Yorozuya
Otaku Bar Review
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Rating /5
Review
This one's down in Sakai, so it was both pretty far for me, and I went pretty late, due to being mega-tired and napping after work. Anyway, when I got there it was pretty fun to begin with. Though I did come out of the lift brandishing and swearing at my video camera, which was fucking up (boycott Feiyutech)... right into a couple of guys smoking, out in the tiny, cramped lobby between the lift and the bar.
The interior has a narrow hallway into the main body of the bar, which has the usual bar area and a couple of tables. A bunch of people where here, singing LOUD karaoke. Lots of women, it seemed like the place was run by a master (who gives enthusiastic greetings) and has 3 female staff. You know how bars like this are supposed to go. Part the lonely guys from their money! Still, unlike some places (paging Mofuru) these girls do know some of their stuff, as long as you want to talk about the really big anime, anyway. Stray into the territory of Genshiken and they're lost.
The bar has the usual array of anime figures, and the walls are plastered in posters. Behind the bar there's both two TVs and a big projection screen for the karaoke videos. The sound system is LOUD, so conversations can be difficult and interrupted. I got the "gaijin fascination" when I first turned up, but as it became apparent I'm not that good at Japanese, and also don't watch the big, famous anime, I got left alone. If you DO like Naruto, One Piece etc, you'll probably find this place four stars, not three!
Getting There
Near Sakaihigashi station. Come out of the west exit, go straight down some stairs and the taxi loop should be in front of you. Go right and enter the "Ginza Street" shotengai. Go straight, left, then right and it's in a place called "Kawanaka Building".
Details
Men pay ¥3000 for the first hour and ¥600 for each 30 minutes after that, up to a maximum charge of ¥6000. Women pay ¥2500 for the first hour and ¥600 for each hour after that, up to a maximum charge of ¥5000. There's also a "One Drink Plan" for ¥1200 per hour, but you have to buy at least one drink each hour.
It seems like the basic drinks are nomihodai, a "guest drink"? is ¥800 (presumably a fancy cocktail-of-the-month), and Karaoke is ¥300 a song.
In Conclusion
It's alright. Bit far for me, I doubt I'll go again, but if you're down there and know popular anime, you'll probably have a decent time.
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