Torys Bar (Osaka, Japan)

The Lane to the Torys Bar

Oasaka, Joso district.

You may notice the small sign in the middle of this picture reading "Juso Torys Suntory". This lane is located in the Juso red-light district in Osaka. Here is the sole survivor of a long bygone era, when Suntory whisky bars, named torys bars could be found all over Japan. Of the hundreds of Torys bars that dotted most of Japan in the 50s' and 60s', you'll find today only one remaining : the Torys bar of Juso, Osaka ...

Let's have a look at this recent Suntory history : As we know, Shinjiro Torii, Suntory's founder was at the same time a passionate whisky lover
and a smart entrepreneur. After the war, as whisky was getting trendier in Japan, he wanted to speed the access of ordinary Japanese (especially of the hard-working salarymen) to his whiskies and decided to open countless bars across the country, named "Torys bars" where (mostly) men could have an after-work relaxing time drinking whisky. The first of these bars were opened in 1955 in Osaka and Tokyo and were to become a staple of post-war Japan. How many wives have patiently waited for their husband to come home while he was sipping glass after glass in a crowded Torys bar with his work mates... To give you an idea of the success of these whisky bars in Japan, consider the figures : 1500 such Torys bars were established in the 50s' and early 60s'... Many Suntory commercials were shot to promote the trendy drink since that era, like this one. This other one seems to show the flushing effect of whisky, even the house glows at the end (and the gender roles...the wife serves and the husband gulps.

The commercials on the right feature Coppola and Kurosawa enjoying Suntory whisky during the shooting of Kagemusha. Kurosawa seems to have enjoyed the sponsorship of Suntory, and we can even say that 2 generations of Copollas have had a crush for Suntory whiskies if we consider the thread of Lost in Translation, whose director is Sofia Coppola...Listen to the amplified sound of the ice cubes knocking together in the commercial. Uncle Torys, the character created by Ryohei Yamagihara for the Suntory whiskies commercials in the 1950s' was an icon of postwar Japan. After years working with Suntory, Ryohei Yamagihara brought his talent to the Mitsui OSK Lines, a Japanese cruise-ships and freight-ships company. A Ryohei Yamagihara Museum is devoted to his artistic work there.

Mr Eiji Egawa, Manager of the Torys BarTo reach Juso, take the Hankyu line from Umeda (central Osaka), Juso is just a station away (see a video of the trip). Then, once arrived, just go right when you pass the turnstiles at the Juso Hankyu station (East Gate), there's a narrow lane against a high wall parallel to the tracks and the Torys bar is just a few meters down on the left. See this map (pdf) for details (the bar is between the KFC and the Karaoke). If you're spending a few days in either Osaka or Kyoto, it is very easy to get there, so don't miss this opportunity to have a drink in the last Suntory whisky bar (just say you got the tip from a french couple)...
I read somewhere that this bar is a time capsule straight from the late 50s' and we could check it by ourselves : nothing seems to have changed, the bar, the stools or the wall covering. There's only maybe the flat TV hanging above for to distract the eventual lonely drinker. It is a very narrow bar going deep into the building. Its dim-lit lighting makes you feel relaxed even before you ordered the real stuff.my Glass of Suntory Owner's Cask 1993...Egawa-san is a nice man. We told him that we visited Juso just for the sake of enjoying a drink in his Torys bar and I think there aren't too many gaijins doing the same (I hope this post will bring more of them). He has been managing this bar for years (I would swear I wrote on my notes how many years but can't find anything). He says that the bar begins to fill up at 7:30pm or 8pm and we see several patrons coming in and sitting at the bar while we enjoy our drink. They are from the old generation and may have known the hot days of the Tory's bars in the 1960s'. Egawa-san says that his customers look for the authentic feel of the place, the crowdest days being fridays and saturdays. On saturdays he see couples who stop here after shopping time.
The prices for a glass of whisky go from 340 Yen to 3890 Yen. The Yamazaki 12-Year Single Malt for example costs 980 Yen. I set my choice on a Suntory Royal 15 Years at 770 Yen while B. chooses a macerated kaki drink, a 11°-alcohol tile-colored, lightly sugary drink. This is a traditional fermented beverage in Japan and it is made in winter because of the low alcohol. After we chatted a few minutes while sipping our glass, he offers us to try his "owner's cask". B. is careful with the hard spirits but I say yes! of course. Suntory's owner's cask is a Single Malt whisky that Suntory releases by the cask to buyers ready to pay the money for it. Mr Eiji Egawa bought an Owner's Cask 1993 for 1 000 000 Yen (6350 Euro or 9640 USD) with the help of a 100 of his patrons and they shared the precious spirit. Owner's cask prices go from 500 000 Yen to 30 000 000 Yen depending of the millesime and the type of whisky. I am thrilled by the offer and I sip it with relish. This is a 57° proof, nothing, no water added and it gets down the throat pretty well.The Torii : the Best Tool to Keep Walls CleanWe all know that tje Japanese are very respectful of their streets and never litter or drop anything on the sidewalk, but apparently in the night spots with a high concentration of bars and Izakayas there may be a few rebels who (long time ago I'm sure) took from who-knows-where the odd habit to take a leak on a wall or in a dark corner. That's why you may come across these red toriis pinned on the high-risk spots like here near this sewer grate which was probably seen as very appealing to the closing-time staggering patrons. I took this picture a few meters from the Torys bar, in this narrow lane lined with bars and other night spots. Why a torii ? In Japan, a torii is the gate to a shrine and is associated to a godly monument and you just don't piss on such a holy image. The thing is, it works and the hurried drinker usually runs for a safer spot...Umbrellas in Umeda, OsakaTorys BarThe last Suntory Whisky BarJuso, Osaka (Kansai Prefecture)Phone1 : (06) 6301-4826Phone2 : (06) 6308-1926

Comments

[K. Kikuchi]

Awesome post. Next time I am in Osaka - I am going to Tory's (Torii's?) bar. Even without target destinations, I can wander for hours and have a perfectly satisfying time. But this place just sounds neat. Thank you.