It was a hot day at the Lilac Festival in Odori Park, where they were offering delicious ramen, wine, and other tasty treats. The festival was crowded, with long lines to buy anything. Not wanting to wait, we decided to go somewhere else. As we walked back, we saw a sign saying they were open from 9 am, with recommended menu items and a happy hour set. It was our first time, but we decided to give it a try. The counter had about 10 seats, and even solo customers were welcome. I wanted a beer, and they also had highballs, sours, and sake to choose from for two drinks. The set also included edamame and two small dishes for only 1300 yen, which was a great deal. They had a wide selection of sake and other appetizers too. We were happy to have found a place we'd like to visit again. The staff were friendly and welcoming to us newcomers!

Recently, I have been frequenting the area around Nishi 18th Street. I've always thought that there are actually quite a few places where you can drink Japanese sake around here (including soba restaurants). A lot of my neighbors who love Japanese sake also visit these places regularly, and even the shop owners nearby ask me if I've been to certain places. So, I've been keeping an eye on "Bar Fujii," a place I've been curious about. It opens at 3 pm, which is great for day drinking. When I visited on a weekday before 4 pm, I was the only customer. I decided to try the set menu at the counter, which included two beers. While sipping on my beer and looking at the sake menu, the owner mentioned that they were changing the sake menu for the day. So, I got to try two sakes from Aomori - Hachitsuru Arabashiri and Sato Takumi Shiboritate. Hachitsuru had a nice balance of sharpness and sweetness from the sake rice, leaning towards dry. Sato Takumi Shiboritate was refreshing, fruity, and had a clean taste. The owner's wife, who is from Aomori, has a preference for local sake, with Tanaka and Hohai being the regular brands at this place, while others rotate weekly. I initially got into sake because of dry sakes from Tohoku, so I thought Aomori mainly had dry sakes, but it turns out they have quite a few fruity ones too. I'm also curious about the cloudy sakes. The food menu is affordable and extensive, with plenty of options that would pair well with sake. I'm looking forward to coming back for a more leisurely experience after work or on a day off to enjoy some Japanese sake. Thank you for the meal!

Located at 18 Chome Sapporo Medical University, open on weekdays at 3:00 pm and weekends at 1:30 pm. A cozy little bar where you can drink from noon, run by a friendly couple. They offer classic beer in a glass for 500 yen, with a delicious foam and no bitterness. No seating charge or table charge, and no appetizers. The menu has a small selection of regular items and a variety of daily specials, all priced at around 500 yen or less. Today's fresh fish is bonito namero for 450 yen, which is flavorful and served with plenty of scallions and crunchy onions. Perfect for enjoying with drinks, like a refill of oolong highball for 450 yen. They also have a wide selection of shochu, with a focus on Aomori's local sake. No matter what your preference is, you'll be satisfied here. Thank you for the meal!

Strolling around the city on a holiday... After visiting a few places in the morning and feeling tired from walking, I stopped for a drink after lunch. As I was heading to a different shop nearby to buy a sandwich, I stumbled upon this place by chance. Located about a 3-minute walk from the city tram stop "Nishi 15-chome Station" and a 5-minute walk from the subway station "Nishi 18-chome Station," this well-located establishment is marked by a green lantern outside. You climb a narrow staircase to the second floor, sanitize your hands, and enter the fresh-smelling interior. Inside, there is a kitchen on the left, counter seats opposite it, about four tables, and the option for outdoor seating on the balcony. A monitor was showing the soccer match between Consadole Sapporo and Tokushima Vortis at the Sapporo Dome, with Consadole Sapporo winning 1-0. I sat at a table by the window with a friend. We ordered the "Chokotto Set @1,000" for two people, which includes "2 drinks and 3 snacks." We started with two beers, which were served in large tumblers and were deliciously cold. The snacks included a tasty "chicken, shredded kelp, and white konjac stir-fry" (description based on observation), "boiled asparagus with mayo" (I forgot to take a photo, but it was a seasonal dish that was surely delicious), and "carrot, burdock root, and konjac stir-fry" which had a lightly sweet and well-balanced flavor. For the second round, we had more beer, highball, and plum wine. We ended up spending almost two hours there. Looking at their Instagram, I saw that the couple who run the place used to be a high school teacher and a nutritionist. The interior was bright, clean, and relaxing, with the option for outdoor seating on the balcony. They offer great value sets and snacks starting from 250 yen, and a variety of drinks including sake, shochu, and gin. There is another great place for daytime drinking in Nishi 15-chome, so I might visit there next time for some good food. Thank you for the meal!