You’re probably laughing that this is the topic for my second post. However, you must remember that I’m coming from Spain where anyone can sell alcohol, it’s considered a national past time and cheaper than soda! That is why it is so shocking that there appears to be so few bars over here.
Last week I met up with two charming Belgian girls for drinks and dinner in Hiroshima. Problem was we couldn’t find a bar! It’s not a new revelation. Tom and I noticed this several weeks ago. He casually asked, “Where are the bars?” I teased him about wanting a drink to break up the sightseeing but he was right. Where were they?
I have noticed that the Japanese drink while they eat. Rarely do they just drink. And if they do, the bars appear to be more focused on the after-dinner group looking for the club atmosphere; not open and ready for pre-dinner drinkers or casual mid-day vacationers.
Another major difference is that most bars are hidden in the upper floors of large commercial buildings. Again, not like Europe where you can walk by a cute bar and decide that maybe it’s time for a break to enjoy a rejuvenating glass of Rioja. You have to know it’s a bar and commit to it. By committing I’m referring to climbing the stairs to the bar, hoping the vibe fits your mood and most importantly, there are other people. Otherwise it is a very obvious exit to the eager-to-please bartenders.
So we walked the streets laughing at how you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting a bar in Europe while hoping to find a place in a reasonable amount of time. We did find a small bar but in hindsight, we believe it was a (business) men-only bar. They were just too gracious to refuse service or didn’t know how to communicate it to us.
After a filling dinner of Okonomayaki Hiroshima-style, we decided to play it safe. We went for a drink at a place where everyone is welcomed to sit, drink and catch up….an Irish pub! It felt like a piece of “home”.
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