Simmering Mist

Eiraku Shokudo, a popular izakaya in Akita, is located in front of Akita Station. They have a huge selection of sake, and their "tasting set" is a great value and fun deal. Choose three varieties and have them poured into your glass for just 900 yen! Eiraku Shokudo before the relocation Eiraku Shokudo after the relocation...

Akita's Kawabata Area: Akita Prefecture's leading entertainment district, commonly known as "Kawabata," is located a 15-minute walk from Akita Station. Kawabata, once a thriving geisha town, has seen a sharp decline in the number of shops due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the town is noticeably less lively than when I visited before the pandemic, there are still many historic shops scattered around...

Chiba's local stews: doteyaki, nakamashijiru, otaguri, dengaku... There are "local stews" all over Japan, each deeply connected to the history of its region, with ingredients, seasonings, and other culinary cultures thrown into one big pot and simmered for many years.

I arrived in Matsuyama, Shikoku's largest city, at 8 p.m. Given the time, there were only two places I could go drinking in Matsuyama tonight. Of several options, I zeroed in on "Yonjuyon," which had the least information and was the most difficult to access. Yonjuyon...

Location Scouting in Morioka I arrived in Morioka in the morning. I enjoyed the corner bars Hosoju Sake Shop and Kagiya-san, but it was still only 2 p.m. Since I still had time for some evening drinking, I decided to scout locations in Morioka while it was still light. I thoroughly explored the alleys that spread out in a grid pattern east from Morioka Station...

Oji, the town of drinkers. Hidden away in Akabane, also in Kita Ward, Oji is a mecca for drinkers, dotted with a number of stylish taverns. With the opening of the third branch of Akabane's "senbero" (cheap drinking) leader "Ikoi" in Oji and the renovation of the long-established bar "Yamadaya," Oji will be a major draw.

Hachinohe, a town of delicious seafood! When I asked the locals, they told me to try "Onimon," a cheap and tasty place for fish, so I opened my mouth and paid a visit. Incidentally, Hachinohe is also known for its horses and...

Drinking in Kochi, a bar-rich region. The tourist spot "Hirome Market" opens at 10am in the morning, while long-established restaurants like Habotan and Maruyoshi Shokudo, where you can enjoy daytime drinks, open in the afternoon. In the evening, the "Bashibashi Izakaya" opens, and gyoza stalls open from the evening until 3am. Drinking is the main focus...

Imabari, Ehime Prefecture, is known as one of Japan's three great cities for yakitori. Prospering through cotton weaving and shipbuilding, Imabari was home to many merchants, and its citizens are known for being impatient and not wanting to wait. To satisfy this demand, yakitori is served on a hot plate, rather than the usual skewered style.

Kochi's long-established bar, "Chinchintei," was founded in 1959 (Showa 34) and is now run by the second-generation owner. As the name suggests, it was originally a Chinese restaurant, but under the second generation owner, it was transformed into an izakaya, marking a total of 65 years in business. Its colorful, internally illuminated sign...

Discover the appeal of craft gin Starting with bottled beer, hoppy, chu-hi, sake, sometimes highballs, shochu with hot water. Sometimes highballs and shochu with hot water. At izakaya (Japanese style pubs), we usually drink something like this. Everyday I'm picking up some stewed fish or sashimi and drinking shizukuri, but the other day I went to Nozawa Onsen in Nagano,...

Horikiri Iris Garden "Kiyoshi" Nakahata Kiyoshi, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and Kiyoshi from High School Kimengumi. Everyone has their own Kiyoshi, but my own Kiyoshi is definitely Kiyoshi from Horikiri Iris Garden. It's not an easy place to get to from my house...

Goat (Goat) Cuisine Sakae Just off Kokusai-dori, Naha's main street, on Ryugu-dori. The aura-filled long-established two-tops of "Kozakura" and "Sakae" stand side by side, silently watching over the "food stall village" across the street where tourists gather. Such is the style of the grand masters...

Kiriya is a long-established bar in Fuchu. Originally operating in front of Fuchu-Honmachi Station for 48 years, it was a "classic pub" with on-site dining. In 2018, the bar was forced to relocate due to eviction, and has since reopened in a vacant 100-year-old guesthouse. Its stately appearance is just as impressive as its predecessor.

There are nearly 50 Kagaya branch stores, mainly in Tokyo, including "Kagaya," "Kagahiro," and "New Kagaya." Even though they don't have the "Kaga" character in their names, some still have the Kagaya blood running through their veins, making them a staple in Tokyo's bar culture, such as "Kitahachi" in Nishi-Nippori, "Marufuku" in Nishi-Funabashi, and "Kaburaya," which closed last year.

Okinawa's Stew Culture Okinawa's food culture has developed since the Ryukyu Dynasty through exchanges with China, Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan. Ryukyu cuisine is so rich in pork dishes that it's said to "start and end with pork." Not only pork meat and innards, but even ears, feet, face, bones, and blood are often wasted...

The famous bar "Mitakaya Bar" has a lot of charm, which I always visit several times a year. In addition to the standard menu items that I always end up ordering, such as the beef stew, there is also an extensive blackboard menu with recommendations that change from day to day. I always end up ordering my favorite dishes, and then I find myself...

A 10-minute walk from Mabashi Station, you'll find Nika Curry Shop, a solitary establishment with a red lantern and a dazzling aura. Upon opening the door, you'll be greeted by Tony, the Bangladeshi owner, who says, "Welcome back." A warm-hearted bar that's been in business for 34 years...

Kotobuki Shokudo in the shopping district in front of Okayama Station is a reliable place to grab a quick drink before boarding a Shinkansen or plane. Fukube in Yaesu and Hashimoto Sake Shop in Shin-Osaka are also good options, but places like Maruhachi Sushi in Nagoya, Genzo Honten in Hiroshima, and Marusho in Sendai are open from lunchtime, so you can start your drinking session right away...

"Stamina Don" in Chiba Prefecture is not in a great location, far from the station, but when you open the door, you'll be surprised to see that both the counter and the tables are full. The name sounds like a place specializing in garlic-heavy rice bowls, but it also serves everything from yakitori to sashimi, fried dishes, and stews...