These are shops where bartenders serve a wide range of types of alcohol such as cocktails and whisky and water at the counter. These kinds of bars are purely for the purpose of enjoying drinking. There are also other kinds of bars specializing in the kinds of alcohol offered, such as wine bars, beer bars and highball (whisky and soda) bars. There are many hidden shops unknown to the public in each region of Japan, so discovering these kinds of shops can in itself be part of the thrill of your journey. These shops might seem awkward to enter casually, but in fact, aside from those bars inside hotels and exclusive restaurants, few have dress codes, so there is basically no need to get too nervous about entering them.
Major kinds of bars

There are bars specializing in alcohol other than cocktails.
Here are few such types.

[Wine Bar]
A bar where you can casually enjoy wine
Office districts often have standing wine bars.

[Beer Bar]
These bars have an especially rich assortment of beer, and offer dishes which go well with beer.
There are also bars where you can enjoy various craft beers made in different regions of Japan.

[Shochu Bar]
Did you know that there are ever so many more types of shochu other than the common imo (sweet potato) and mugi (barley) shochu in Japan? You can enjoy all these different types at shochu bars.

[Japanese Sake Bar]
Dining shops with professional expertise in handling and serving Japanese sake are called Japanese sake bars.
You can enjoy various local sake, asking the staff whether it is sweet or dry.

There still are so many other kinds of shops with various concepts.
One of the joys is surely to find your kind of bar, so why not give it a try?

basic knowledge
When you go to a bar, you should also enjoy fashion

Except for bars in hotels and high-end restaurants, there are few shops that have a dress code, so there is no need to feel that the threshold is so high. However, if you go to a social gathering place where atmosphere is important, such as a T-shirt and jeans, you may feel out of place, so dress up a little. It's a good idea to take it as a hobby.

Let's have more room than usual for the contents of the wallet

The basic bar price structure consists of food and drink, a charge, and a service charge. A charge is a seat fee. The service charge is the price of the service, and it is often added because there is no culture of tipping in Japan. The market is said to be about 10% to 20%.
Nowadays, you can check the charge fee, service charge, and menu in advance on websites and gourmet sites, so if you check in advance, you will be able to grasp the approximate price.

when entering the store

When you enter the bar, the bartender will usually greet you and guide you to your seat. If you are asked to take a seat of your choice, we recommend that you sit at the edge of the bar as you will be able to enter the world of yourself and have a conversation with the bartender.

About conversation

People who come to the bar often come to spend time in a calm atmosphere. Please adjust the volume of the voice to value the atmosphere. If there is someone you want to talk to, it is better to be conscious of passing it through to the bartender instead of directly.

About how to order alcohol

If you have a menu, you can first take a peek inside to find out what the shop recommends, the types of alcohol that it focuses on, and the approximate price range. For cocktails by alcoholic beverages, most of them are written for each base alcohol such as gin, vodka, rum, and tequila.
For orders after the second drink, in most cases, the bartender will call out when the glass is empty.

at the time of accounting

At the bar, it is best to pay for the amount you are not overly intoxicated with. However, if you go home after having a drink because the alcohol is not strong, it may be a sign of dissatisfaction, such as "I wasn't satisfied with the store, so I won't come again." 2-3 cups is recommended.

Important points to note

Some shops are very particular about what they serve, making the price of a serving quite expensive. Please make sure you confirm the shop's system before entering!

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