A note of incense hangs in the air, and the low tables and benches are reminiscent of a Thai beach bar (without the beach). In fact, much of the décor is from assorted Buddhist traditions, such as Tibetan and Thai Theravada.

The ¥500 cover charge included those fried and salted spaghetti noodles now almost ubiquitous at bars and eateries around the metropolis. In this setting, they resembled incense sticks. Other snacks on the menu include homemade sesame dough with wasabi (¥500).

Standard nama Yebisu or bottled Corona costs ¥700, herbal beer is on offer at ¥800, soft drinks are ¥400 and various teas are ¥600. But after trying the special cocktails we elected to expand our horizons with some more bizarre options. The bichu with embalmed lizard (¥600)—who stared glassily at us from the bottom of the bottle—had a peculiar reptilian aftertaste to it, while the shiro shochu, bearing a large coiled Okinawan snake, seemed to have some kind of powerful aphrodisiac effect, to the concern of the other punters. Kohji told of an aged local monk who drinks a shot of it every day and has never had a cold in his life.