I first met Yoshida Koichi in the music bar Hawkwind. A shakuhachi player, he told me he plays in many styles, not just traditional, but jazz, folk, avant garde, new age, pretty much anything. In Hawkwind we were listening to some hip-hop. "How about this then?" I challenged him with a grin. And do you know, he stood up immediately, he played, and it was wonderful. I was very … [Read more...] about Zac Baran
Mentei
This noodle shop by MotoTanaka station does some very nice homemade udon noodles. The owner (pictured a short ways below), is known to all his friends as Yama-chan, or by his customers simply as "Master". I can't remember what his real name is. He's a very nice chap. I first met him in music bar Hawkwind one night, and when he told me he owned the nearby noodle shop I said "Oh! … [Read more...] about Mentei
Gnome
Gnome opened in October 2007, which (at the time of writing) makes it the newest Irish pub in town. It's also my favorite. I like the cosy, home-like atmosphere and I might be just imagining things but I think the Guinness tastes best here too. Yuko, the owner is a friendly, chatty, charming lady of many talents; musical, culinary and professional. She already had her own … [Read more...] about Gnome
Field – The Oldest Irish Pub in Kyoto
Field is the oldest Irish pub in Kyoto having opened in the year 2000. Previously the owner, Suzaki Kazuhiko, ran a cafe and gallery here and Irish music was just a hobby for him. "At that time, I had no idea there was such a thing as an Irish pub," he told me. But on learning that such places existed he decided to open up his own. It was a bold step in the dark for him and one … [Read more...] about Field – The Oldest Irish Pub in Kyoto
Woodnote
I had my supper at Woodnote last night; a big plate of sarnies and two bottles of Guinness. And they were tasty. I really like this place. There are a lot of bars and cafes in Kyoto that are dedicated to a particular kind of music; jazz, soul, rock or blues... and finding these places always gives me a real kick. But Woodnote is something else. It's a "99.9%" (says the … [Read more...] about Woodnote
