Open Book Ha

Everyone who’s made a few rounds in Golden Gai knows Open Book, a charming standing bar famous for its artisanal lemon sours and intriguing back story involving renowned Japanese writer Komimasa Tanaka. Fewer people are familiar with the famous bar’s recently opened sister establishment just a stone’s throw from Golden Gai.

Fitted with a kitchen and a mini brewery, Open Book Ha is notably larger than its Golden Gai counterpart, offering table and counter seating for those who want to enjoy a casual bite with a glass or two of the Open Book’s speciality beverage. Made with hand-peeled lemons sourced from Hiroshima and brown-sugar based shochu from Kagoshima, the signature lemon sours here are available on tap (¥900 per glass). The bar also ventures into seasonal shochu-based cocktails, substituting lemons with grapefruits based on availability.