Funkiest Happy Hour

You might not find it in your Tokyo guide book, but Shimokitazawa is one of my favorite neighborhoods – void of high end shops, but full of young artists, Kinfolk-esque cafes, and live music venues.  I like to spend the afternoon browsing the quirky secondhand shops and eclectic boutiques.  Try Chicago for everything from tacky 90’s tracksuits to kimonos, and visit the Darwin Room for their taxidermy and insect collections.  Then when happy hour rolls around, head to Mother Bar for 300-yen drinks and a snack.

A funky patchwork of warped, excavated trees, concrete, and colorful glass and tile mosaics, Mother feels like you’re underground in a cavernous, pyschedelic ant hill.  The friendly, English-speaking staff flout typical Japanese conventions and will engage you in conversation while The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan tracks play in the background.  Besides a good range of imported beers, the house specialty is a cinnamon-spiced, sweet tequila-like spirit called Mori, which they create using a secret recipe and store in a skull-shaped bottle at the bar; they recommend it on the rocks, paired with their amazing nachos.

Their food menu is international with dishes like Vietnamese spring rolls, chorizo and beans, pad thai, and spaghetti with an avocado cream sauce.  Everything I have tried there so far has been delicious, but my favorite, must-order-everytime is the nachos.  Mother is as much a feast for the eyes as the stomach.

Getting there: 5 min walk from Shimokitazawa Station, north exit
5-36-14 Daizawa, Setagaya, Tokyo 155-0032