Gaze in from the street at No. 502 and you’ll find plenty to tempt you inside. There’s a gleaming refrigerator stacked full of wine; an appetizing takeout selection in the deli display case; a bright, modern interior; and a cozy wooden counter by the open kitchen that invites you to linger with a glass or two and some nibbles.
Occupying an old, two-story house that’s been artfully stripped down inside to reveal its wooden pillars, beams and stairs, then refurbished and remodeled, No. 502’s sophistication feels incongruous in the old-school residential backstreets of suburban Setagaya Ward. But that has not deterred the clientele, who have beaten a path to its door since it opened last November.
No. 502 is a perfect example of the recent fashion for wine stores with wine bars attached. In Japanese they’re known as “neo kaku-uchi,” referencing the traditional term for liquor stores where customers can drink their retail purchases on-site.