Bar Rockstar

Bar Rockstar doesn't announce itself. A small door near Janjan Yokocho, marked by a guitar sticker, opens into a room that could be a rock fan's bedroom: posters on every wall, records stacked on shelves, a turntable spinning on the back counter, and a man in a faded Ramones t-shirt pouring drinks.

The counter seats eight, and on the Tuesday I visited, three of those seats were occupied. The owner looked up, nodded, and pointed to a stool. A highball appeared within a minute, strong and fizzy, the ice crackling in the glass. On the turntable, a Blue Hearts album played at a volume that allowed conversation.

I asked about the records and the owner's eyes lit up. He pulled a Led Zeppelin IV from the shelf, held it up like a sacred text, and placed it on the turntable with the care of a surgeon. For the next 45 minutes, we communicated in a mixture of English, Japanese, and the universal language of pointing at album covers and nodding.

The regular at the end of the counter turned out to be a retired truck driver with a deep knowledge of American blues. He requested a Muddy Waters record, and the owner found it in seconds. The three of us sat drinking cheap highballs while Muddy Waters filled the tiny room.

Three highballs came to 1,200 JPY. The experience was worth immeasurably more. Bar Rockstar is the kind of place that makes you glad you took a wrong turn down an alley.