In February, Hokkaido is still in the midst of winter, but after the beginning of spring, the snow starts to become wet. The roads start to show patches of asphalt, and as a motorcycle enthusiast, I took a ride around Otaru city. It was getting quite cold. Before heading home, I noticed Ishikawa Genzou Shoten. The owner's father passed away, and now his son is running the shop in the old style. This is a standing bar "kakuchi" style shop. There is an entrance fee of 200 yen, which is a new charge. This fee includes one snack, and I chose a piece of cheese. I had a warm oolong tea as my drink. A warm oolong tea for 200 yen after riding a cold motorcycle, including the entrance fee, for a total of 400 yen, is very much appreciated. Ahh... I feel warmed up now. I will come back next time for some alcohol. It may be more dangerous than riding a motorcycle, but it's worth it (laughs).

I don't even know how many times this is happening, haha. On this day, I went on a drinking spree from noon onwards. I tried a drink called "Forest Bear" and it was delicious! But what really left an impression on me was a gin made in Shikotan. The red one had a refreshing scent of roses or maybe passion fruit, with a hint of hibiscus tea-like acidity. It felt like I was enjoying Pierre Hermé's rose macaron - elegant and sophisticated. The fragrance was intense! I think this is a must-try for girls! If you drink it every day, you might start smelling like roses, haha! But be careful, it has a high alcohol content. The Shikotan blue liquor was beautiful too, but personally, I prefer the red one for the excitement it brings. When I took a sip, it made me go "Wow!" Ichii (the owner) had recently celebrated his birthday, so a friend treated us to champagne to celebrate together. Thank you for the treat!

"I visited the standing bar Ishikawa Genzou Shoten in Otaru for my third daytime drink. This place was established in the Meiji era in 24 as a brewery for miso and soy sauce. The 'kakudachi' closed down 8 years ago, but the current owner, the second generation, revived it in January this year. The building exudes a sense of history with its well-worn appearance. The interior has a retro atmosphere that has been preserved from the past. The payment method is cash-on-delivery, where you leave money on a wooden plate at the counter. I had a few drinks that day, like the Jin from Shakotan (Hinode), highballs, and Tokachi from Kamikawa Taisetsu. The snacks were all delicious and went well with the drinks, such as the smoked pork cartilage for 100 yen and the iburi-gakko cream cheese for 200 yen that came as a complimentary dish. The owner, who seems to have a strong commitment to his craft, was friendly and engaging. His stories about the history of the shop and his love for Otaru were interesting. I enjoyed drinking while looking at the retro goods and plastic models displayed in the shop. If I have the chance, I would definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal!"

2022/5 Drinking Trip (๑´∀`) A historic standing bar that was established in Meiji 24 has been revived ☆ I saw the standing drinking flag and found it very appealing! Without hesitation, I went in ε=(ﾉ*´ω`)ﾉ The shop has a charming old-fashioned appearance, with a real retro feel. There is only a counter with no chairs, standing only. There are plenty of types of alcohol available, and I wondered if it was okay to have so many bottles opened (･д･`;)? White wine ( ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ 'Yoshi' from Iwano Hara Vineyard for 500 yen. It seems to have been made by the shop owner's friend, and I was strongly recommended to try it, so I did w Instead of a seating fee, I was given a kelp roll for just 100 yen. Isn't it too cheap (^^; The snacks for the alcohol were various inexpensive products from Otaru and cheap sweets. 'Smoked pork cartilage' for 300 yen, a product from Fukasawa Butcher Shop at Minami Otaru Market. The crunchy texture is addictive. I also had another glass of 'Akaboshi' for 500 yen. You can choose between a small or large glass or a shot glass w The shop owner, who loves to chat, talked about the history of Otaru and the Ishikawa family. It was a fun drinking experience (^^)b Thank you for the meal (^ω^)

In May 2022, I revisited a certain dining establishment with a very shy restaurant owner who wanted to visit "Ishikawa Genzai Shoten" and asked me to accompany them. Apparently, the restaurant owner and the owner of this place used to work for the same company, and they also want to talk about various things because the restaurant owner's mother used to work here in the past. This place always seems to have customers as it is a popular spot, but this time after the consecutive holidays, we were the only ones there. The menu has expanded since my last visit, and there is now a seating fee of 100 yen (with bean snacks) which was not there before. We ordered several sake snacks, such as: - Smoked pork cartilage from Fukazawa Shoten at Minato Market (300 yen) - Soft salmon flakes from Kida Shoten at Chuo Market (400 yen) - Dried herring from Umiushi Shoten at Nanaoi Market (200 yen) - Squid shiokara from Ise Sushi (400 yen) - Homemade beef tendon stew (price forgotten) I focused on eating, so I won't mention the sake we had. Among the snacks, I particularly enjoyed the smoked pork cartilage from Fukazawa Shoten at Minato Market, which is part of a series of smoked products and goes really well with beer and other carbonated drinks. It's also wonderful to have squid shiokara from Ise Sushi, which is located nearby. The restaurant owner and the owner of this place used to work for the same company manufacturing motorcycles and cars, and they were having lively discussions about topics like how the CB400FOUR is a work of art and should be ridden in its original state without modifying the muffler. It was quite a niche topic, but it was fun. Well, standing bars like this are "adult social spaces" where customers engage in various discussions, so I don't mind this kind of place at all. 😉

Mom and I were having lunch at home when I heard someone was taking photos, so I took a peek. It looks like they just finished shooting, with their mouth wide open. I tried the "Kitashizuku" from Kamikawa Taisetsu, which has a fruity aroma but a heavier taste compared to the "Comet" I had the other day. I chatted and had a drink with Itchi-san in the smoking area, talking about navy, submarines, and plastic models. We also had a fun conversation about alcohol with a visitor from Nara who came for sightseeing. I even got to taste the wine they ordered. I would love to try other wines from Iwano Hara Vineyard. It has a unique taste, with freshly picked grapes bursting in your mouth and a hint of refreshing acidity. It seems Itchi-san's classmate is a company president. It's amazing how well-connected Itchi-san is from his school days. We felt like having some carbonated drinks, so we were recommended a great deal at the next place. It was a set of shochu with carbonated lemonade (enough for 2-3 drinks) for 450 yen. It came with a cup of shochu, 500ml of carbonated lemonade, and a glass with ice, allowing you to adjust the strength to your liking. It's really a good deal! I should ask what shochu they use next time. I think I'll start with this from now on.

I was drinking at "Takano" in front of the station when I happened to ask the lady next to me where I could have a daytime drink, and she mentioned the name of this place! I had forgotten that I wanted to go here haha. So, I ended up being guided by the lady to this place! I can't believe it was here! The atmosphere is so great here! It was a bit surprising when I entered because there were only young people haha (it's a gathering place for young folks and not for old men). I was curious about the sake and wine, but for starters, I ordered a highball and a bottle of beer (black label) and cheers! The bartender mentioned that if you drink beer straight from the bottle, you can enjoy the taste as it was when it was shipped! My friend tried this for the first time and was like, "Hmm, I don't really get it," but still enjoyed it haha. There is also a smoking area separated by a partition next to the entrance, which was convenient! Even after the lady who guided us left, we had a great time chatting with a young handsome guy and the bartender. The timely topics and lively conversations were so much fun! We also tried the special Junmai "Comet" from Kamikawa Taisetsu Sake Brewery. I imagined it would be light and refreshing from the name, but it turned out to be surprisingly rich in flavor with a crisp finish. It paired well with the salted fish roe from Ise Sushi! Drinking it in a wine glass really allows the aroma to spread. Then, based on the bartender's recommendation, the young handsome guy and I headed to the izakaya we had been curious about for a long time. It was a great time! Thank you, Ichisan! We have to go again!

Standing bar Sakagura Ishikawa, a 5-minute walk from Otaru Station. It was raining that day, and I debated whether to go back to the hotel, but since I had come all the way to Otaru, I decided to go with an umbrella. There were three customers already there, and then a friendly older man from out of town came in. He mentioned that he used to work in Kobe, which brought back memories. The payment system seemed to be pay upfront. The food mainly consisted of dried snacks. The owner is a very dapper and quiet person. I would definitely like to visit this place again. #StandingBarSakaguraIshikawa #SmokeFreeRestaurant

During my first visit in January 2022, I heard whispers of a cool standing bar that suited my taste, so I decided to check it out. The former liquor store "Ishikawa Genkura Shoten," which closed in February 2014, has now reopened under the management of the 4th generation, Keiki Ishikawa. The store was originally established in Meiji 24 as a brewery for miso and soy sauce at the mouth of Katsunogawa River. The factory later moved to Nagahashi, but around Meiji 30, a sales office was set up at the current location. The second generation, Genkura Ishikawa, built the current building in Showa 12, which has stood for over 100 years. The previous owner, the third generation, Yoshikatsu Ishikawa, continued to run the liquor store even after discontinuing the miso and soy sauce brewing business in Showa 60, and eventually started the "kakuchi" (standing bar) as well. Inside the store, you can find old wooden boxes and trademarks from the "Yamaishi" brand of soy sauce, as well as a restored old counter. The current owner, who worked as a salaryman abroad for a long time, returned to his hometown of Otaru after retiring and revived the "kakuchi" here at his family's home. This was actually my first experience at a "kakuchi," and I thoroughly enjoyed the indescribable retro atmosphere. When it comes to "kakuchi," it's all about buying sake by the liter from a one-liter bottle, but I also wanted to enjoy some canned chu-hai for caution against drinking too much. I requested the owner to stock my personal favorite, "Takara canned chu-hai (Dry)," and I need to go back soon to see if he has it in stock.

Visited for the first time in January 2022. Passed by this place around the 10th of the month and noticed a sign for a standing bar. Curious, I peeked inside and saw a few customers drinking in the daytime! I wondered when they started operating again. Feeling a bit hesitant to go alone, I invited a friend and visited later. "Yamaishi Ishikawa Genzou Shoten" operates as a branch of a miso and soy sauce brewery in Niigata Prefecture, with a soy sauce brewing cellar (see image) located near Nagahashi in the city. They sell miso, soy sauce, and miscellaneous goods at this location in Inaho 4-chome, while also running a standing bar. Back in the day, scenes of dock workers casually stopping by for a drink after work could be seen in various parts of the city, including near my hometown at "Kanei Tanaka." However, these traditional standing bars are no longer common, and the second generation of the establishment that used to operate here closed 8 years ago after a 123-year history. The son of the second generation decided to revive the business after retiring from his previous job. The interior of the bar remains mostly unchanged from before, although I can't say for sure since this was my first visit. There were two veteran customers when we arrived, and thanks to my knowledgeable friend, the conversation was lively and lasted for over 3 hours, true to the spirit of a standing bar. While they don't stock expensive alcohol, they had Junmai Daiginjo from Kamikawa Taisetsu Brewery for 1,000 yen, which I couldn't resist having a glass of despite this being a standing bar. Afterwards, we enjoyed cheaper bottle sake (Kunimare) and canned chu-hi. The stewed tripe (300 yen) had a rich flavor that touched the heart, and the food ranged from 50 to 400 yen, while drinks were priced from 300 yen to 1,000 yen, making it easy to get tipsy with just 1,000 yen. Payment is cash on delivery. The kitchen and restroom in the back are modern. All in all, the revival of "Yamaishi Ishikawa Genzou Shoten" has reignited the standing bar culture that I experienced in my childhood, bringing me great joy as a resident of Otaru!