Packed with guests and lively, Kamiya bar is as close as Tokyo can get to a downtown Munich  beerhall.

Established in 1880, Kamiya bar is still at its original location in Asakusa, only a few meters away from famous Sensoji temple entrance gate. But the tourist hordes seldom find their way to this place, the guests are mainly regulars from the neighborhood. Kamiya bar is not a mainstream Izakaya ( it is - well - a bar), this starts with the waiters who are dressed in steward’s vest and bow tie. Only the drinks may be ordered at the table - cash in advance against meal tickets - for the food you have to queue up at the cashier beside the glass showcase where the food and drink menu is displayed in plastic, take your tickets back to your table where they will be collected by the waiters. The service is quick and friendly, all waiters have the knack to separate the tickets into two parts with a snap of their fingers, nice trick.

The drink menu offers everything from beer over wine and sake to standard cocktails, but most of the guests would either drink draft beer (from the Asahi brewery just across Sumida river) or 　デンキブラン (denkiburan / “Electric Brandy”) (260 Yen / shot) which originates from Kamiya bar and is allegedly a mixture of gin, wine, curacao and herbs. Dangerous stuff ! This electric drink takes its toll among the guests, quite a number of intoxicated boozers have their heads resting on the tables despite the early afternoon...  The draft beer they serve at Kamiya bar is cultivated and the mugs are big, little Munich. The food menu has its ups and downs, some Izakaya standard fare and also “western” dishes, but you have to look carefully if you want to find something above average. Recommendable: たこのスモークサラダ (salad from smoked octopus) (560 Yen), かきから焼き (kaki karayaki / oysters fried in the shell) (870 Yen), にこごり (fish aspic) (360 Yen).

The atmosphere is really unique and it would be inviting to spend hours at this place, if not......unfortunately Kamiya bar is really smoky and even a table close to the entrance doors does not help much.

1 min. walk from subway Ginza-line or Asakusa-line Asakusa station. Tables, all shared,  capacity of about 100 persons. Kamiya bar also runs a restaurant at the second floor, food appears to be the same as in the bar, and a Japanese restaurant at the third floor, both places quite nostalgic but no alternative to the bar first floor.

Beer (633ml bottle): 610 Yen (available but not on the menu)