Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

Photos by James Hadfield

There’s no question: if Ongaku no Jikan was in a central location—Shibuya, say, or Koenji—the place would be rammed. As it is, this shiny new bar has served a vital role in sleepy Mitaka since it opened last October, providing a bohemian hangout for locals who would otherwise have to travel to, well, Shibuya or Koenji to get their culture-loving kicks. And it’s rammed.

You’ll spot the small stage, upright piano and selection of guitars right away. Ongaku no Jikan, which translates as “Music Time,” hosts a wide variety of live events and DJ parties on weekends and some weeknights, many of which are free to enter. Next, your eye might catch the thousands of CDs in stylish wooden racks, which it turns out are actually for sale: the bar also doubles up as a record store for niche music from around the world.

And then you get to the drinks. Presented in a photo album, the menu includes a variety of gourmet beers and spirits (though, peculiarly, only sweet dessert wine). Beer-lovers will appreciate the bottled Pinkus Mueller (¥850), an organic German ale that smacks of honey and hops, and the imaginatively named Natural Organic Beer (¥850), a light, crisp British brew. Despite its name, the draught Edelpils (¥700) is in fact brewed in Japan by Sapporo, and is the beer equivalent of Bono: fairly tasteless and with an uncommonly big head.

The whiskey list goes on for several pages, with Irish and Scotch tipples as well as bourbons, ranging from ¥800 to ¥2,600 a glass. All spirits come with an array of options (starting at ¥700), so when you order a long cocktail—say, a Moscow mule—you can choose your brand of spirit and simply add ¥100 for the mixer. Musty drinks such as Calvados (¥1,200) are also available, in case you happen to bring your gran. The non-alcohol selection includes fruit juices (¥650) and a range of herb teas from ¥500. There’s no food except for chocolates, but customers are free to bring their own.

The bar’s white walls are augmented with dark wood and hung with framed paintings and posters, one of which encourages you to “share your table,” while the wooden tables and chairs in the center of the room are perfectly comfy. The whole place is spotless—God bless no-smoking bars—and also very friendly. On the occasions we visited, we made friends with the entire clientele, and the owner personally saw every customer out the door.

Then again, the shelves of books—covering art, obscure music, B-movies and travel—mean that you can kick back for a quiet evening of antisocial enlightenment, if you so desire.