A new kind of establishment, rare in this area, has opened at the station-front starting point of Kurashiki Chuodori, which runs south from JR Kurashiki Station. It is “Tachinomi ura,” a standing-only bar with no chairs. Conveniently located about a one-minute walk from the station, it is popular with both locals and tourists.
Looking at the shop from outside, you get a sense that something is a little unusual. The shape of the building and the exposed earthen walls visible through the windows. There is no noren (traditional shop curtain), and you only realize it is a restaurant when you see the menu board beside the door.
The shop’s appearance may make you wonder at first what kind of place it is, but that is because the owners wanted to preserve the vision of the architect who designed the building.
We visited this standing bar, born from a chance encounter and now a place for exchange.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in March 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A standing bar where the building is also worth a look
“Tachinomi ura” is just to the right after you walk past the West Building from the south exit of JR Kurashiki Station and descend the pedestrian overpass. It is in a prime location that could be called the face of Kurashiki.
Incidentally, ura is pronounced like the word for “demon,” and you might think it refers to “Ura,” a figure familiar in Okayama folklore, but it actually means “back.” The reason it is called “back” despite being in the heart of Kurashiki will be explained in the interview later in the article.
Since this is a restaurant, we could talk about the menu, but first let’s take a look at the building. It has dark walls, a door, and large windows. What you see through the windows will surely strike you as unusual: exposed earthen walls.
The windows have a special treatment that prevents them from reflecting light at night, so you can see inside clearly. Up close, you can also make out the bamboo framework, giving you the feeling of looking outside even though you are inside the building. That’s right—the wall visible through the window is the exterior wall of the neighboring building.
ura was created when the neighboring building was expanded, and apparently they deliberately left this exterior wall exposed when renovating the shop. Once inside, looking up at the ceiling gives you an even stranger feeling. It looks just like a construction site ceiling.
Intricately arranged pillars, exposed walls and ceilings. In fact, these are not under construction—they are the finished design, renovated by Jo Nagasaka, an architect at Schemata Architects. Based on the concept of “half-architecture,” Nagasaka creates architecture that makes use of the materials of buildings and land.
The protrusions in the walls created by the extension have also been left as they are. You can even see writing remaining on the pillars, and the building certainly gives a sense of history.
A counter follows the unusual shape of the building. Since it is a standing bar, there are no chairs.
Dishes made with plenty of local ingredients
ura is run by Kurabiz Inc., which also operates its sister establishment, Cafe&Bar KAG, serving hamburgers, chicken over rice, and more.
At ura, you can enjoy dishes made with plenty of local ingredients, as well as local sake.
Fish from Uoharu
A highlight is the menu featuring fish from Uoharu, a long-established fish shop founded in 1898 in Chayamachi, Kurashiki City.
About 45 years ago, Spanish mackerel was poorly handled outside Okayama and could not be eaten raw.
Uoharu visited fishing ports around the country and taught fishermen how to prepare Spanish mackerel and transport it packed in ice. They apparently set up a system whereby, if all the Spanish mackerel caught in those areas were sent to Okayama, they would pay a higher price in return.
For “Uoharu’s seared Spanish mackerel,” the surface is torched after you order.
Because the kanji for Spanish mackerel combines the characters for “fish” and “spring,” people tend to think it tastes best in spring, but it is actually delicious in winter, when it becomes rich with fat. We ate the thick slices with yuzu pepper or rock salt rather than soy sauce.
Being able to enjoy it with salt that enhances its flavor without masking it is proof of its freshness. The Spanish mackerel was so tender it seemed to melt in the mouth, and we savored each bite of the rich, fatty fish.
Like the Spanish mackerel, the vinegared mackerel is also recommended. If you want to really savor the mackerel, order “Uoharu’s special vinegared mackerel.” Prepared by Uoharu, it is firm from the vinegar but, like the Spanish mackerel, still tender. It goes well with both rice and sake.
It was so delicious that I wanted to savor it forever.
There is also an unusual take on vinegared mackerel: the “signature vinegared mackerel sandwich.” It was a surprising dish that made me think, “Vinegared mackerel goes with bread?”
The fish menu also includes fried fish. On the day we visited, the “Setouchi white fish fry” was made with black sea bream from Okayama Prefecture. The type of fish apparently changes from day to day. We ate it with rock salt and tartar sauce.
The outside is fried until crisp, while the inside is surprisingly fluffy. This was another highly satisfying dish.
Eggs from Sakamoto Keiran
Founded in 1966, Sakamoto Keiran is an egg shop in Mizushima, Kurashiki City. Let’s take a look at some of its menu items.
If you want to savor the eggs themselves, try “Sakamoto Keiran’s oeuf mayo.” Oeuf mayo is short for the French dish “oeuf mayonnaise,” meaning egg and mayonnaise.
When the writer tried oeuf mayo, it was listed on the menu as “Sakamoto Keiran’s sesame oeuf mayo” and topped with a sesame-flavored sauce. It had a slightly Chinese-style flavor.
The egg is soft and runny. It’s an irresistible dish for egg lovers.
There’s also tamago kake gohan, a Japanese soul food. “Tamago kake gohan with yellow chives soy sauce” is topped with plenty of bonito flakes and green onions. Using yellow chives soy sauce is a lovely expression of love for Okayama. The aromas of bonito, green onion, and yellow chives stimulate the senses. Even before taking a bite, I was sure it would be delicious.
Made with just the egg yolk, it clings thickly to the rice. I thought I was having it as a final rice dish, but this sinful dish only whetted my appetite.
Okayama sake
Local sake from Okayama is also available. The menu changes from day to day, so ask the staff. The sake selection is written on the menu board on the wall.
One thing worth noting is that Okayama craft beer is also available. It is brewed in Hayashima Town, Okayama Prefecture, under the brand “OKAYAMA JIMOTO BEER 086.” There are five varieties:
- #2 OKAYAMA PALE ALE
- #4 KURASHIKI HAZY IPA
- #6 KIBIJI AMBER ALE
- #8 TSUYAMA CHOCOLATE STOUT
- #48 HAYASHIMA IGUSA PILSNER
The “086” in the brand name is Okayama’s area code, and the numbers on the labels are the first digits of phone numbers from different parts of the prefecture. The writer tried “#8 TSUYAMA CHOCOLATE STOUT.”
This stout was made to evoke Tsuyama. It isn’t sweet and has an aroma like dark chocolate. It was fruitier than it looked and paired perfectly with food.
Tachinomi ura is fascinating as a building, too, and serves dishes made with plenty of ingredients from Okayama Prefecture. We spoke with company president Akiba Yuichi and manager Tagawa Hidetora.
Tachinomi ura Information
| Name | Tachinomi ura |
|---|---|
| Address | 3-1-16 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 080-2921-0222 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 6:00 p.m.–midnight: Tuesday–Friday 12:00 p.m.–midnight: Saturday 12:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.: Sunday |
| Closed | Monday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Seating | About 15 seats indoors and about 4 seats outdoors |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking (smoking area available outdoors) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Tachinomi ura |
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