Eat & Drink
A new generation of bartenders brings global flair and local culture to Japan’s party capital
Pendulum Clock, a gin-focused bar in Osaka’s Kitashinchi district, reimagines 18th-century British satirist William Hogarth’s home as a secret gin lounge. (Photo by Melinda Joe)
MELINDA JOE
October 12, 2025 07:17 JST
OSAKA — As dusk settles and Osaka’s neon signs flicker into life, the city known as Japan’s kitchen for its culinary variety transforms into something altogether more intoxicating. The streets that bustle in daytime with workers rushing to the office and vendors hawking takoyaki (octopus fritters) transform into a glowing warren filled with basement speakeasies and cocktail lounges that rival anything Tokyo has to offer.
AloJapan.com