Following in the footsteps of cultural figures at famous Tokyo establishments, including a jazz bar that appears in Haruki Murakami's works

*The content listed is information at the time the article was first published.

Suegen (Shinbashi): The chicken restaurant that Yukio Mishima loved until the end

Suegen is a chicken restaurant that was founded in Shinbashi in 1909 (Meiji 42). Beloved by many cultural figures and celebrities, its customers include such notable figures as Hara Takashi (1856-1921, the 19th Prime Minister), who organized Japan's first full-fledged political party cabinet, and Onoe Kikugoro VI (1885-1949), a kabuki actor who was active in the Taisho and early Showa periods.

Among the many famous people who frequented this restaurant, one with a famous anecdote is Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), who published many monumental works of Japanese literature such as "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion," "The Sound of Waves," and "Patriotism." The night before he committed suicide after an attempted coup at the Ichigaya Garrison of the Self-Defense Forces (now the Ministry of Defense) in 1970, Mishima had what would become his last supper at "Suegen." The dish he is said to have eaten on that occasion was the "Shamo Nabe Course."

The chicken soup that Mishima loved until the end is still served with the same flavor today.

End

Kamiya Bar (Asakusa): The origin of "Denki Brandy" that appears in many literary works. A bar in Asakusa loved by writers of the past and present

Kamiya Bar is located at 1-1 Asakusa. It is said to be the first bar in Japan to use the word "bar" in its name.
When it was founded in 1880 (Meiji 13), it was called "Mikahaya Meishu-ten" and sold sake by the glass. In 1912, the interior of the store was remodeled to a Western style and the name was changed to "Kamiya Bar," resulting in its current style.

When talking about this bar, it is essential to mention "Denki Bran," invented by the founder, Kamiya Denbei. This is a cocktail based on brandy, made with a perfect balance of several types of alcohol. The name is said to come from combining the word "denki," which had a cutting-edge image at the time, with the "bran" from brandy. The taste, which stimulates the tongue as if electricity is running through it, is also one of the reasons why the name "denki bran" became established.

With such an original name, the cocktail "Denki Brando" has been attracting the attention of literary scholars of the past and present. In Osamu Dazai's novel "No Longer Human," there is a passage that says, "When it comes to getting drunk faster, nothing beats Denki Brando," and it seems that Denki Brando at the time had a higher alcohol content than it does today.
In addition, a cocktail called "Nise Denki Brando" appeared in the 2017 film adaptation of Morimi Tomihiko's novel "The Night is Short, Walk on Girl," and Kamiya Bar became a hot topic among young people. If you visit Asakusa, why not try the stylish atmosphere here?

Kamiya Bar

DUG (Shinjuku): A legendary jazz bar beloved by Shuji Terayama and Haruki Murakami

Jazz cafes were a huge boom from the 1960s to the 1970s. Among them, the famous Shinjuku cafe "DUG" is legendary. At the height of the boom in the 1960s, it was visited by many cultural figures such as Shuji Terayama (1935-1983) and Kenji Nakagami (1946-1992). Incidentally, the "DUG" logo was designed by designer Makoto Wada.

Additionally, in Haruki Murakami's novel Norwegian Wood (1987), DUG appears as a meeting place for the protagonist Watanabe and a female college student, and the two share a vodka tonic. The fact that the bar's signature cocktail appears in the novel shows how deeply beloved the bar is by Murakami. If you visit DUG, why not order a vodka tonic and immerse yourself in the world of Murakami's stories?

Incidentally, the founder of this shop, Hozumi Nakahira, is one of Japan's leading jazz photographers. Starting with photographing Art Blakey (1919-1990, jazz drummer extraordinaire) in 1961, he has since captured many jazz giants on camera, including Miles Davis (1926-1991), also known as the "Emperor of Jazz." Inside the shop, Nakahira's photographs are displayed on the walls, creating a great atmosphere. Photo books and postcards are also available for purchase, so if you're in Shinjuku, be sure to stop by.

DUG

Cafe Paulista Ginza Main Branch (Ginza): A pioneer of coffee shops frequented by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Junichiro Tanizaki

Café Paulista was founded by Ryu Mizuno (1859-1951), known as the "father of immigration" for being the first to sign an immigration contract for Japanese people to Brazil, with the help of Shigenobu Okuma (1838-1922, the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan) and others. It opened in 1910 (Meiji 43) as a coffee sales outlet exclusively for the Brazilian government of Sao Paulo. It is said that Café Paulista brought cafe culture to Japan during the Meiji era, when there was still no culture of drinking coffee in coffee shops. There is also a theory that the term "Ginbura," which refers to strolling around the streets of Ginza, referred to the act of students drinking Brazilian coffee here.

When Cafe Paulista first opened, uniformed waiters under the age of 15 served coffee, and the exotic atmosphere was a hot topic among the crowds. During the Taisho era, many writers, including Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) and Junichiro Tanizaki (1886-1965), came to the cafe to hold discussions, and it is said to have had a unique magnetic field as a hub for cultural activities. If you're looking for a break after shopping in Ginza, this is the place to go.

Cafe Paulista Ginza Main Branch

Donzoko (Shinjuku): A famous restaurant in Shinjuku 3-chome that was also visited by Akira Kurosawa

Donzoko is a long-established izakaya located near Shinjuku Golden Gai. The building is covered in thick ivy, giving it a sense of history. The name of the restaurant comes from the play "The Lower Depths" by Russian writer Maxim Gorky (1868-1936), and the restaurant is known as a favorite of many stage actors and writers, including film director Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998).

The specialty of this bar is the "Donzoko Cocktail." The poet Mitsuharu Kaneko (1895-1975) wrote a song called "Donkaku no Uta" based on this cocktail, which sings, "When you pour Donkaku to the brim and place the glass in front of you, the world begins to move in a sudden, turbulent way."

If you visit the store, you can still feel the weight of the culture that was born in Shinjuku during the Showa era. That is the charm of "Donzoko," which has been loved for generations.

Rock Bottom

*First posted on July 5, 2017 (some content was updated on September 6, 2019 and January 16, 2023)

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