Here’s a quirky little place that’s worth a mention. Bar 探偵 (“Tantei” or “Detective”) opened up here in Sakyoku last month just across the road from the “Flying Keg” specialist beer emporium. Built to celebrate hard-boiled detective movies of the 1930s, the interior of the establishment has been carefully fashioned in the style of an old Japanese kissaten, and the music is strictly of the 1930s boogie-woogie era. The master Hayashi-san speaks English fluently, a fact I discovered when he invited me to discover this bar’s little secret. “Push any book in the bookcase,” he told me and I did, and to my absolute joy it swung back to reveal… a hidden room! Here he has installed a mini-cinema (seats about 6), where he plans to conduct screenings of old classic detective movies from the 1930s. The hidden room, which has a distinct nautical feel to it (not sure why), is also equipped with an old-style ship’s communication system, i.e. a long brass speaking tube which extends back to the bar and through which you can place your orders. Wonderful stuff! Here are some pictures (apologies for their wonkiness – I was excited).

Draft beer (Lowenbrau) is ￥600 a glass and cocktails ￥700. Shochu and soft drinks (and curry apparently) are also available. Bar 探偵 is open only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from six in the evening till midnight. To find it go west from Higashioji Dori on Mikage Dori and it’s on the north side of the road. It is but a short walk from the Moto-Tanaka Eiden station (one stop from Demachiyanagi) or the Moto-Tanaka bus stop is even closer. Here’s a handy map.

Tel: 075-334-5418