Himitukiti (Secret Base)
Otaku Bar Review
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Rating /5
Review
The description on their social media suggested this is a bar that "covers" many otaku "themes", like manga, anime, card games etc. I doubt any of them know who Roy of the Rovers is, mind you.
It's name means "secret base", and sort-of in keeping with this theme, they have a heavy curtain blocking light from getting out of the windowed front door. This can make it seem closed when you first go there, but it is open, I promise!
When I first got there, it seemed like a pretty standoffish, only-one-of-the-staff-talks-to-you three star kinda bar, but it got better. Earlier that day I had been to a Fist of the North Star exhibiton (actually intended to go to another manga art exhibition in the same museum, but it was mazelike and I got kinda railroaded in), so showed them the book. This warmed things up a bit. I said I liked to "study the art of masters", which lead to talking about me drawing my own comics, and then some paper got produced and we all started having a Final Fantasy sketch jam. Apparently they get a lot of customers to draw pictures. They should set up a gallery of these pictures (the walls are already plastered with posters and figure shelves, though). And maybe call it the "wall of originals". There's a deep cut for ya.
A lot of bars in Japan have electronic dart boards, this place has an electronic BB gun shooting range! I didn't try it, but apparently it's okay to bring your own "piece" and do some shooting! There's a heavy plastic curtain they set up to prevent ricochets.
At the back of the bar, there's a very nice looking soft lounge area, if you come with a bigger group.
Getting There
In Moriguchi, close to Keihan Moriguchi station. Come out of the West Exit, go down the steps. Turn left, then left again. Walk back along the road until you see a building with a blue awning on the right, next to a crossing. Cross there and basically just go straight until you see it.
Details
Opened in July 2024.
"Shot Style" is ¥800 cover charge and ¥800 for drinks, but you have to have at least one an hour. Or maybe only one an hour... not too sure. Nomihodai is ¥2500 an hour. I just went for that. Possibly once you reach ¥5000 for 2 hours, that's the maximum. But I'm quoting a badly-translated review here.
In Conclusion
A nice, fun bar, but it's kind of out of the way from Osaka proper... though not too far to go. Just keep an eye on the time and don't miss that last train back!
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