Yokohama Kannai: The Norwegian Bar - Bar Norge (バーノルゲ)

Yokohama is a city that can boost of a long history of trade with the outside world during a time while most of Japan still remained closed. After the Port of Yokohama opened up to foreign ships in 1859 an area of Yokohama known as Kannai (関内) became a particularly popular place to settle down among the foreigners, and to this date their presence has left a mark on the atmosphere of this part of the city.

In Yokohama Kannai you can find among others a number of foreign bars that used to be frequented by foreign sailors, and one of them is the Norwegian bar known as Bar Norge. This bar has a history stretching back to 1972, and is according to word of mouth a bar that was founded by a Norwegian sailor and his Japanese wife. The two of them have long passed away, but the bar was bought by one of their regular customers, and the spirit of the old bar has been kept alive until today.

At the bar you can enjoy a wide range of drinks, most of them not really related to Norway, but if you are up for a real viking drink they do serve some cocktails based on the traditional Norwegian/Scandinavian liquor called akevitt (also known as akvavit or aquavit).

A map of Norway inside the bar

As a Norwegian living in Tokyo this bar is one of the places I like to stop by while in Yokohama. My great-grandfather was actually a sailor too, and he and my great-grandmother lived a couple of years in Nagasaki and Kobe in the early 1970s working for the shipping industry. So who knows, maybe they've even enjoyed a drink or two at this bar during a visit to Yokohama?

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
Anette

■ Basic Info

・Name of Cafe: Bar NORGE (バーノルゲ)
・Address：〒231-0023 Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama, Naka Ward, Yamashitacho, 217
・Phone: 045-641-7020
・Opening Hours: 4:00PM - 12:00AM
・Official Home Page：http://www.bar-norge.com/