White & Cigar

I know I’ve mentioned this place several times throughout my posts, but I think it’s about time I finally dedicate a post to this place. There is a bar/café about three minutes walking distance away from my apartment. It’s called White & Cigar. It is a café during the day and a bar at night. I’ve never actually been there during the day. It is run by a mother and son. The mother works the café (and sometimes the son helps out), and the son runs the bar. The bar is open from 7:00 pm to 3:00 am.

It's inside this complex. First floor, right side (This picture
is actually a repeat from my "About My Town
Shijonawate" post).

The name of the bartender is Miyake, but many people just call him “master (that’s what bartenders are often called in Japan).” I first went here when Kris took me on one of my first days in Japan. Kris was already a regular. From that moment, I knew the bar was a place that I wanted to return to frequently. Unfortunately, it took me some time to work up the courage to start going on my own because I wasn’t confident enough in my Japanese. So, until then, I went with Kris a few times and brought a couple friends once or twice, but I wanted to go more often. One day I worked up the courage to go on my own. I was able to speak enough to where I wasn’t embarrassed. Ever since then, I go anywhere from one to four times a month! It’s a place where I feel like I belong.

Let me explain why this bar is the best. First, it’s small and local. There are many regulars. For this reason, I have gotten to know several people and practice my Japanese with them. I call them “the bar family.” Next, it is super classy. Of course I love the crazy party bars where you get wild and take shots, but I also love sitting down in a with a sophisticated drink in a calm, dim, adult atmosphere. The food menu is just as nice as the drink menu. Miyake makes everything right in front of you. Some of my favorites are the cheese plate, garlic toast, and homemade chicken jerky. Apparently his pasta is great, but I usually just go there for drinks with the occasional snack. Another reason I like the bar is because there is a TV (always on mute with Japanese subtitles which is also good for practice) always playing the movie channel. I’ve gone there and watched whole movies. There’s usually something good or interesting playing. He always has some good music playing lightly. Kris has made mix tapes for the bar. He plays jazz music often. Recently, Miyake was playing his favorite musician, Jamiroquai, when I was there. Apparently he is pretty famous, but I had never heard of him. I really enjoyed his music. What I’m getting at is that sometimes I hear music I like at this bar and can learn about new artists. For those of you who have watched Cowboy Bebop, the bar kind of reminds me of a bar right out of the show. 

Enjoying a cheese plate and a glass of wine.
Mommy wow! I'm a big kid now!

Now I’ll tell you the main reason I like it. I swear Miyake is the god of making drinks. He is so incredibly skillful that he makes it into an art! It’s like he went to grad school for bartending or something. You would think that no matter where you go a rum and coke is a rum in coke, but I swear, the passion he puts into making drinks makes them taste incredible. Every person who has tried his drinks agrees. After getting to know me a bit and what kinds of drinks I like, I just ask him to make me something. I say in Japanese, “I leave it up to you,” and whatever he makes me is always delicious.

Here are some specific things I’ve noticed about the way he makes drinks. First, he always uses a pick to cut ice cubes into the perfect size depending on the drink, he shakes the shaker in a way I’ve never seen anyone do it before,  and he measures everything out exactly so when he pours it into the glass from the shaker, it comes right up to the rim of the glass. It always seems like it’s going to spill over, but it never does. Also, he only uses sodas from glass bottles, he has the nicest selection of alcohol, and overall, his knowledge of what mixes well together is extensive. He always comes up with original drinks for me. He is skilled in conversation and never let’s anyone feel left out. He is kind, knowledgeable, and quirky. For example, he has an obsession with robots. He greets everyone with a “good evening,” a hot towel, and a free snack. He is what makes the bar the best

Bloody Mary's are not the same in Japan as they
are in the U.S., so I asked if he had the ingredients
to make a "real" one. He made it special for me! :D

I often think about when I leave Japan and how much I’ll miss this place in particular. This is the first time I have ever had a place like this. It’s a place where I can go, relax, and feel comfortable in a country that often makes me feel foreign. Any night I go there, whether it’s for 2 hours or 5, it’s time and money well spent. I cherish every moment.

Quiet evening with friends.