When a friend took me on a tour of his favorite bars in Nakameguro, Saka Bar was the scheduled last stop. It scored this slot on the tour because of its notoriety in the area as a late-night hangout. On that first visit we arrived at 5 a.m. to find all stools at the bar taken -- though in an eight-seater establishment, this is often the case.
The master, Atsuhiro Sakamoto, whom everyone calls Saka-chan, worked as a carpenter for 12 years before opening the bar.
"I liked my trade, but I wanted the freedom of working for myself," he said.