snow-colored, let’s open it! The sweet flavor of malted rice come wafting in. There are not only this type but also 3 types of soda using fruits cultivated in Niigata, so even children can enjoy them: pear ‘Le Lectier,’ peach and grapes for wine. All of them don’t use flavors. We also recommend that you drink them as sour because they contain much pure fruit juice.

The brownie “Yukiguni Renga” combining bittersweet chocolate and sweetness of sake lees

“Yukiguni Renga (雪國れんが)” is the chocolate brownie put in a box with a design using a brick brewery in Niigata as a motif. It’s what you can’t find anywhere else and an exquisite sweet. Local sake and lees from Uonuma and roasted walnut are kneaded into the dough. You should be addicted to the flavor blending bittersweet chocolate and sweetness of Japanese sake and lees. Enjoy it with coffee! Children can also eat it because the alcohol content has been thoroughly removed. By the way, sake lees are rich in nutrition such as lactic acid bacteria.

Opening Hours	9:00AM – 9:00PM　Open all year round
Address	1-96-47 Hanazono, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
Access	A 3-minute walk from Niigata Station which is one station away from Tsubame Sanjo Station on the Joetsu Bullet Train
URL	https://www.ponshukan-niigata.com/