Awamori and laughter, the night slowly melts away.
The nights in Fuse are a little loose and a little thick.
The last stop on our hagi-zake itinerary was Kakihana-ke, a bar with an Okinawan flair.
The sound of sanshin (three-stringed guitar) and laughter flow into Sakura-dori Avenue, which is lined with the lights of many snack bars.
The island language is spoken, and before you know it, you are chatting with someone you don't know.
The food, the drinks, and the air are all somehow "effective.
This may not be the end of your trip, but a place where you want to start the rest of your night.
| Address | 6-16 Ashidai Shinmachi, Higashiosaka City, Osaka, JapanGoogleMap |
|---|---|
| Phone number | 06-6782-8082 |
| Business Hours | 18:00~3:00 |
| regular closing day | non-scheduled holiday |
| Smoking allowed | Smoking allowed |
A tropical wind blows in the night in Fuse.
Sakura Street, south of Fuse Station.
As I walk down the path, illuminated by the neon lights of the snack bars, I suddenly hear the sound of sanshin (three-stringed Japanese guitar).
I stopped and listened carefully, and it seemed to be coming from the back of a store, accompanied by laughter.
The source of the sound is Kakihana-ke.
An Okinawan izakaya in Osaka.
That alone is surprising, but it blends so seamlessly into the atmosphere of the street that a first-time visitor might pass it by.
But once you step inside, you are in a different world.
The rhythm of the island and the warmth of the people are just right for the evening.
Delicious selfishness” directly from Okinawa
Kazu, a native of Miyako Island, prepares the dishes.
He brought us his signature taco rice with a laugh, saying, “We order seasonings and noodles from Okinawa as much as possible.
The standard “Okinawa soba,” “mimigau” and “rafte” all have a distinctly “homey” taste. One bite of the taco rice, and the softness of the broth and the salty taste will make you want awamori (rice wine) instead of beer.
As you drink more and more, you get hungry. Okidon” is the perfect dish for such a situation.
Raftae, red ginger, bitter gourd, mimigaura, and other Okinawan delicacies dance on top of the rice.
You have never seen such a bold and free-flowing mixed rice bowl anywhere else.
Regular customers quietly tell me about the “omakase 3 kinds of rice bowls”.
You should ask for that,” a voice said from the seat next to us.
Apparently, the “omakase 3 kinds” is a “secret menu item.
On that day, it was an assortment of island radicchio, mimigaura, and rafte.
The menu changes daily, and is truly a “whim” of Mr. Kazu’s.
Even so, all the dishes had one thing in common: they all took a lot of time and effort, and they all tasted great next to sake.
In fact, this back menu is available only to guests of SEKAI HOTEL Fuse.
It’s a bit of a win-win situation.
Looseness of the island and open-mindedness of Osaka
While I was sipping awamori at the counter, I suddenly heard the sound of sanshin (Okinawan guitar) playing from the back of the room.
Kazu-san, who was now drunk, began to sing with a shy smile on his face, saying, “Just listen to me for a minute.
The whole restaurant was filled with applause and laughter. Although they were strangers to each other, everyone seemed to “know each other” somehow.
Both Osaka and Okinawa have a culture of “chatting casually with strangers.
The Kakihana family seems to have the warmth of both cultures.
I found myself drinking with the person next to me and talking about the next restaurant.
There is a reason why people love Kakihana.
The owner, Kazu-san, has lived in Osaka for more than 15 years.
Even so, his island dialect still lingers at the end of his words, and the tempo of his conversation is somewhat leisurely.
This also creates the atmosphere of the restaurant.
The regulars laugh and tease Kazu, saying, “He’s doing it again!
But he seems to be happy to hear it, and it is indescribably cool to see his back as he goes back to cooking.
Although the sign says “Okinawan cuisine,” there is more to the restaurant than just food.
Yuntaku, sanshin (Okinawan guitar), and chance encounters.
Above all, the space itself, Kakihana House, is like a feast.
At the end of a night in Fuse
The last stop on our Fuse night of hachi-go-sake.
Laugh, drink, and cry a little.
Kakihana-ke” is the perfect place for such a night.
Whether you are on a trip, on your way home from work, or just on an ordinary day.
When you open the door, someone is sure to be smiling.
Sometimes, you may even miss the last train.
There is awamori. There are sanshin (Okinawan guitar).
And someone’s voice is warm.
