On the back of last nights bar opening near my place, I got into a conversation this morning on Twitter regarding the size of some of the standing bars in Japan which prompted me to dig up some photos from when i first arrived in Japan.
More on the new bar later but this one, situated close to the Century Hyatt in Nishi Shinjuku, doesn’t look like much and it isn’t but it’s fun and there’s no danger of not meeting anyone.
Peering in you can get the idea there’s not a whole lot of spare space in there.
I took up a position just inside the door. There’s room for 2 people at this end … note the full head of hair.
Down the long side of the bar there’s room for another 5 at most with the last in being hard up against the door.
The toilet is at the other end, near old mate with the fur collar, which means when anyone needs to use it the whole bar has to back out the door single file.
The bar owner perched on his stool, ready to make you some food or pass you another very reasonably priced grog.
From memory a bottle of beer was 300 yen.
It’s bars like these that make your experience in Japan unique and they’re bloody good for practicing your Japanese.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I loved these places when I was in Tokyo. It’s a great way to meet locals and practice your Japanese as you say. Every neighborhood has some kind of pokey little bar. One I used to go to only opened when the owner felt like it.
I know of one like that in Nakano Sakaue … was frustrating to get there and find he wasn’t open only to turn around and go back home. Cut it lose after that happened a few times.
There are plenty of these around Toranomon/Shinbashi near my office. Nice atmosphere and, as you say, affordable drinks!
To the naked eye they don’t even look like bars …. part of their appeal to me …. just hole in the wall type places.
“The toilet is at the other end, near old mate with the fur collar, which means when anyone needs to use it the whole bar has to back out the door single file.”
Technically speaking if the kid in the fur needs to go, nobody needs to move!
Good pick up.
Full set of hair! the good ol’days.. i am a fellow bald guy..
I think there needs to be more stand up bars in Japan. This sit down, eat and drink thing makes it hard to meet other people. Might be more kids in japan if they did have more stand up bars.. they might look like me but still it will help in the end…I’m all about helping the Japanese Economy…
It also promotes drinking at a faster pace … everyone is a bit more alive. When you’re seated it’s easier to sit on a beer for longer and not to mention .. much less sociable.
I’ve got to say that the concept of the standing bar is appealing to me but the prospect of being the pair of foreigners that wanders in to a local’s favorite bar is a bit intimidating. Especially when my grasp of the language is limited to asking how much something costs, where the bathroom is located and telling people that I am a first year Japanese language student.
Wow! Mate, that is a full set of hair!
I would love to have a place like this in my neighborhood! And I hope there’ll be one close to my place when I’m in Japan ^^
If you look hard enough you’ll find one.
We call em’
“Mom and Pops” or “Greasy Spoons” where I come from and I love going to those kins of places.
It’s not the cleanliness of the beer glass (for me anyway..I drink out the bottle)
It’s the quality of the company your sharing.
Yeah, quite a few of those places in Shimokita. Gotta hit ‘em as a pair; three or more people tends to be a bit much.
Especially if you’re talking with other foreginers ….. a pair at most … if not solo. The smaller and lower key the place the fewer numbers in my book these days. Even the larger places, as you well know, don’t really cater for groups of many more than two … just end up looking like a pack of gaijin dogs on the prowl
Years ago there was a tiny reggae bar in Nishi-Ogikubo that was made in the geinkan of a house. Fit six mashed up people tops. The guy who owned the house was a reggae fanatic and rented out the rooms in the house. Great place to go after catching the last train home.
Cheers man, will keep it in mind if i`m ever out that way.
It can be daunting …. and is. The sooner you get over it the better it will be though …. after the first few times and realising you’re MORE than welcome it’s a walk in the park.
Thanks, Neil. We’re going to give it our best!
btw… the second post wasn’t me but some weird spambot that stole my post. Notice that the link in “Eric’s” name goes to some kind of retail site.
Cheers Eric … comment has been blasted away.