Tokyo, Japan (Spring 2024) - Day 4
Rainy Day in Tokyo
We walked around Kanda in the rain a little bit while doing some laundry at a laundromat. Stumbled upon this local temple.
They had a resident cat that looked well cared for at the temple.
Hasagawa Liquors (Tokyo Station)
Tokyo Station is a good destination in the rain because you can explore this mini-city underground. Shown above is Hasagawa Liquors inside the station mall which I think is one of the best liquor stores in the world because you can do very affordable tastings there. The mall is actually so big that they have 2 locations. Make sure to visit the main location because that is where you can do the tastings. The whiskey selection is pretty good as well. They have a lot of scotches that you do not find in the US.
The bottles that are available for tasting will have a sticker on the bottle indicating the price - usually under 200 Yen. Once you choose the bottles (you can select up to 3 per visit), the guy pulls out these little drawer shelves upon which he pours your tasting.
ま Restaurant (Tokyo Station)
The next search for lunch in Tokyo Station was a more difficult journey. Due to it being lunch hour and it raining outside, a lot of the places were very busy. We walked a long way around the underground to finally find a restaurant where we didn’t have to wait to eat. Got the grilled fish set meal.
Tokyo Dollar Stores
There are several version of dollar stores (in Japan they are 100 Yen stores) and this was one of them in Tokyo Station. With the exchange rate, everything was under 65 cents. They still sell blank cassette tapes here!
Ginza
Rainy day in the high class Ginza shopping district
Geshary Coffee (Ginza)
We ducked out of the rain into this swanky coffee shop in the Ginza district. The main reason for going is we were waiting for the real destination which was a whiskey bar to open at 5 pm. These coffees were definitely fancy. They came with their own card descriptors.
The store had several floors so you can keep going up until you feel you have enough of a view or privacy.
Campbelltoun Loch (Ginza)
This bar was one of my target destinations for Ginza on this trip. I have heard of it but had never visited on previous trips. This 8 seat bar (really just a room in a basement) has a fantastic selection of whiskey focusing on scotches. The prices are also very reasonable for the quality and age of the product. This is also the type of place where you can tell him what flavor profiles you like and he will pick interesting bottles for you to try.
The seats are so old they are a bit rickety. I noticed that a local regular customer was standing instead of sitting.
This is another one of those one man operations that we should enjoy while they last. Another great thing about Japan is that places like this can exist here. No way can a small bar like this survive in the US.
Bar High Five (Ginza)
Even though this bar is a bit touristy now, it is still a place I try to visit when I go to Tokyo. The owner Hidetsugu Ueno is considered one of the best bartenders in the world. He still shows up with his signature pompadour hair and cheery disposition. He has an army of bar backs and servers that come from all over the world to work here but all of the drinks are only made by either Ueno or his main bartender. The others do prep but only they do the mixing and pouring.
No menu here. They just ask you what you are in the mood for and they prepare a drink that often has some unique ingredients.
Bar Suzuki (Ginza)
Not too far from the High Five is this bar. It is one of the older bars in Tokyo (but not the oldest) and has a very traditional feel. Like many places like this there is a sitting fee. We tried some of their more nouveau snack offerings here.
The bar wasn’t that busy so we were able to chat with the owner and the bartender a bit. They gave us some recommendations for places to try in Yokohama. They also gave us a yakitori place in Ginza to try when I lamented that Memory Lane in Shinjuku is too touristy now.
Yakitori No Meimon Akiyoshi やきとりの名門秋吉 銀座店 (Ginza)
This was the place that the Bar Suzuki bartender recommended to us. I guess it’s a chain as they have several locations around Tokyo but you can see why it is very popular. They place was packed with young locals chugging beer and having a good time.
We got lucky as two seats opened up at the bar just as we showed up. They had a large menu at great prices and a fun atmosphere. When the skewers are done they plop them on the steel counter tray in front of you. The skewers come in sets of 5. Like an even number would be nice to make them easier to share but whatever.
Maltan (Kanda)
Our last stop of the night was just outside the train station in Kanda. This was a small no frills basement bar and was perfect for a nightcap highball and whiskey.