Mead's Guide to Walking Vol. 4 “CISCO” in Nagoya

This is a project introducing wonderful places where you can enjoy mead.
"A Guide to Walking with Mead"

Just as you would rely on a guidebook when traveling through unfamiliar lands, we hope this project will serve as a guide to help you enjoy an unfamiliar drink. We want to share not only how to enjoy mead, but also the wonderful qualities of these shops and some fantastic pairing examples.

Today, we are visiting "CISCO" in Nagoya. It’s a 5-minute walk from Fushimi Station toward Sakae Station. Amidst a stretch of high-rise buildings, CISCO stands out with its noren curtain featuring a black logo on a white background. Even before entering, the shop evokes a sense of excitement that something special is about to begin.
@cisco_fushimi

1. Access
Located a 5-minute walk from Exit 3 of Fushimi Station on the Higashiyama and Tsurumai Subway Lines. Look for the noren curtain with the black logo on a white background.

2. History
CISCO opened in November 2023. Alongside natural wines, they carry ANTELOPE mead. Their lineup includes a wide range of seasonal meads in addition to their standard offerings.

"What is mead, exactly?"
"What does it taste like?"

These are common questions that can make people hesitant to try it. But at CISCO, you won’t feel that uncertainty.

First, there are explanatory signs on the tables. Each one details the flavor profiles, making it easy to find a bottle that suits your taste.


Furthermore, you can get individual consultation at the counter dedicated to mead and natural wine. You can feel at ease as the staff carefully explains what kind of drinks you usually like, what you enjoy pairing with food, and what mead is in the first place.

3. Food & Drink
The food menu features familiar, approachable items you might find in an izakaya. It’s wonderful to see snacks perfect for drinking, such as potato salad, avocado chanja, and octopus and avocado marinade.

Each dish is presented so stylishly that you won't be able to resist taking photos.

As for drinks, in addition to mead and natural wine, they also serve beer, cocktails, and soft drinks.

4. How to “Walk”

└ The recommended pairing for ANTELOPE’s most popular standard mead, "What Churchill Said," is the "Low-Temperature Pork Loin with Parmesan" and the "Octopus and Avocado Marinade." While "What Churchill Said" tastes sweet on its own, eating it with Parmesan cheese and roast pork brings out the flavor of the juniper berries, giving the impression of drinking a gin and tonic. Conversely, with the octopus and avocado marinade, you can taste the sweetness of the lime, highlighting the fascinating way the same liquid can feel completely different depending on the food you pair it with.

5. Open
Mon-Sun, Holidays, Days before holidays: 17:00–23:00 (Food L.O. 22:00, Drink L.O. 22:30)
Closed: None

For detailed business hours, please refer to the shop's Instagram.

For this interview, we spoke with Asanuma-san, who has been the store manager since October 2024. A former bartender, he has long loved mead. He told us that one day, while living with a heart full of love for mead, he happened to see a job opening and decided to work at CISCO.

He especially loves pairing food and drinks, and he gave us some inspiring words: "I want to think about new mead pairings from here on out!" It gave us a boost to keep working hard as well.

CISCO is definitely a place to keep an eye on. Along with KINOSHITA, which we introduced in Vol. 3, I highly recommend stopping by when you are in Nagoya.

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I hope I’ve been able to share a little bit of the "way to walk" with mead. Wonder where I should walk to next.