As we entered the clean, soothingly lit space, we received a friendly welcome from the bartender-owner, who insisted with a shrug that we call him, “Shuji. Just Shuji.” As we settled at the bar for a drink, Led Zeppelin treated us with the live version of “Over the Hills and Far Away” from The Song Remains the Same.

The bilingual menu offered an ample variety of drinks in the ¥450-¥800 range: the usual liquors (gin, vodka, etc), chuhai, shochu, awamori, red wine, and bottled beer. Also on offer were the regular cast of bourbons including Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Marker’s Mark, and I.W. Harper, as well as Glenlivet and Bowmore single malts.

A glance around revealed several skulls and a rock and roll aesthetic that gave us a good clue of what else the voluminous music collection had in store. Classic album covers decorated one wall (Donald Fagan, Rolling Stones, T-Rex, Neil Young, Queen) and a carefully crafted photo-collage shrine to various rock icons graced the far wall of the toilet, featuring mostly concert snaps of stars like David Bowie, Jagger and Richards, Jeff Beck, Janis Joplin and Frank Zappa. Across the room, a triumphant yellow-and-white-leather-clad 15” Freddie Mercury action figure guarded the bottle-keep shelf.

There’s no music menu offered, but requests are welcome. Favorite bands, albums, or songs discussed with the bartender and the local musician regulars tend to make their way into the music queue quickly.

Shuji-san’s voluminous knowledge of his favorite genres, particularly heavy metal, is humbling and his passion truly infectious.