Nihongo no OBL

I finally found an American style bar near my apartment. All the other bars I've seen are the sit around a table and eat some Japanese food style, and I can't just wander into those and start talking to people. Seems like I'm barging in on some party.

Anyway, I've ridden by this place a few times and I though it looked like a real bar, so I went there last night. First, I lubricated my Japanese skills with a couple of beers at home, which put me a little closer to my Japanese speaking OBL. Not enough, of course, but close.

I walked in through the honky-tonk style swinging half doors, and saw a big wooden eagle, a route 66 sign, and 3 guys who looked like a Japanese Stray Cats tribute band. All slicked pompadours and cowboy-ish shirts, ready to rockabilly the night away. These were the guys working there. Other than them, there was a couple at one table and 2 older ladies at the bar, and a couple of dozen Elvis pictures.

I asked for a beer, rockabilly bartender asked what kind and started listing my choices. When he came to "Buda-why-za", I gave him my "really?!!" face, which I find to be quite useful when talking broken Japanese. He yelled to the rockabilly waiter to bring me a Bud, and when he did, it came with a mug in the shape of a boot, and I knew this was a place I could get used to.

I drank my boot-beer and listened to the ladies ordering a drink. They were just listing off liquors and juices, making it up as they went along. She finally had a tequila, watermelon schnapps, and OJ. I reached deep into my 3rd beer Japanese skills and asked what the name of that drink was, and she said "it's original" in English. They were very nice to me the rest of the time they were there, even reminding me the word for salt when I ordered a tequila (they actually had Cuervo).

They left and another guy came in, who seemed very interested in talking to an American. I talked to this guy about cars, motorcycles, and baseball for about an hour (10 minutes of actual conversation, 50 minutes of trying to get the other person to understand).

It was definitely a fun place, with oldies on the stereo and Tom and Jerry on the TV, and 4 seriously rockabilly guys wandering around. Other than the fact they were Japanese, something about the place really reminded me of "Swingers". I will be going back for sure. Next time I'll bring my camera.

Today, I'm going to watch football this morning and make an itinerary for my upcoming Kyoto trip tonight. I'm going to go to the Lion's Head tomorrow for whatever New Years festivities they have, then on Tuesday I'm going to check out what sort of activity there is at the local temples and pack for Kyoto. My hotel says they have internet access, so maybe there will be updates from Kyoto, but my itinerary may be too packed.