Drinkie Review: Bar Nayuta and Bar Jeremiah are top sips from Japan
I’ve become that person in my friend group whose vacation recommendations always involve cocktails. This is who I am now.
And if you’ve never read this blog before, hello and welcome! I’m Dani. I’m the half of Seriously Nerdy who obsesses over mixology. For our honeymoon, Alex and I were fortunate enough to visit Japan in the winter. It was stunning going from the quiet of snow-covered temples to the hustle and bustle of frosty metropolises. Truly, memories to last a lifetime. But if you ask me what I’ll remember most from my trips, it’s immersive environments and really good food and drinks.
We found two obsession-worthy stops in Osaka and Tokyo, and I’m here to tell you all about them.
Speakeasies, Japanese-style
Japan is known for its exceptional bar scene. And if you, too, are seriously nerdy about cocktails, you already know that Japan originated some heavy-hitting mixology techniques like the hard shake or hand-carved diamond ice. There are a plethora of cocktail establishments ranging from nightclubs open until sunrise to tiny neighborhood izakaya with just a few barstools. We only had two evenings of our trip set aside for bar exploration, but the places we visited were wonderful examples of Japan’s love of speakeasy culture. The first, Bar Nayuta in Osaka, is a proper “if you know, you know” speakeasy, where you look for a symbol and navigate to an unassuming door. Bar Jeremiah is less hidden, but celebrates pre-Prohibition cocktails in an eclectic environment. The two bars are very different, but both deliver exceptional hospitality and incredible sips.
How to get there: Navigating Japan as a Western tourist
We may devote a future post to all the tips and tricks we picked up visiting Japan in January 2023, but in the meantime, here’s my abridged version at how we got around:
· Accommodations: During our 10-day trip, we stayed at three Tokyo Disney Resort hotels, two Airbnbs and one very cool art hotel. We wanted to experience as much as we could around Tokyo, with a few days in Osaka and Kyoto each. This may have meant that we packed and unpacked our suitcases quite a bit, but it also meant that our “home base” was always near that day’s activities.
· Transport: We used the Tokyo Disney Resort airport shuttle (Airport Limousine Bus) to get to and from the airport, and with the exception of an Uber ride on a particularly snowy day, we walked or used the rail system to get around the entire time. Japan has an amazing rail system for inner-city and cross-country trips. For both Bar Nayuta in Kyoto and Bar Jeremiah in Tokyo, we made walking to and from the destinations part of our daily itinerary.
· Navigation: We opted to rent a pocket Wi-Fi device that we picked up at a kiosk in the airport upon arrival. Instead of adding an international data plan or SIM card to our phones, the pocket Wi-Fi allowed Alex and I to connect to the internet for all our Google Maps navigation needs. It wasn’t perfect for large downloads, but for navigation, text, and email, it worked great the entire trip. It could hold a charge for an entire day (though we were mindful to charge it whenever we were at our home base), and provided enough signal for both of us to use in most areas we visited. It includes a return envelope that you drop into a post box in the airport on your last day.
Your jourey to Bar Nayuta will take you down the side streets of Amerika-mura in pursuit of the Bar Nayuta geometric symbol.
If you’re visiting Osaka’s vibrant waterfront shopping district, Shinsaibashi, consider checking out Amerika-mura. It’s just a few steps away and is the center of youth culture in Osaka. As the name suggests, Amerika-mura is a hub for American-inspired apparel and art, and we had such a great time browsing the boutiques before Bar Nayuta opened. If you’ve ever wanted to pay $300USD for a varsity jacket featuring an unlicensed cartoon character, this is your spot. When opening time rolls around, look for the Bar Nayuta symbol on the street sign, make your way to the fifth floor in a petite elevator, and then duck through the small door. It feels a bit like Alice making her way into Wonderland, but like all great speakeasies, the discovery is part of the magic.
One of my favorite things about Tokyo was seeing the small rainbow signs (above) in store windows, designating that these spaces are welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. While broader Japan does not have the same inclusive laws in place that the United States does, these small gestures help folks feel seen and safe. Shinjuku is a fabulously vibrant district, so there are rainbows everywhere!
Bar Jeremiah, on the other hand, is right off the street in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district. You enter through a large framed cover of Jerry Thomas’ Bartender’s Guide book from 1862 and step back in time to another era altogether. It’s worth noting that Shinjuku is also home to Golden Gai, a web of six tiny alleyways home to over 200 small-scale pubs and eateries. Some of them cater exclusively to locals, while others invite tourists (We only visited two Golden Gai bars this trip, Bar Miteki and Bar Albatross, and both had signage specifically welcoming foreigners, which helped put us at ease). So if you’re visiting Bar Jeremiah and up for a little adventure, consider checking out Golden Gai. But if you only have time for one, we’d recommend Bar Jeremiah 100% of the time.
“Bourbon, Sweet” at Bar Nayuta tasted like the first bite of a cold, fresh tangerine that your mom cut up and brought to a sunny soccer practice in fourth grade. Some real taste-memory magic right there.
What to order: One has a menu, the other does not
We crawled through the small door and entered the smoky den of Bar Nayuta right at opening. A few businessmen sat chatting on stools while a barback wiped glasses. There is room for maybe 20 people in the entire space, and Alex and I grabbed a low table for two with huge wingback chairs. It’s dimly lit, with cloth napkins and candles at every place setting. The format of Bar Nayuta is true craft cocktail establishment. No menus here; instead, a personalized experience unfolds. You’re asked what you like, and a bespoke drink is made just for you. Behind the bar, you’ll seldom see a labeled bottle, instead blends and ingredients are displayed like an apothecary. We ordered “gin, citrus” and “bourbon, sweet” and received two truly impeccable cocktails just a few minutes later. The trend continued for two more rounds (ranging from “gin, spicy” to “new old fashioned”) with head bartender and owner Hiro Nakayama injecting humor into the mix, playfully bantering with Alex about the infamous pepper tincture. It was an incredible evening with unforgettable cocktails, and after three very strong drinks we were ready to roam Shinsaibashi in search of street foods and gachapon capsule toys. I wish I could recommend what to order, but at a place like Bar Nayuta, you just have to go with your gut and know you’re in masterful hands.
The Mezcal Milk Punch and Fatman’s Old Fashioned at Bar Jeremiah. The drinks are served in fabric-backed picture frames, making them like abstract art.
Bar Jeremiah, on the other hand, has a full cocktail menu to tempt you. It took so much willpower to not order all 12 signature drinks, but we are only two humans with two livers. Upon arrival, we were greeted by incredibly friendly staff who walked us through the whole bar concept: reinvention of Jeremiah “Jerry” Thomas’ signature cocktails with modern twists. They’re infusing bubble gum into rye, they’re bottling their own seasonal lemon sours. They’re making sense out of these crazy 19th century recipes using modern ingredients. Their signature drink is right out of Jerry Thomas’ playbook: the Reviver Blazer, where flaming liquor is poured between two metal cups for a show moment. They also have a pretty respectable food menu, so you can turn a visit to Bar Jeremiah into a proper dinner if the occasion calls. The staff at Bar Jeremiah went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, to share their techniques and to serve us outstanding cocktails. And while I loved everything I drank there, the drink that will stay with me forever was their Fatman’s Fashioned. Woodford Reserve Bourbon with peanut butter, amaro, bitters and blueberry jam, served with a stroopwaffle and freshly-crisped bacon. Holy cow. It will live in my dreams as a top sip for all time. Don’t miss that cocktail.
The eclectic interior of Bar Jeremiah is a tribute to the life of early bartender Jerry Thomas, and feels a bit like a whimsical Victorian parlor.
Why they’re unique: Commitment to the art of cocktails
Japan has given the world beautiful phrases that simply don’t exist in other languages. Wabi-sabi: beauty through imperfection. Komorebi: when sunlight is filtered through tree leaves. But the one that perhaps best represents the cocktail scene in Japan is shokunin kishitsu: spirit of a craftsperson. The bar staff we interacted with displayed such dedication and finesse to their craft that it was like watching great art be created in front of you. Creativity and precision and clarity of vision; it was remarkable.
The combination of the reclaimed “shattered glass” candle holder, custom coasters, premium linens and moody interior lighting make Bar Nayuta feel like a well-kept secret.
Roaming the streets of Osaka and Tokyo and looking for the doors of these tucked-away places led to this heightened sense of adventure. The interiors were cozy and memorable, not in a trendy social media sense, but in a sacred way that makes you want to be present and savor every sip. From start to finish, these two bars have made an indelible mark on my memories of Japan. Put simply, they’re cocktails in their most heightened form, and I can’t recommend them enough.
The summary
Visit Bar Jeremiah if…
· You’re in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo
· You enjoy the early history of cocktails
· You want that Insta vid of the fiery Flaming Reviver
· You’re looking for reliable American comfort foods for dinner
Must orders…
· Fatman’s Old Fashioned
· Reviver Blazer
· Espresso Tom & Jerry Flip
Visit Bar Nayuta if…
· You’re in the Shinsaibashi or Amerika-mura districts of Osaka
· You want bespoke cocktails
Must orders…
· There is no menu, so this is entirely up to you!