A venerable liquor store with nearly 100 years of history, Jollys sits on Meiji-dori and is even more of a standout after last year’s top to toe renovation. Now composed of a shop, a wood-trimmed counter and a basement music studio, it’s a popular spot with backpackers and local office workers alike. All bottles available in the store can be tasted at the bar, which also serves up food including hot dogs and spam musubi rice rolls.
Originally used to describe the unsanitary act of drinking straight from the bottle, the Japanese word kaku-uchi now refers to sipping booze in the corner of a liquor store – often at a stand bar set up specifically for the purpose. These counter-only establishments, which allow you to sample from any bottle from the parent shop’s often vast selection, aren’t just considerably cheaper than bars: they often also go to great lengths to provide snacks that pair well with the drinks on offer. These are four of our favourite casual in-store boozers – don your comfiest shoes and prepare to linger.
