I visited a shop that caught my attention online. It was located near Kokura Station, a little off the main street. The entrance, reminiscent of a "hidden bar" from the Prohibition era, was a white building that was not immediately recognizable as a bar. Upon climbing the outside staircase to the second floor, I entered a stylish interior with a separate room with glass walls offering a view of Kokura's night cityscape. I informed the bartender that I had seen various wonderful cocktails online and asked for recommendations. They made me delicate cocktails using organic spirits, and I had a pleasant time. The vodka and cherry cocktail came with fragrant agarwood and dried cherries. Another cocktail, made with rum and vanilla, was creamy and delicious. The tequila-based cocktail with violet flower liqueur and almond essence not only looked beautiful but also had a wonderful aroma. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

As I wandered the streets of Kokura at night, I accumulated information about new restaurants in my head. Even if I hadn't been there, I knew the names of the restaurants. If a colleague at work said, "I found a great new restaurant in Kokura recently," I could usually respond with, "Oh, that's the one that opened next to △△ last month." However, as someone who values on-site investigation, I was still ignorant of hidden gem-like restaurants. This particular place was not easy to spot, as it was on the second floor of a building with no sign outside. The door to the bar itself was discreet. Unlike traditional bars, which are often called "Speakeasies" and appear closed from the outside but offer a cozy atmosphere inside, this bar lacked that typical bar vibe. It was a relief to have a guide show me the way. When it comes to bars, it's common for them not to have a menu. There are various theories as to why, but I won't go into that here. As soon as I sat down, I was handed a menu. The menu was lined with ingredients, and I was told that they would mix all of them to make a cocktail, so I should make sure there were no ingredients I didn't like before ordering. It seemed like mixology, but the bartender said, "It's not quite that." It seemed like they were going beyond mixology. The bartender had extensive experience training abroad. Not only did he learn techniques overseas, but he also had a global scale of perspective, which is rare in Kokura. Finally, I must say that the cocktails I tried here, which used a centrifuge and a smoke gun, were simply delicious. I may be a bit vague in my review, but the true value of this place cannot be fully understood in just one visit. Someone might read this and become aware of the restaurant, just as I did when I heard about it from someone else, so I decided to write about it.

I happened to stop by this shop on this day. It's called "The Certain Bar" in Kyoto-machi, Kokura Kita-ku. I sat at the empty counter seat and thought for about 69 seconds before asking the bartender to surprise me with various orders. The highlight was... something shaken in a big shaker. (laughs) Wow, this is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What... what... I didn't know cocktails could be this delicious... This is incredible... If I hadn't come across this shop, I might have lived a boring life without knowing that cocktails could be this delicious. I am satisfied, satisfied. Other details can be found here.