An authentic bar where you can experience the origins of the drinking establishment
- Hometown Bar Osaka Edition -

Following last month's Matsumoto edition, the second installment of our Hometown Bars series is the Osaka edition.

The idea for this project was born out of casual conversation.

"When you go back to your hometown, there's a store that makes you feel like you're home, right?"
"Yes, that store, that store, etc..."

As we were talking, we discovered that we had one thing in common: bars.

This time, we will introduce some recommended restaurants that will make you feel like Tatsuta has returned to Osaka.
My hometown is Hyogo Prefecture, but I spent the impressionable 10 years from university to working life in Osaka, so Osaka is my hometown for fun.

The name of the shop is A bar.

The location is a 5-minute walk from Fukushima Station in Osaka.

Those familiar with the area will know that it is a popular area lined with new and long-established restaurants and where dining and drinking districts coexist with residential areas.

Cross the Fukushima 6-chome intersection heading north and you will see the sign on your right.

It's called A bar.

The store's name is a combination of the initials of the owner's surname, Asao, and the Kansai dialect word for excellent, "eh."

The shop is on the basement floor. There are stairs next to the sign.

At first glance, you'll come across a shady looking red carpeted staircase before descending into a large counter.

There are eight seats at the counter and two tables in the private room.
It's just the right size.

A bar opened in November 2011.
In fact, the owner and Tatsuta were high school classmates.

"So that's why I'm introducing you?"

No, that's not it.

As you can probably imagine from the photo, this place is a full-fledged authentic bar. That's what it looks like. And although it certainly is, it's not.
That's what's interesting about this restaurant, but also what's a little frustrating for me personally.

I like this bar

When you think of a bar, what image comes to mind?

• High barrier to entry
• Expensive
• Bartenders have a lot of pride
• It feels very formal
• It's quiet and reserved, and somehow it's hard to talk.
• You have to be mindful of the dress code
• "It's from that customer over there" is rampant

and so on

While there are actually stores like this, some people may find them difficult to approach because of the prevailing image they have.

The bar I like is not like this.
I've remembered my favorite stores and summarized what I like about them.

Gin and tonic is delicious. Gin fizz is delicious. Gimlet is delicious.
Standard cocktails tend to be simple in both recipe and preparation.
The simpler the drink, the more the taste of the bar and bartender comes through.

I like the back bar.
It's not just about having a lot of stock. The selection of products has meaning and intention.
Without being overbearing, the mix is 80% standard and 20% special. 80% classic and 20% new varieties.

I'm studying whiskey.
Just as the word "wine" is used in the name of a wine bar, I believe that a bar is a place where you can drink whiskey, cocktails and beer. I would like staff to have studied whiskey, which is their main product, and have a basic knowledge of it.

The cocktails are wide and of high quality.
If you go to a bar, you want to try a delicious cocktail that you don't normally get to drink.
I also want to drink cocktails that are popular right now and those made with fresh fruit.

The draft beer is delicious.
Draft beer is available at izakayas, but it is difficult to make, and it takes time and money.
The taste can vary greatly depending on whether you do it properly or not.

The distance between you and the bartender is just right.
When you want them to come to your seat, they will come. When you don't need them, they won't come.
It can be 0, it can be 100, or sometimes it can be 120.

Thoughtful.
I think that being "considerate" is something that is based on the concept of "reading the atmosphere."
I think being thoughtful, which is important in any job, means having imagination.
A restaurant that can do this is simply comfortable and you can have fun no matter who you go with.

The customer base is good.
I believe that customers help develop the store and the store helps develop the customers.
The stores I like are open, stylish, and staffed by kind people.

The distance between customers is just right.
One of the best parts of going to a bar is having a three-way conversation with the bartender and the customer next to you.
But I don't like being too clingy or feeling too uncomfortable, so I like to keep a good distance.

The opening hours are long.
This is completely selfish of the customer, but I think being able to wait and wait is an important quality for a bartender.

There are many other things I could list, such as "the toilets are clean" and "the chairs are comfortable," but if I write any more I'll start sounding like a man who can't get married, so I'll stop here.

A bar meets this criteria, but if that was all there was to it, it would be one of my favorite places.
There is one other major factor.
This is heavily influenced by my own experiences.

The origins of the bar

I worked part-time as a bartender during my university days. I attended classes moderately and devoted myself to the bartender job for four years. While studying various types of alcohol, I became addicted to Scotch whisky, and during the summer of my third year of university, I went on a two-month trip to visit Scottish distilleries.

The year was 2001. Nowadays, thanks to the morning drama "Massan" and the popularity of highballs, more and more Japanese people are enjoying whiskey and traveling to Scotland. However, at that time, there were few Japanese people traveling to Scotland, and Japanese people seemed to be a rare presence for the local people.

I went around to various distilleries and went to the pub almost every night.

British people look like they are having a lot of fun while drinking. They talk casually with the person next to them and it feels like the whole bar is drinking together.

And the way I drink it is my own way.
There is one incident that left a strong impression on me about my own way of drinking.

At one pub, the man next to me ordered a Macallan. It's a single malt whiskey that would cost 1,000 to 2,000 yen per shot in a Japanese bar. At the time, it was a luxury drink to me.

When the Macallan was poured into a glass, the man mixed it with tomato juice and started drinking. It was whiskey mixed with tomato juice.

The man noticed the Asian man looking at him curiously, thinking, "What is this old man doing?" and called out to him.

"This way of drinking it is delicious. You should try it," he said, and gave me a sip.
As you can imagine, it was quite undrinkable, but the man gulped down three glasses of Macallan mixed with tomato juice with gusto.

It was a shocking sight for me at the time.
"Single malt whiskey is best drunk neat."
"If you add an equal amount of water to the whiskey, the aroma will come out and it will taste delicious. If possible, use water with the same hardness as the source water."
I felt stupid for saying that. I felt like I was being big-headed, or like I was trying to fit into a mold.

During my two-month stay, I was able to experience authentic British pub culture, which greatly changed my views on alcohol and bars.

"Have fun with the people you share the space with"
"There is no set style for alcohol, so enjoy it however you like."

This is the origin of the bar.

"I studied alcohol when I was a student" sounds good, but to be honest, part of what I gained knowledge about was just to look cool.
I realized something that seems obvious now: drinking alcohol is not something to look cool about, but something to enjoy. It was a big turning point for me.

I feel that A bar is the origin of the bar that I felt at that time.

What is an Authentic Bar?

Coincidentally, the owner, Asao, often uses the word "bar" to refer to his own bar.
The place is filled with laughter, which is very similar to the feeling I get in pubs in Scotland.

The store has a solid appearance, but it is a little different from the typical, prestigious, authentic bar that most people imagine.

But it is an authentic bar.

The word authentic means "not a counterfeit, but the real thing."

Both the bar and the drinks it serves are the real deal.

A classmate of mine opened this kind of store for me.
So I feel a little disappointed.

A bar

Address: B1F Naniwasuji Izumi Building, 6-14-9 Fukushima, Fukushima-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 553-0003
TEL 06-6453-4545
Business hours: 20:00 - 5:00
URL http://www.abar1101.com/