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Takaoka Bar Guide
Da Friends
On the same arcade as Daiwa and Soundbeat 2, this bar is based around its ‘surfer’-themed room, with wicker bits and pieces scattered around, and a surfboard on the wall. Not long ago, they opened a second ‘lounge bar’ room, and now they've gone for the ‘pool bar’ concept and installed a table. So if you want to play an expesnive game of pool with fairly expensive drinks to boot, then come to Da Friends. On the upside, the atmosphere will be cooler than Soundbeat's. It's like playing pool in a radiological decontamination chamber. Still, barroom pool has come to Tak!
Upside: Pool in a proper, moodily-lit environment! Great for playing the night away until 5 in the morning.
Downside: Expensive-ish. Especially the food, considering the small portions. Service is very cold.
Danke
Hours: 17:00～02:00
Probably the chillest bar in Takaoka. They offer the best nomihodai in Tak...2,500 for two hours. They also have food. In the same shopping complex as Warp hairdressers and the Mominoki House, on the north side of the station just north of the covered street (with Da Friends etc), and just south of the Tram Road. Music not very interesting, unless you catch them on one of their pumping house nights, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Upsides: Ummm...cheapest nomihodai in Takaoka! Also, they have really relaxing decor.
Downsides: The decor might be too relaxing, and the music seems to put people to sleep even before they drink enough to pass out.
Dog Days
Where everybody knows your na-a-ame and they're always glad you ca-a-ame.... that classic old song from Cheers pretty much sums it up. Dog Days is on the Manyo Sen road in Kataharamachi and they have a delightful range of beers, liquor and food (bar snacks and meals).
The people who work there are friendly and fun and generally understand what you are saying if you speak in English. They are also equally receptive to help you out when you feel like having incoherent drunken banter in Japanese (or English) at 3am. They also have a dartboard and you will usually find ALTs in there at some point on a Friday or Saturday night.
Foolish Café
A small and quaint little number down the Manyo sen Road, very near the main Sakanoshita Machi neon sign. Definitely cosy, but has a range of cocktails (which are actually cocktails) and quite a good selection of beer if you don't feel like your usual "nama biiru". It isn't as popular these days due to the fact that their is a bigger and better style Foolish five minutes down the road (Dog Days) which is owned by the same person, but if you feel like having a smaller or more low key gathering it can still be a lot of fun and is open until super late.
Upside: Kind master, strong, good drinks, and a good place to meet Japanese people.
Downside: Really small, and a little expensive. Opening time a little unpredictable.
Verdict: A Takaoka classic, and it always has a couple of hardcore barflies to chill with in the early hours.
Groove
Upstairs about half way down the street known as BJ alley, on your right (coming from the station) and up on the 4th floor. This bar is somehow related to Da Friends, and while a LOT smaller, it has the same relaxed feel. Fairly bright lighting, and a lot of plain varnished wood for the tables, bar etc, give this place a nice airy vibe, despite the small size. Drinks start at 500 yen for beer and liquor. Bartenders are very nice. Star Wars tat serves as funky décor.
Upsides: chill bar provides variety, and a relaxed atmosphere
Downsides: Its rather small. Often a seating charge for Japanese friends, though this is inconsistently applied.
Verdict: A nice alternative to the more heavily frequented bars.
Jet Lag
Completely white walls and decorated cement blocks are the only decor in this place. While barren on the decorating sense, the bar can be a lot of fun, and there is usually a good selection of Alternative/techno/metal music going on. Beers are 500, most liquor is 600.
Upsides: Different music scene than the rest of the Tak bars
Downsides: Just another bar, nothing with real appeal.
Verdict: Not bad, just ‘meh’. Good if you wanna get away from other JETs.
Mominoki House
Local and imported bands, and beers for 500 yen. Good place to hear a wide variety of music and meet Japanese people. In the same shopping complex as Warp hairdressers and Danke, on the north side of the station just north of the covered street (with Da Friends etc), and just south of the Tram Road.
Upside: Great for throwing your own party, or for enjoying live music
Downside: It’s a bit small, and the music is hit-or-miss. Often a cover charge.
Verdict: A bit of a scene owing to the live music, but if you’re not into the bands that play here, and not looking to host your own party, there’s not that much to draw you in.
Owl
Owl has recently been offering 99yen beers all night on Thursday nights. The deal may change at any time, which would make this out of date….
Upside: Nice environment, nice diffused low lighting, cheap drinks (initially!)
Downside: They seem a little confused by many gaijin descending all at once. Confused, and scared.
Verdict: A nice bar to go on to, say at about 11.30. Or whenever.
Shot Bar
Down by the north-west corner of Kojo Koen. You’ll know it when you see it. This is our local yakuza bar. They are friendly, and I challenge you to find another bar on this Earth with, er... more ‘creative’ decorating. This bar truly has to be seen to be believed. Beer and Liqour start at 500 yen. No-one condones organized crime, but this is one funky-assed bar.
Upsides: The hot-damn-crazy decor and the music.
Downsides: If you bring a Japanese person in there is often a sit fee for them. Westerners can go free. No, we don't know why.
Verdict: A Takaoka original – you wouldn’t make it your regular, but it must certainly be experienced.
Soundbeat 2
Great place to go when you have no money. You can bring your own beer to this bar, or buy it for 200 yen from the beer vending machine inside the door. Karaoke is cheap. Soundbeat 2 is on the same covered street as Daiwa, Da Friends, Jet Lag and Owl.
Upsides: Cheap pool, cheap Karaoke, cheap beer from the vending machine (compared to bar prices).
Downsides: Expensive beer from the vending machine (compared to conbini prices). A little run down.
Verdict: One of the cheapest places in the ken for Karaoke. This is a good standby.
Uptight
Uptight is situated opposite (and very slightly north of) the New Otani Hotel. The interior of the place looks like a submarine or a futuristic subway car. Azuma-san, the bar master, remarked "many people say it is like a spaceship". At this point he stroked the tabletop lovingly, then added: "I looove silver". Upstairs is a European-Asian fusion restaurant and it houses their kitchen.
Azuma-san was keen to point out his food menu is available at lunchtimes, and he serves a range of coffees. He noted he often saw ALTs drinking coffee at Cafe Sciw. He has decided to get in on the coffee action. Well, peeling away Sciw's coffee customers will be hard, because a: Sciw's master is cooler b: Sciw's coffee is damn hard to beat in Toyama Ken, and c: Sciw feels like a coffee house. I mean, who wants to drink coffee in a submarine/spaceship? Well, obviously we'd all like to drink coffee on a spaceship, but you get my point. Nice for parties though, and the video screen is now even bigger. I mean, it's massive. Also, he has DJ decks, and the screen can be retracted to provide a stage. He has amps and speakers if you wanna show off your musical stylings.
Upside: Nice and bright to see all your peeps clearly. Tables to sit around. Big screen to watch stuff on. Nice and airy.
Downside: Kind of a cold, clinical feel.
Wyatt (in Himi)
A dimly-lit late bar for the nightowls out there. This place always has a good atmosphere. The staff are friendly, the drinks are good and it stays open as you long as you want it to. Located in Hon-Machi, on the street running parallel to Main Street. From the station, go straight, turn right onto Main Street, walk 5 minutes. Then go left and take the street running parallel to Main Street You'll see the sign and Wyatt is on the 2nd floor.