After a nearby outdoor event, we casually dropped by with a group of 4-5 people to find a second place to hang out. The first floor had a standing (with chairs) space for drinking, while the second floor had about 20 table seats, though it was a bit narrow. Most of the other customers had already left by 9 o'clock, leaving only one regular customer on the first floor. We were seated on the second floor. I love Yamagata cuisine, especially their dashi broth! On this day, we were pleasantly surprised with a complimentary dish of chilled tofu topped with dashi, which was delicious. I couldn't resist ordering more! The melt-in-your-mouth chicken liver skewers were also tasty. The dashimaki omelette took some time to prepare, but it was worth the wait to enjoy it hot off the grill. They also had a selection of Yamagata sake. While I thought the prices were a bit high for a standing bar, it was a nice place to relax and enjoy drinks on the second floor. Thank you for the meal!

On the 5th day of the consecutive holidays, it was the first day of the new era. I decided to start my drinking life in the Reiwa era at a place called "Juunana-banchi". I was wandering around the drinking district in Nakano without any specific plan, and the sight of the words "standing bar" caught my eye, so I was drawn in and went in. Here is a summary of my experience: - The draft beer was Sapporo, served in a medium-sized glass that felt a bit small. - The appetizer was boiled spinach and finely chopped fried tofu with bonito flakes on top. It was lightly seasoned and simple, which was nice. - The potato salad was plentiful with a strong egg flavor and roughly mashed potatoes. - The sashimi of yellowtail was decent with a nice presentation. There was cucumber julienne hidden behind the radish garnish. - I found an "omakase sake" option on the menu and ordered it because it was cheaper compared to other local sakes. It was a Hyogo sake called "Kikunoshizuku" Junmai Daiginjo, with a moderate and enjoyable taste. However, the portion was small, about 120ml. - The grilled chicken with leeks had good quality meat and a nice texture. - The grilled gizzard was not tough even when it cooled down. A few additional notes: Although they advertise as a "standing bar", there are some tall chairs scattered around for customers who prefer to sit. There is also a second floor with table seating. In terms of pricing, except for some drinks and dishes, the overall pricing feels a bit high, which may not align with the image of an affordable "standing bar" that I had in mind when entering. It may be difficult to utilize outside of happy hour. That's all for now. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.

One day, I went for a drink in Nakano. Since my workplace moved and I got a bus pass between Numabukuro Station and Nakano Station, it's easier to have drinks in Nakano these days. I arrived feeling a bit tipsy, so I don't remember the exact location, but I think it was in a narrow alley (most places in front of Nakano Station are alleys anyway). There were a few chairs at the counter, but not enough, so I ended up standing. We had: - Macasara as a starter. I liked the texture of this thick pasta, it wasn't mushy and tasted delicious. - Ankimo (monkfish liver) mixed with salted fish roe. I was worried that the strong flavor of the salted fish roe would overpower the ankimo, but it was a perfect balance. The richness of the ankimo and the unique flavor of the salted fish roe complemented each other well. It was so tasty with sake. The chef's hands were visible from the counter, and we had fun guessing what he was preparing. It was not crowded, and they were willing to make dishes not on the menu if they had the ingredients, which added to the excitement. I paired the ankimo dish with sake from Akashika. It was a delightful meal!

The plum sour is delicious.

After the standing bar called Jozo closed down, a new restaurant opened in its place. I read a review by Nakano Shigenori reviewer and felt compelled to visit, so I went there right away. When I arrived, it was around 7 o'clock. The layout inside the restaurant is the same as the old Jozo, with the kitchen and counter on the right, and 3 tables for 3-4 people on the left. The second floor seems to be in use as well. There is a TV in front, just like before. I sat at the counter around the center and ordered a draft beer (500 yen). Like other Juunana-banchi restaurants, there is a seating charge of 200 yen. The draft beer and the steamed chicken with wasabi appetizer were served promptly. The appetizer was quite delicious, and it could make you want to drink just with that. The specialty of this place is skewers, so I ordered negima and gizzard (each 120 yen) and today's recommended charcoal-grilled bamboo shoots with bankemiso (400 yen). Bankemiso is a dialect from the master's hometown in Yamagata, which means fuki miso. The grilling station is located in the back left of the kitchen, where the bamboo shoots and skewers were grilled. The grilled bamboo shoots were served with plenty of fuki miso. While eating the bamboo shoots, I chatted with the master. He used to work at Juunana-banchi in Shin-Nakano. When I asked about the former Jozo owner, he mentioned that he is not completely retired and is still working behind the scenes little by little. Next, the negima and gizzard arrived. I was so engrossed in the conversation that I realized I hadn't taken a photo halfway through eating, so I apologize for posting a half-eaten picture. In reality, it was double the amount shown. I was also served atsumi kabura as a service, which is a red turnip from Yamagata. It had a surprisingly firm texture, and I quite liked it. Since I was at Juunana-banchi, I had to drink sake. I ordered a tasting set (1500 yen) with Hatsugoro Mazan, Hatsugoro Misaki, and my favorite, Tatenokawa. Both Hatsugoro sakes were crisp and dry, while Tatenokawa had a sweetness to it, allowing me to appreciate the differences. The master mentioned that they will focus on sake from his hometown of Yamagata in the future. It seems like I can enjoy sake here that I can't find at other Juunana-banchi restaurants. I was disappointed when Jozo closed down, as it was a casual place to enjoy sake, but here I can enjoy different dishes and sake. However, like other Juunana-banchi restaurants, the sake here is a bit pricey, which is a bit disappointing. It would be nice if they served it in slightly larger glasses. Thank you for the meal.

In Nakano's drinking district, you'll find many shops from the Juunana-banchi group. I started with a small bottle of beer (600 yen + tax). It's nice to have Akahoshi, but the price seems a bit high for standing drinking. The appetizer (200 yen + tax) was a sesame-dressed rapeseed dish. This was actually a well-prepared dish for standing drinking. Rapeseed adds a seasonal touch, and the small portion is perfect for an appetizer. However, the question of whether standing drinking places need appetizers is another issue. The Juunana-banchi group is known for yakitori, grilled pork tongue, and beef sinew stew, but this shop seems to focus on Yamagata dishes. So, I ordered the Shonai-style simmered potatoes (380 yen + tax). The Shonai-style simmered potatoes I know usually consist of beef and taro simmered in a sweet and salty soy sauce broth. It's like a soup version of gyudon or sukiyaki. However, the Shonai-style simmered potatoes here had a miso flavor and used pork instead of beef. At this point, it felt more like a pork miso soup with taro. The difference from regular miso soup is the addition of thick-fried tofu and sake lees. Despite the higher prices for alcohol, they have a wide selection of sake. They offer dishes that are not typically found in standing drinking places, making it a unique spot. However, I can't help but feel disappointed or lonely. This place used to be a standing drinking spot called "Jouzou." "Jouzou" was also part of the Juunana-banchi group, but it was a bit more unique. The elderly manager was originally a Japanese cuisine chef and had his own restaurant, but he had to close it due to the Tohoku earthquake making it difficult to get ingredients. He then became the manager of "Jouzou" under the Juunana-banchi group. Despite being a standing drinking place, they served cuisine that was on par with a Japanese-style restaurant. While the freshness of the sashimi was not as good as the nearby Choinomizukai Ookayann, the carefully prepared dishes at "Jouzou" were better. In particular, the steamed egg custard with plenty of broth was a favorite of my girlfriend, and we visited many times just for that dish. Ah, I wonder where that manager has gone now.