Bar hopping in Kyoto

I went down to the bar area of Kyoto - gion - which is just five minutes from my hotel. Very different selection of bars etc here. In ordinary houses are bar after bar on each floor, quite dead outside but very lively bars if you open the door. Lots of gentlemens clubs where it costs 5 to 10,000 yen to enter, others where it costs even more...

 

I was not looking for that kind of bar, and went to a small bar in this shady alley.

At the far end was a bar where I went inside. There sat two Japanese guys who were a bit surprised when I said hello.

I ordered a sake - I have not tested that previously here. I got an instruction on how I should drink it in an overflowing glass.

The Japanese left and was replaced by a family with nice Americans who after three days in Kyoto already appointed this bar to their favorite. Awesome nice owner of the bar who also spoke good English.

But, I don't have patience or time enough to stay in one bar all night no matter how nice it is, so I continued my lonely wandering in gion. Apparently, most clubs are only for the Japanese, so there are no poeople trying to talk me into the bars I pass by which is nice.

Anyway, after a while I found a French whiskey bar - "H du pont" with a really wide selection of whiskey and a nice bartender.

Here was my absolute favorite whiskey Springbank - in a Duncan Taylor dimensional, 18-year-old.

And also another favorite - Glenfarclas - here a private reserve from 2003.